Syrian national team coach Hector Cooper praised his players' performance in the match against Uzbekistan, where "Qasioun Eagles" secured a draw in their opening match at the AFC Asian Cup held in Qatar. The Syrian team forced a goalless draw against Uzbekistan in a match that took place on Saturday as part of the first round of Group B, which also includes Australia and India. Australia leads the group with three points after winning against India (2-0), followed by Syria and Uzbekistan with one point each, and India with none.
In a press conference after the Syria-Uzbekistan match, Cooper said: "I am proud of what they (Syria players) offered, and of their execution of defensive and offensive duties." He added: "After the draw against a tough opponent, we will look for the best to earn points in the upcoming matches against India and Australia," continuing, "India is an evolving team, and we will devise the appropriate tactics to defeat them and enhance our chances." He noted: "I watched Australia’s first match against India, and we will analyze it to identify their strengths and weaknesses."
Regarding the controversial decision to exclude veteran striker Omar Al-Soma from Syria's Asian Cup squad, Cooper stated: "I made that decision based on tactical reasons, and I chose what I deemed appropriate, it is a technical decision, and Al-Soma may be included in the future."
