Qatar once again proved its mettle as a football powerhouse on the continent by trouncing Jordan 3-1 yesterday to successfully defend the AFC Asian Cup title before a packed house of 88,000 at the Lusail Stadium, where Argentina lifted the FIFA World Cup trophy a little over a year ago. Coincidentally, Al Annabi did an encore not just in retaining the trophy but also in the number of goals scored considering that they defeated Japan by the same goal margin when they first lifted the prestigious continental trophy at the Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi, in 2019.
With the victory, Qatar eviscerated the ghost of a disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup on home soil, where they exited from the group stage, to become only the fifth country to win back-to-back titles in the competition, joining the likes of South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. A change in the coaching crew a few weeks before the tournament had raised concerns in certain quarters, but Qatar once again proved the resilience and determination that have helped this great country overcome challenges that seemed daunting and seemingly impossible.
Ahead of the all-important final match, Qatar were on a 13-match unbeaten streak after their stunning 3-2 win over Iran in the semi-finals on Wednesday. Jordan, coached by Hussein Ammouta, upset giants South Korea in their last-four clash on Tuesday to reach their first-ever Asian Cup final.
Qatar, who posted seven wins at the 2019 edition held in the UAE, have beaten Lebanon, China, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Iran before setting up a final date with surprise finalists Jordan. Chief striker Akram Afif, who scored all three of Qatar’s goals in the final from the spot, has delivered dream performances, having netted five times in six matches ahead of the match, including the goal of the tournament against Iran on Wednesday when he hoodwinked four markers to score with a boomerang shot from the edge of the box.
Fellow forward Almoez Ali has scored two goals at crunch moments, while 2019 Asian Cup-winning captain Hasan al-Haydos has been inspirational on the pitch with three goals. Young goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham, who stopped three penalties in the shootout against Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals, was also in superb form against the brave Jordanian attacks, as were every other player who put in blood, sweat, and tears in the maroon colors of Al Annabi on the day.
Doubtlessly, the team has scripted their names in the annals of the history of this great nation, and their feat will be remembered for a long time to come.
Kudos to the leadership of this country for the massive investment in sports, which is now paying off greatly.
Mabrook Qatar for this history-making victory.
