Match Reports – Inside World Football

Afif’s penalty hattrick drives Qatar to 3-1 win over battling Jordan and retention of Asian Cup title

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 17:57:37 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Lusail Stadium

February 10 – Qatar retained their Asian Cup title with an Akram Afif hattrick of penalties in front of 86,465 mainly Qatari fans in the Lusail Stadium.

It was an astonishing night of celebration for the Qataris who so desperately wanted a tournament win on home soil after the disappointment of the 2022 World Cup performance.

In Afif they had the player to deliver it and in VAR they had technology to confirm.

Iran left dumbstruck as brilliant Afif steers Qatar into Asian Cup final

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 20:14:09 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Doha

February 7 – Qatar overcame Iran 3-2 at the Al Thumama stadium in Doha in another pulsating semi-final in an Asian Cup that has provided drama after drama.

A match that at times was lacking in finesse was more than made up for by commitment at both ends of the pitch.

Inevitably it was a goal and two assists from the mercurial Akram Afif that drove Qatar to what in the end looked like being an unlikely victory as they weathered wave after wave of Iranian attack.

Jordan stun South Korea on a pulsating Asian Cup night of giant killing

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 20:11:56 +0000

February 6 – On an astonishing night of giant killing Jordan knocked out South Korea 2-0 in the Asian Cup to secure a place in the final this weekend.

It was a stunning achievement for a team that only qualified for the knockout rounds as one of the best third placed group finishers.

Jordan will sail deeper into uncharted territory. They had never made it to the quarter finals before and now they have gone all the way to the final.

Qatar keep Asian Cup dream alive with penalty shoot-out win over Uzbekistan

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 19:16:07 +0000

February 3 – In a tight match that was all square at 1-1 after extra time, Qatar beat Uzbekistan 3-2 in the penalty shoot out to keep their dream of retaining the Asian Cup title they won in 2019 alive.

They next face South Korea in the semi-finals who will be their toughest opposition of the Asian Cup so far.

The Qataris Asian Cup winning streak has now stretched to 12 games,

Iran score from the penalty spot in added time to end Japan’s push for 5th title

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 10:20:45 +0000

February 3 – Another goal in added time in this tournament of late match winners, saw Iran overcome Japan in what was very much a game of two halves and grew into a pulsating quarter final.

After a first half of missed chances for both teams, the score at 1-1 and with the clock having clicked past 90 minutes towards extra time, Iran’s Hossein Kanani was brought down in the box. Alireza Jahanbakhsh stepped up to hammer the spot kick home,

Korea’s added time goal and Son Heung-min’s masterclass send Aussies down under

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 19:35:14 +0000

February 2 – South Korea dumped Australia out of the Asian Cup 2-1 at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah in a match that looked as though it had gone Australia’s way at the 90-minute mark.

Going into added time at the end of the second half Australia, if not cruising, looked as though they had done enough to defend a 1-0 lead against the brilliance of Son Heung-min and a Korea hungry for Asian Cup success.

Jordan end Tajikistan’s dream with 1-0 win to secure semi-final slot

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 10:48:45 +0000

February 2 – Jordan became the first team to claim a semi-final berth at the Asian Cup after they bundled debutants Tajikistan out in the quarter finals with a 1-0 win, courtesy of an Abdallah Nasib headed goal.

In front of their massed and vocal support in the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Jordan continue their campaign into the semifinals, the first time they reached this stage of the competition.

If their win over Iraq with two goals in added time had a controversial element of luck involved following the sending off of Iraq’s star striker,

Japan start to join the dots as they ease past Bahrain

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:40:46 +0000

January 31 – Four-time Asian Cup champions Japan secured their place in the quarter finals of the competition with a comfortable 3-1 victory over group-topping Bahrain.

Hajime Moriyasu’s side conducted a neat and tidy operation on their outmatched opposition – an otherwise flawless performance if not for Zion Suzuki’s clumsiness to gift Bahrain a brief shred of hope.

