In what could rank as one of the biggest tournament upsets in recent times, Qatar clinched a maiden major title by defeating Japan in the final of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 on Friday, 1 February.
The 2022 World Cup hosts, rank outsiders at the start of the competition, over-ran the Asian supremos 3-1 in the title clash at Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium.
Qatar, ranked 93rd in the world – only four spots above India – become the ninth different nation to have won the quadrennial showpiece event of Asian football.
The Qataris entered the final on the back of a dramatic last few days, having seen shoes hurled at their players by the crowd as they downed hosts UAE in the semis, and subsequently needing a last-minute clearance from AFC to play the final after UAE raised complaints about Qatar fielding illegitimate players.
If they were bogged down by the happenings of the last 72 hours, it didn’t show on the pitch – as they brushed their higher-ranked and higher-pedigreed opponents aside.
Two superb first-half strikes from Almoez Ali and Abdelaziz Hatim put Qatar on their way towards history, and although Japan fought back with a spirited second-half display, a late penalty from Akram Afif secured a maiden major title for the West Asians.
A moment of brilliance from Ali – who surpassed the legendary Ali Daei’s record for the most goals by a player in a single edition of the Asian Cup with his ninth strike – gave Qatar a 12th-minute lead despite having copped early pressure from Japan.
After receiving the ball from Afif, the young striker juggled the ball twice before sending a sensational overhead kick beyond Shuichi Gonda in the Japanese goal.
Things worsened for Japan on 27 minutes, when Hatim curled a spectacular effort into the bottom corner, with Afif once again the provider.
Qatar were almost able to carry a three-goal advantage into half-time, with captain Hassan al Haydos seeing an angled shot strike the outside of the post.
World number 50 ranked Japan showed banks of resolve at the start of the second, and were rewarded in the 69th minute when Takumi Minamino halved the deficit with a composed finish over Qatar ‘keeper Saad al Sheeb. It was the first – and only – goal conceded by Qatar through their eventually successful campaign.
However, the Samurai Blue’s fight – and their bid for a record-extending fifth Asian Cup title – was put to rest when referee Ravshan Irmatov awarded a penalty for a handball in the Japan box, confirmed by a VAR review.
Afif, the tournament’s top provider with 10 assists, got himself onto the scoresheet with seven minutes left to play, in the process clinching the greatest night in Qatar’s football history.
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