Qatar Advances To The Asian Cup Final By Beating Iran 3-2. Host Nation Eyes Back-to-back Titles – News18

DOHA, Qatar: Almoez Ali fired Qatar into the Asian Cup remaining with a 3-2 win over Iran on Wednesday.

The ahead struck the decisive objective within the 82nd minute at Al Thumama Stadium to settle an exciting semifinal.

Host and defending champion Qatar will play Jordan in Saturday’s remaining at Lusail Stadium, the place Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup for Argentina in 2022.

Ali was the main scorer when Qatar gained the Asian Cup in 2019 however has been overshadowed by strike-companion Akram Afif this time round.

Ali got here up with a vital end to protect his nation’s hopes for again-to-again titles after a sport that noticed each groups surrender successful positions.

Sardar Azmoun fired Iran into the lead with an overhead kick within the fourth minute. Qatar responded with a deflected equalizer from Jassem Gaber within the seventeenth and Afif scored his fifth objective of the event with an excellent particular person effort within the forty third — reducing into the field and lashing a shot past Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand.

Iran leveled the sport once more six minutes into the second half from the penalty spot as Alireza Jahanbakhsh transformed after a handball from Ahmed Fathy.

But Ali, who scored 9 objectives within the 2019 event, grabbed his second of this marketing campaign when he fired low from contained in the field late on.

Iran was lowered to 10 males when Shoja Khalilzadeh was despatched off for a foul on Afif, however Jahanbakhsh nonetheless got here near forcing further time by hitting the put up within the 14th minute of stoppage time.

Qatar had been eradicated from its personal World Cup on the earliest attainable stage in 2022, exiting the event with out a win after three group video games.

If the strain of internet hosting was an excessive amount of to deal with again then, it has been a distinct story on the Asian Cup. Qatar’s gamers have proven no signal of being inhibited by the expectations positioned upon them as defending champions. Iran posed their largest check but.

The semifinal received off to the worst attainable begin for the host as Pedro Miguel did not clear a protracted throw from Jahanbakhsh and Azmoun pounced with an acrobatic effort into the far nook.

The Iranian followers erupted in celebration with the sound of drums and trumpets filling the stadium.

Qatar had already come from behind towards the Palestinian staff within the spherical of 16 and responded impressively once more.

Gaber leveled the sport by means of fortuitous circumstances when his shot from the sting of the field looped into the nook after taking an enormous deflection off Saeed Ezatolahi.

Afif was denied by Beiranvand when he burst into the field after which he stabbed a rebound broad with the keeper on the ground.

But there was no stopping him when he reduce into the world shortly earlier than halftime. Stepping inside Ramin Rezaeian, he unleashed a robust shot into the far nook earlier than Ezatolahi may get a problem in.

Iran got here near leveling earlier than the break, however Hossein Kanani’s effort was blocked on the road by Lucas Mendes amid appeals for a penalty.

Iran did get a spot kick simply after the break as Ezatolahi’s shot hit the hand of Fathy within the field and referee Ahmad Alali awarded a penalty after a VAR evaluate.

Iran went on to dominate the possibilities within the second half with Qatar compelled into some determined final ditch defending till Almoez turned the ball residence after inadvertently getting in the way in which of substitute Abdulaziz Hatem’s effort from exterior the world.

There was nonetheless time for extra drama as Khalilzadeh was despatched off and Jahanbakhsh fired towards the put up.

Qatar keeper Meshaal Barsham additionally needed to produce a final-gasp save to disclaim Reza Asadi earlier than the ultimate whistle blew.

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

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

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