Japan entered the match from a surprising second-placed finish in Group D, where the side’s free-flowing attack and goalscoring ability was marred but its leaky defence that conceded five goals in three games.

Taremi pays the penalty but Iran go though with shoot-out win over Syria

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:49:32 +0000

January 31 – Ten-man Iran survived a major scare against Syria winning 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to complete the quarter-final lineup of the Asian Cup. Sent off, Mehdi Taremi will have to sit out the last-eight clash with Japan.

The Iranians join Qatar, Australia, Japan and South Korea as one of five teams who have won the continental crown in the quarter-finals, but they got there the hard way, a victory over against a valiant Syria costing them blood,

Dramatic last gasp equaliser spurs South Korea to penalty shoot out win over Saudi Arabia

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:25:19 +0000

By Harry Ewing at the Education City Stadium

January 30 – It was another night of red-hot passion and nerve jangling football in the last 16 ties of the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar.

An equalising South Korean goal in the ninth minute of added time followed by extra time and a nailbiting 4-2 win in the penalty shoot-out ended Saudi Arabia’s Asian Cup campaign.

In a series of no-holds-barred last 16 contests,

Uzbeks brush past Thailand to set up Qatar quarter final

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:08:58 +0000

January 30 – Uzbekistan secured a spot in the last eight of the Asian Cup following a routine 2-1 victory over Thailand, the last south-east Asian country in competition.

The Uzbeks had few problems in dispatching the Thais, who sat back and offered little attacking threat and never looked like chasing the game despite a flourish in the second half.

For the second time in a row, Thailand exited in the round of 16 and will be left to wonder what could have been if they had applied some more attacking enterprise.

Palestine bow out with friends, honour and pride as Afif drives Qatar into last eight

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 21:02:18 +0000

By Samindra Kunti in Al Khor

January 29 – With an assist and a goal, Akram Afif propelled Qatar to the last eight of the Asian Cup with a 2-1 victory over the brave-hearted Palestinians.

The number eleven starred in a victory that did not come easy for the host nation and broke the hearts of Palestine, who can reflect on a historic campaign amid the backdrop of war in Gaza.

Jordan hammer in two goals in added time to snatch victory from Iraq in an explosive last 16 tie

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:05:18 +0000

By Harry Ewing in Doha

January 29 – The most pulse-raising, heartbreaking and inspiring match at the Asian Cup this year, Jordan netted twice in added time to snatch victory from 10-man Iraq, sending the Khalifa Stadium in Doha into absolute bedlam.

Heading into the knockout tie, Iraq came off the back of a fearsome run in the group stage, collecting nine points from a high-quality group that also contained tournament favourites Japan.

Asian Cup debutants Tajikistan dump UAE out of Asian Cup in penalty shoot-out

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 21:45:47 +0000

By Samindra Kunti in Doha

January 28 – Debutants and history-makers Tajikistan stunned the United Arab Emirates 5-3 on penalties following an absorbing 1-1 draw to advance to the last eight of the Asian Cup.

The Tajiks and their eccentric manager Petar Segrt wrote the next chapter of their Asian Cup fairytale with a spirited and well-deserved victory against a lethargic United Arab Emirates,

Khalifa Al Hammadi’s injury-time goal cancelling out Vahdat Hanonov’s 5th-minute strike before the Tajiks prevailed from the penalty spot to book their place in the quarter-finals.

Indonesia’s deafening support unable to silence Aussies’ 4-0 win

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 28 Jan 2024 16:40:26 +0000

January 28 – Australia fought off a determined Indonesia to claim the first place in the quarter finals, in the end running out as 4-0 victors in a comfortable match at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium which was filled to the brim with Indonesian supporters.

The Socceroos entered the match as heavy favourites, holding a seven-match unbeaten streak. In comparison, Indonesia’s last loss was just four days ago after conceding three goals to Japan.

