By Our Sports Correspondent in Al Rayyan
DOHA, Qatar – Portugal’s young guns fired a warning shot across the FIFA U-17 World Cup as they expertly dispatched Switzerland with a confident 2-0 victory in Qatar. But while the scoreline was all about the talented Portuguese teens, the spectacle was all about the tournament’s unique, centralised venue—the Aspire Zone in Al Rayyan.
In a match played on one of the state-of-the-art pitches within the sprawling Qatari sporting complex, Portugal showcased pure class.
The Swiss were dogged, but the young Navigators’ breakthrough finally came in the 41st minute when Mide delivered a clinical finish to send them into the break with a crucial one-goal lead.
The second half saw the Portuguese take firm control, doubling their advantage just eight minutes after the restart. It was Neto who delivered the decisive blow in the 53rd minute, ensuring all three points were sealed and sending his team’s fans wild in the stand.
The Aspire Blueprint
The victory was hard-fought on the meticulously maintained turf of the Aspire Zone, the epicentre of this expanded 48-team tournament. Far from the grand, individual stadiums of a senior World Cup, this U-17 event is a festival of football, with nearly all matches—bar the final at Khalifa International Stadium—being played across the eight FIFA-standard pitches nestled within the complex.
The Aspire Zone’s ‘campus’ style, where multiple matches happen simultaneously on clustered pitches, is an ambitious blueprint for future youth tournaments, offering players world-class training and match facilities without the travel headaches.
It is here, in the heart of Qatar’s sporting innovation hub, that the stars of tomorrow are being truly tested.
For the young Swiss squad, the defeat means a nervous wait, while for Portugal, Mide and Neto have ensured their Aspire Zone experience will be one of glory so far. Their 2-0 win is a strong statement of intent on the road to the final in Doha.
