Qatar defeated Jordan 3-1 to claim the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 with a victory on home soil at the Lusail Stadium on Saturday, February 10.
Qatar managed to defended their title awarded in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, thus, winning the Asian Cup in its last two editions.
Akram Afif scored all three of Qatar’s goals from the penalty spot with strikes in the 22nd and 72nd minutes as well as in injury time.
The final hat-trick took his tally to eight goals, making him the tournament’s top scorer.
Jordan’s sole goal was scored by Yazan Al Naimat in the 67th minute.
Qatar settled the faster with Afif almost catching Jordan napping in the fifth minute when he waltzed through the defence but goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila was quick off his line to thwart the danger.
Afif had another crack at goal two minutes later when Lucas Mendes did well on the right flank before sending his cross into the six-yard-box but the Al Sadd forward fired a low drive straight into the arms of Abulaila.
Qatar continued to pressure the Jordanian defence with Hasan Al Hydos threading a delightful through ball to Almoez Ali, who was stopped in his tracks by an alert Mahmoud Al Mardi.
Limited to just counter-attacks, Jordan’s Nizar Al Rashdan whipped a long ball for Ali Olwan, with the forward setting up Yazan Al Naimat, who forced goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham to parry his powerful drive from above the box.
Jordan struggled to match Qatar’s intensity and paid the price in the 22nd minute following Abdallah Nasib’s clumsy challenge on Afif, who coolly slotted home the ensuing penalty to take his tournament tally to six which also confirmed him as the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 Top Scorer.
Jordan, having had to play second fiddle for the majority of the half, could have equalised just before the break but Mousa Tamari saw his effort from inside the box blocked by Mohammed Waad, with the Montpellier forward then failing to find the target from close range, sending Olwan’s cross over the bar.
Jordan poured bodies forward and came close again in the 61st minute when Al Tamari was denied by the post with Al Rawabdeh hitting the side netting on the rebound, but their persistence was finally rewarded in the 67th minute.
The increased tempo paid dividends in the 73rd minute when Qatar were awarded a second penalty following Mahmoud Al Mardi’s foul on Ismaeel Mohammad, with Afif again making no mistake from the spot to restore the home nation’s lead.
