DOHA: Hosts and holders Qatar squeezed into an Asian Cup Final showdown with Jordan after beating Iran 3-2 with an 82nd-minute winner in a frenetic semi-final on Wednesday match. Almoez Ali struck in Doha to send Qatar into their second straight final, further exorcising the demons of their first-round exit at the 2022 World Cup.
Qatar Has Reached The Asian Cup Final:
Qatar lost all three of their World Cup games on home soil just over a year ago in their home ground, the worst record of any host in the competition’s history
But that was all a distant memory as they celebrated in front of over 40,000 fans after a breathless encounter at Al Thumama Stadium. Which was a proud moment for all of the fans of Qatar.
Sardour Azmoun gave Iran the lead in the fourth minute before Qatar equalized soon after when Jassem Gaber’s shot went in via a heavy deflection due to the Imbalance shot.
Summary of The Match Asian Cup Final:
Qatar’s Akram Afif then notched his fifth goal of the tournament with a wonderful strike minutes before half-time, only for Iran to equalize through an Alireza Jahanbakhsh penalty early in the second period. Match-winner Ali scored an Asian Cup-record nine goals to lead Qatar to their first title in 2019 but he had managed only one heading into the semi-finals of this year’s tournament. His late strike was worth the wait for the Qatar team overall and ended Iran’s bid for a first Asian title since 1976. which is a very proud moment for the Qatar team.
Iran had Shojae Khalilzadeh sent off in second-half injury time before Jahanbakhsh hit the post in the final minute. The game had barely begun when Azmoun gave Iran the lead with a well-taken finish, hooking the ball over his head and into the net which was a very happy moment for Azmoun Mehdi Taremi should have made it two when Jahanbakhsh teed him up in front of the goal soon after, and Qatar made them pay with the equalizer in the 17th minute
Afif pulled the ball back for Gaber, whose shot on goal deflected off Iran’s Saeed Ezatolahi and looped up over goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand. Iran was incensed that no foul had been given in the build-up. The equaliser gave Qatar new energy but Afif failed to take advantage in a one-on-one with Beiranvand just after the half-hour mark.
Afif made no mistake in the 43rd minute, curling home a superb strike after jinking his way into the box. Iran regrouped at half-time and drew level just six minutes after the break. A VAR check ruled that Qatar defender Ahmed Fatehi had blocked a goal-bound shot with his hand, and Jahanbakhsh made no mistake from the penalty spot. The action continued at breakneck speed and Ali restored Qatar’s lead when he controlled a shot from Abdulaziz Hatem and turned it past Beiranvand.
Iran was handed a lifeline early in the second half when the video assistant referee intervened to recommend a review of a penalty decision. Despite initially waving away appeals of a handball and Ahmed Fathy keeping his arms close to his chest, the referee changed his decision and Alireza Jahanbakhsh calmly slotted the spot-kick straight down the middle. Jahanbaksh is a very good player who was performing well in the match.
More About The Asian Cup Final Game:
Goalline clearances at both ends of the pitch kept the tense encounter level until Ali picked out the bottom corner with less than 10 minutes of normal time remaining which was a pressure time for the player.
Iran’s hopes of reaching their first final since 1976 went from bad to worse when Shoja Khalilzadeh’s yellow card for wiping out Afif was upgraded to a red after a VAR intervention. After holding off a series of promising last-gasp attacks, the Qatar players dropped to their knees in celebration when the referee blew the full-time whistle following more than 16 minutes of stoppage time.
Hosts Qatar led after goals from Jassem Gaber and Akram Afif canceled out Sardar Azmoun’s superb overhead opener controversial penalty decision helped level the scores, but Ali’s 82nd-minute strike and Shoja Khalilzadeh’s late red card were fatal to Iran’s final hopes. Qatar is bidding to become the first team since Japan in 2000 and 2004 to win back-to-back Asian Cup titles.Iran’s semi-final got off to the perfect start when Azmoun leaped acrobatically to fire home a sensational overhead kick after Qatar failed to clear a long throw into their box.
Match Stats:
| Match Stats | Home Team | Away Team |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 59% | 41% |
| Shots | 23 | 15 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 8 |
| Corners | 12 | 1 |
| Fouls | 9 | 11 |
Conclusion:
Almoez Ali’s goal in Doha secured Qatar’s second consecutive final appearance, dispelling memories of their early exit from the 2022 World Cup. Despite a dismal performance in their home World Cup matches last year, Qatar redeemed themselves in front of over 40,000 fans at Al Thumama Stadium. Sardour Azmoun initially put Iran ahead, but Qatar quickly equalized through Jassem Gaber’s deflected shot. A VAR decision awarded Iran a penalty, converted by Alireza Jahanbakhsh. However, Almoez Ali’s goal secured Qatar’s victory, sealing a 3-2 win.
