Qatar national football team players celebrate after beating Japan to lift the AFC Asian Cup 2019. Get highlights of the Japan vs Qatar final here.
Qatar national football team beat Japan 3-1 to win the AFC Asian Cup 2019 crown in Abu Dhabi on February 1. Ali Almoez, Abdel Hziz Hatim and Akram Afif (from a penalty) found the target for Qatar while Takumi Minamino scored for Japan. (Get highlights and analysis of the Japan vs Qatar AFC Asian Cup 2019 final below.)
Earlier, Qatar took full control of the final after Almoez scored his ninth goal of the tournament (establishing a new record), and Hatim nailed a scorcher to give them a 2-0 lead going into half time. Japan, who began the match by controlling possession, lost shape after the two goals and were looking out of sorts and out of ideas up front.
Simply on this game’s showing (because tournaments are won IN the final) Qatar deserve this. They have been strong at the back, and looked dangerous regularly on the counter.
Two supreme individual efforts sealed the game for them. Which one was better? Almoez’ was ingenuity in a situation of no return. Back to goal, nothing to do except that. And boy did he do it.
Hatim’s was the perfect blend of philistine sledgehammer and artistic placement.
Japan stormed back in the second half and had Qatar in all sorts of bother. They pulled one back, and then a refereeing error killed the fun of the game. Regardless, a great final.
Hi all,
Welcome to our live coverage of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 final coverage. With six wins apiece, both the finalists -- Japan and Qatar -- have been unstoppable this tournament. An open attacking game of football is expected in this East Asia vs West Asia clash.
Almoez Ali of Qatar has scored eight goals in the tournament so far, equalling the all-time Asian Cup record haul of Iran's Ali Daei from the 1996 edition. Qatar is yet to concede in the tournament as well. The water-tight defense and a young striker in hot form are two factors the Qataris would be banking on to overcome the Japanese challenge.
He could pick a pass, and boy did he pick this final. Xavi himself saw this coming -- the Japan vs Qatar finale. Although his prediction of Qatar winning it, is obviously biased.
Not to make too fine a point of this, but Xavi’s midfield lover Andres Iniesta may be making a different prediction about the final tonight.
Forgive us, but we shall take a moment here to plug a piece on Japan that may give you some sort of background on how to do grassroot development in football.
In local football news, do you know what’s happening in the I-league? As usual, it’s neck in neck at the top. Chennai City, Churchill Brothers and Real Kashmir are separated by a single point at the top of the table. Kashmir and Churchill played out a draw yesterday, so Chennai have a game in hand, but this is a close one to call. Hope you’re watching.
Since there are no Qatar fans in the stadium -- What an absolute shame, that -- the colour will come from Japan.
Qatar, by the way, is only four places above India in the rankings. So….. what do the rankings really mean?
In the list of the worst looking sport trophies, where do you think the Asian Cup lies? The meter is between Tiger Woods invitational and the Stanley Cup.
1’ Japan have kicked things off. And are immediately swarming around the Qatar box.
2’ There is a distinctly different flavour to this game for Qatar already. For starters, the stands aren’t throwing stuff at them. Yet.
4’ Yuya Osako has fired the first shot of the game. Its wide. He has scored from each of his shots on target at the Asian Cup by the way. Clinical.
5’ Japan are pinging the ball along, which you expect team to. Qatar aren’t pressing as hard as we have seen them do previously though.
7’ Japan have had three set pieces already, and both of those, delivered into the box have caused some problems. Japan are a set piece threat. Imagine that.
9’ Now, Qatar have a freekick near the halfway line. Dead centre too. Japan have lined up high defensively…
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