Asian Cup – Inside World Football

Qatar’s golden generation break Asian Cup records

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 13:42:54 +0000

By Abdelaziz Abuhamar

February 1 – Almost no one was expecting the Qatar national team to drive their way through to become the continental champions in the AFC 2019 Asian Cup that completed in the United Arab Emirates Firday night.

In doing so they posted a number of records in the history of the Asian Cup.

Qatar sent their youngest-ever squad of their 10 Asian Cup finals, with an average age of 25 years, Read more …

The post Qatar’s golden generation break Asian Cup records appeared first on Inside World Football.

Almoez brilliance and Qatar’s defensive blockade shock Japan

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 17:54:37 +0000

Japan 1 Qatar 3

By Paul Nicholson

February 1 – The Qatar football project is bearing fruit. Ably supported by an army of Omanis who once again had driven across the border, this time in their thousands, to support them, Qatar lifted their first-ever Asian Cup in Abu Dhabi with a 3-1 win over a Japanese team that started as favourites.

Qatar have taken this tournament by surprise,

Almoez and Al Rawi cleared to play in tonight’s final as AFC dismisses UAE eligibility complaint

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 11:56:00 +0000

February 1 – Game on, all players available. The protest lodged the by United Arab Emirates FA concerning the eligibility of Qataris players Almoez Ali and Bassam Al Rawi has been unanimously dismissed by the AFC disciplinary committee, just four hours before the final between Qatar and the UAE is due to take place.

Both players will be eligible for selection and will likely start. Al Rawi missed the semi-final.

The UAE lodged their protest within two hours of losing the semi-final 4-0 as a bad tempered home crowd threw bottles and sandals on to the pitch.

Asian Cup Final: Qatar vs Japan head-to-head stats

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 04:03:47 +0000

By Abdelaziz Abuhamar

February 1 – Qatar is appearing for the first time in the AFC Asian Cup finals and will take on the 4-time Asian Cup champions Japan.

Japan play in their 5th continental final having claimed the title in each of their four finals against Saudi Arabia in 1992 and 2000, China in 2004 and Australia in 2011. Japan scored 6 goals in the four finals.

But the promising Qatar national team are unexpected prey for the mighty and veteran Japan.

Asian Cup Final preview: Japan vs Qatar

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 04:00:20 +0000

By Samindra Kunti

January 31 – First-time finalists Qatar will seek to make national history on Friday in the final of the Asian Cup by overcoming continental powerhouse Japan. The Samurai Blue will aim for a record fifth continental crown in a final that is predicted to go down the wire.

In the last four Qatar crushed the hosts the United Arab Emirates 4-0. The Qataris have never progressed beyond the quarterfinals before this tournament,

The post Asian Cup Final preview: Japan vs Qatar appeared first on Inside World Football.

UAE protest eligibility of Qatar’s Almoez and Al Rawi and demand AFC Final spot

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 09:10:23 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Abu Dhabi

January 31 – The UAE Football Association has formally protested against the eligibility of two Qatari footballers who played in the Asian Cup semi-final on Tuesday.

The UAE lost the match 4-0 as a bad tempered home crowd threw bottles and sandals on to the pitch. The UAE FA are now calling for the semi-final result to be annulled and that they should take the place of Qatar in Friday’s final.

Uzbek’s cool and quiet official set to make Asian Cup history

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 09:07:56 +0000

By Abdelaziz Abuhamar

January 31 – Uzbek’s Ravshan Irmatov has officiated more matches in the history of the Asian Cup than any other referee, having taken charge of 13 matches in a record four Asian Cup final tournaments.

The AFC 2019 Asian Cup final between Qatar and Japan on Friday, will mark Ravshan’s 14th games in the continental showpiece.

Most importantly, Ravshan will be the first referee to officiate two Asian Cup finals having been handed the final between Australia and Japan in the 2011 Asian Cup in Qatar.

Tempers fray, shoes fly, as Qatar hand 4-0 drubbing to Asian Cup hosts UAE

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 22:27:09 +0000

UAE 0 Qatar 4

By Paul Nicholson

January 29 – Qatar comprehensively beat Asian Cup hosts UAE 4-0 in what ended up a bad tempered semi-final at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Qatar now go on to meet Japan in Friday’s final.

End of second half scenes of water bottles being thrown on to the pitch from all sections of the crowd,

Qatar and goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb post new Asian Cup record

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 12:26:42 +0000

By Abdelaziz Abuhamar

January 29 – Qatar’s goalkeeper Saad Al-Dosari posted a new continental record having maintained a successive clean sheet with his country’s national team in 6 successive matches, complete 540 minutes in the Asian Cup 2019.

Qatar caught the hosts UAE unaware with 4-0 victory in Abu Dhabi last night, the highest-ever defeat for any hosts in the continental semifinal.

Al-Dosari, 28 years-old, plays for Qatar football powerhouse Al-Sadd – he was in the starting line-up with eight of his teammates.

Asian Cup semi-final stats: UAE vs Qatar head-to-head

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 00:10:39 +0000

By Abdelaziz Abuhamar

January 28 – The two arch rivals will meet today in what the stats suggest should be a fairly even encounter. UAE have defeated Qatar twice in the AFC Asian Cup and Qatar defeated UAE once in their three continental encounters.

The all-time head-to-head, however, show Qatar have won 11 times and UAE 9 times, they have drawn 8 times. They are tied even in the goals scored;