Posted in Foreign News

Qatar storm to the knock-out stage with perfect record

   January 22, 2024
Qatar storm to the knock-out stage with perfect record


Hosts Qatar stormed into the knockout stages of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup with a 1-0 win over China.

AFC Asia Cup Hosts Qatar ended their group stage on Monday with a spectacular volley from Hassan Al-Haydos to secure a 1-0 victory over China, who are on the verge of exiting the tournament.

The stalemate at the Khalifa International Stadium was broken with an unforgettable goal midway through the second half. Akram Afif’s corner was immediately met outside the penalty area by Al-Haydos, who confidently shot the ball into the top corner. Both players had just been used as substitutes.

Qatar, which had already secured a place in the knockout rounds, topped Group A with nine points, beating Tajikistan, which beat last place Lebanon 2-1 and four took second place on points.

China finished with just two points and failed to score in any of their three games. They have never won the Asian Cup and will now have to wait for more results, but have little chance of progressing to the next round as one of the four best-performing third-placed teams in the six groups.

Qatar may have lost all three games on home soil at the 2022 World Cup, but they were perfect at the Asian Cup, reaching the round of 16 by winning all three games without conceding a goal.

Defending champions Qatar, who had already secured first place at the start of the game, made nine changes compared to the previous game, handing the initiative to China, who created better chances in the first half.

Wei Shihao had three chances to score his team’s first goal. After just seven minutes, he shot wide from close range and later his low shot from close range was parried by Qatar’s Saad Al Sheeb.

Shortly before the break, Wei’s header narrowly missed the crossbar.

After Al-Haydos’ great goal in the 66th minute, China had the ball in the net with three minutes left, but Jiang Shenglong’s shot was ignored as the ball had gone out of bounds in advance.

In the group’s other game, Tajikistan beat Lebanon and reached the knockout rounds for the first time.

“We made history today and that is the greatest thing for the Tajik people,” said coach Petar Segrt. “It was difficult, but we kept fighting and got it done.”

Lebanon took the lead early in the second half with a curling shot from Bassel Jradi, but were reduced to 10 men after 54 minutes due to a foul from Kassem El Zein.

Tajikistan had two goals ruled out for offside but finally scored ten minutes from time. Parvizdzhon Umarbaev scored, then Nuriddin Khamrokulov headed home the winner in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.





Source link