Kyrgyz Republic grab late equaliser against Oman, both lose

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:29:16 +0000

January 25 – Both Kyrgyz Republic and Oman needed a win at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa stadium to stand any chance of going into the knockout rounds of the Asian Cup as one of the best third placed group teams.

The Omanis, who had previously drawn with Thailand and lost in the closing minutes against Saudi Arabia, looked to have secured the last 16 slot until a late Kyrgyz equaliser made the score 1-1 and ruined their dreams.

Saudi and Thailand happy with stalemate as second strings see out group

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 09:29:20 +0000

January 25 – Saudi Arabia were held by Thailand as the two sides closed out the Asian Cup group stages with a 0-0 draw at the Education City Stadium.

Neither team entered the match under tournament pressure as both were already qualified for the next round.

Despite their safety in second place, Thailand’s reserves still looked to develop on their impressive tournament performance and usurp the Saudis in a last-minute grab for top spot in the group.

Bahrain beat Jordan to top group

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 09:00:14 +0000

January 25 – Bahrain made it back-to-back wins at the Asian Cup as they edged out Jordan 1-0 to claim a thoroughly deserved place in the last 16 of the competition as both sides ended up advancing.

In his 100th appearance for his country, striker Abdulla Yusuf was the hero, scoring the only goal of the game on 34 minutes as he beat the offside trap and kept his cool in a one-on-one with the keeper to bury the ball in the corner of the net.

The post Bahrain beat Jordan to top group appeared first on Inside World Football.

Battling Malaysians make South Koreans scramble for last 16 slot

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 07:03:29 +0000

January 25 – Malaysia held South Korea to a dramatic 3-3 draw with Romel Morales’s last-ditch stoppage time equaliser condemning Jurgen Klinsmann’s team to second spot in Group E.

The Malaysians bowed out of the tournament in style by upsetting the much-fancied Koreans in a topsy-turvy match that saw Son Heung-Min put Korea ahead in the 94th minute, but Morales levelled the score with almost the last kick of the game in a grandstand finish at the Al Janoub Stadium.

Group D: Iraq make it three wins but Vietnam make them work for it

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 12:33:57 +0000

January 24 – Iraq completed a clean sweep of Group D at the Asian Cup as they converted a last-gasp stoppage time penalty to beat brave 10-man Vietnam in the most dramatic of circumstances.

The underdogs thought they had stolen an unlikely point in the last minute of normal time, only to have it cruelly snatched from their grasp when Aymen Hussein, who had already missed from the spot, made no mistake second time round.

Japan find form, and Ueda finds the back of the net, to ease past Indonesia into last 16

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:04:15 +0000

January 24 – Four-time champions Japan got their Asian Cup campaign back on track with a routine 3-1 victory against Indonesia to clinch second spot in Group D behind Iraq. In the round of 16 they could potentially face South Korea in what would be a blockbuster clash.

On the back of the defeat by the Iraqis, Japan came into their final group match under some pressure, but they dispelled any doubts with an early penalty conversion by Ayase Ueda.

Palestine, fired by passion and Dabbagh’s goals, leave Hong Kong shell shocked

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:56:28 +0000

By Samindra Kunti

January 23 – A historic night saw Palestine breeze past Hong Kong 3-0 to progress to the last 16 of the tournament, an extraordinary achievement for a team playing amid the backdrop of war in Gaza.

Makram Daboub’s team provided Gazans and Palestinians around the world with a moment of joy and hope, winning their first-ever match at the Asian Cup in thumping style with a brace by Oday Dabbagh and Zaid Qunbar’s first international goal to book a first time ticket to the last 16 of the tournament.

Teremi signals his arrival with double that sees Iran top group, UAE qualify in second

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:31:25 +0000

January 23 – Iran were deserved victors in their Group C clash with runners-up UAE as Medhi Taremi and Sardar Azmoun combined to give the Iranians an run in the group stages of the Asian Cup.

