Afif Hat Trick Secures Qatar Back-to-back Asian Cup Titles After 3-1 Win Against Jordan – News18

LUSAIL, Qatar: Akram Afif scored a hat trick of penalties to safe again-to-again Asian Cup titles for Qatar in a 3-1 win towards Jordan on Saturday.

The ahead struck within the first half of the ultimate after which twice after the break at Lusail Stadium to complete because the event’s main scorer with eight objectives.

Yazan Al Naimat had leveled the sport within the second half, however Qatar was awarded two penalties on video evaluate and Afif confirmed no nerves to transform on each events.

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe had lit up this spectacular stadium on the World Cup, and now it was Afif’s flip, together with his objectives in entrance of greater than 86,000 followers crowning his excellent event.

Qatar grew to become the primary again-to-again winner since Japan in 2000 and 2004. It is the fifth nation to efficiently defend the title, although Iran received it 3 times in a row from 1968 to 1976.

But regardless of being defending champion, this represented an surprising triumph for a nation that endured a depressing World Cup on residence soil in 2022 when exiting the event after three straight defeats within the group stage.

Spanish coach Márquez López had solely been employed in December and Qatar was overwhelmed 2-1 by Jordan in a pleasant in January.

Preparations had been hardly very best, but it surely didn’t take lengthy for Qatar to indicate its credentials as potential champions once more after reeling off a 100% successful document within the group phases, with standout performances from Afif.

Afif received and transformed a penalty within the twenty second minute Saturday, however Jordan — taking part in in its first Asian Cup closing — was again on degree phrases when Al Naimat rifled residence from contained in the field within the 67th.

At that time, Jordan had been on high.

It was behind once more, nevertheless, when Ismaeel Mohammad was introduced down by Mahmoud Al Mardi.

It took a video evaluate earlier than referee Ma Ning pointed to the spot — however when he did, once more Afif delivered by firing into the left hand nook.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time Afif accomplished his hat trick after he was fouled by Jordan goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila.

Again it took a video evaluate to award the spot kick. Again Afif transformed.

___

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)