Qatar retained their Asian Cup with a 3-1 win over Jordan within the closing on house soil on Saturday.
The reigning Asian Cup champions entered the house event as outsiders, although, behind the likes of Japan, South Korea, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Iran – who they beat within the semi-final. The 2019 winners gained the event for the primary time within the United Arab Emirates forward of them enjoying at their first-ever World Cup – which they hosted.
Qatar breezed via their group containing Lebanon, Tajikistan and China with out conceding a purpose. Tintin Marquez’s aspect defeated Palestine 2-1 within the spherical of 16, Uzbekistan on penalties within the quarter-finals and 10-men Iran 3-2 within the semi-final on their strategy to the ultimate the place they met Jordan, who reached the ultimate for the primary time of their historical past.
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The Maroons prevailed on the Lusail Stadium in entrance of over 86,000 followers, together with Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino. Just 22 minutes into the sport, Qatar had been awarded their first penalty when Akram Afif was felled within the field by Abdallah Nasib, who clumsily challenged his opponent and tripped him.
Afif, who performs for Al-Sadd, picked himself up and with a Jorginho-esque run up, didn’t ship the goalkeeper the mistaken method, but he was unable to cease the hassle because it rolled in direction of the underside nook.
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Just six minutes after Jordan had equalised via Yazan Al-Naimat halfway via the second-half, Afif discovered himself stepping up from 12 yards once more. Chinese referee Ma Ning initially waved away claims for a second penalty, however following a VAR verify, he controversially overruled his resolution for what might have been interpreted as only a regular coming collectively. This time, Afif fired house to the identical aspect however with loads extra conviction.
The referee was once more despatched to VAR in added time and determined after a overview that keeper Yazeed Abulaila didn’t make contact with the ball throughout a problem. Afif then sealed his hat-trick and the Asian Cup for Qatar as he despatched Abu Laila the mistaken method within the fifth minute of added time.
The recreation extremely continued 17 minutes into added-time earlier than Ma Ning lastly blew the full-time whistle, crowning a 26-man squad all containing gamers who play within the Qatar Stars League continental champions for a second time in 4 years, in a testomony to the nation’s top-flight and soccer programme.
Fans reacted to The Maroons’ triumph, with the bulk shocked given they misplaced all three video games at their house World Cup simply over a yr in the past the place they scored simply as soon as. One touch upon Twitter teased: “The Asian Cup is being played in Qatar. The referees have awarded Qatar three penalties in the final. Nothing to see here. Move along.”
A second wrote relating to Jordan’s management within the recreation: “Jordan are being robbed”, whereas a 3rd added: “Three penalties to the same side in the same match is insane”.