In an entertaining contest at the Education City Stadium, Iran secured a 2-1 victory in a match that will satisfy both teams, with Yahya Ghassani’s late consolation enough for UAE to guarantee a place in the round of 16.

Super sub Khribin sends Syria into last 16

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 12:21:11 +0000

January 23 – Former Asian player of the year Omar Khribin came off the bench to deservedly fire Syria past a committed India and secure an historic first ever qualification for the last 16 of the Asian Cup as one of the best third-placed teams after other results went in their favour.

To the delight of the Syrian fans at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Khribin struck a 76th minute winner – Syria’s first goal of the tournament—to put his team on four points and end India’s brave resistance,

The post Super sub Khribin sends Syria into last 16 appeared first on Inside World Football.

Aussies and Uzbeks share points and passage into knockout rounds

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 23 Jan 2024 12:00:09 +0000

January 23 – The points were shared as Group B leaders Australia faced second-place Uzbekistan at the Al Janoub Stadium, as Azizbek Turgunbaev cancelled out Martin Boyle’s controversial penalty with a towering header to send both teams through to the Round of 16.

Despite their comfortable position coming into the game with qualification already guaranteed, Australia opened the game quickly, with Aussie midfielder Riley McGree eager to demonstrate his pace as he zipped past defenders in the early stages.

Debutants Tajikistan hit added time winner to beat Lebanon and head into last 16

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:39:37 +0000

January 22 – Tournament debutants Tajikistan defeated ten-man Lebanon 2-1 to book their passage to the round of 16 following a dramatic second-half comeback that culminated with Nuriddin Khamrokulov’s 92nd-minute winner.

Petar Segrt and his Tajikistan had promised to create history and they delivered in style on a night that was not for the faint-hearted with two disallowed goals, a red card, and an injury-time winner. After 16 nail-biting minutes of added time at the end of the second half,

Qatar’s super subs Haidos and Afif condemn China to group exit

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:00:46 +0000

January 22 – Qatar cemented a flawless nine-point start to the Asian Cup following a tentative 1-0 victory over Group A hopefuls China, where two equal teams were separated by a moment of brilliance from Akram Afif and Hassan Al Haidos to claim all three points at the Khalifa Stadium.

The hosts entered the game in a comfortable position having guaranteed the top spot in the group, which justified the selection of a heavily-rotated team as coach Tintin Marquez made nine changes from the match versus Tajikistan.

Mancini’s Saudi Arabia starting to find form with 2-0 cruise past Kyrgyz Republic

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 23:59:32 +0000

June 21 – Saudi Arabia had little difficulty dispatching a nine-man Kyrgyz Republic 2-0, securing their place in the last 16

Roberto Mancini’s team will rue a number of missed chances but ultimately will see the game as another step forward in their challenge after a shaky opening game.

The Saudis came into the second group on three points having been gifted their first win game with an Omani own goal in added time.

Thailand’s tight defence leaves Oman with more to do after points shared

Paul Nicholson — Sun, 21 Jan 2024 16:40:05 +0000

January 21 – On a night of frustration, Thailand and Oman shared the points in a goalless group F encounter that sees Masatada Ishii’s team move to four points and inch closer to a second-round ticket.

Four years ago, Thailand progressed to the round of 16 from a group with the United Arab Emirates, India and Bahrain garnering four points and they could return to the last 16 again after holding Oman in a stalemate of epic proportions.

South Korea in last gasp escape after Jordan’s added time own goal levels tie

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 20 Jan 2024 18:07:38 +0000

By Samindra Kunti in Doha

January 20 – South Korea enjoyed an injury-time escape after Yazan Al Arab’s own goal levelled the scores at 2-2 with Jordan in Group E, but they remain on course for the round of 16 with a final group-stage fixture against Malaysia to come.

In a spectacular last 24 hours at the Asian Cup, Iraq triumphed over Japan, Indonesia upset Vietnam for their first-ever victory at the tournament,