‘2019 Done. 2023 Loading…’
The banner briefly unfurled by the Qatari fans in the fading moments of injury time said it all.
There was little need to use the present tense as the 13 minutes added on by referee Ma Ning ticked by with growing jubilation in the stands, Akram Afif’s hat-trick of penalties ensuring 2023 Asian Cup hosts Qatar defended their title with a 3-1 victory over Jordan.
As the final whistle blew, Meshaal Barsham was wrestled to the ground by fellow goalkeepers Saad Al Sheeb and Salah Zakaria, while Jordan’s Mousa Al-Taamari had to be pulled up off the turf by Ehsan Haddad and Yazan Al-Naimat. Heartbroken, inconsolable.
The Jordanians had defied all expectations to be here on the last day of the tournament, inside the majestic Lusail Staidum and competing with the champions for a shot at their first title. They were 90 minutes from glory and, briefly, managed a rousing fightback.
But Qatar’s spot-kick king Afif was not to be denied, converting three times to keep the trophy in Doha as the Maroons became the fifth team – after South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Japan – to retain the trophy.
Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Thani was on hand to reprise his role from December 2022 when, on the same pitch, the Emir of Qatar had handed the FIFA World Cup trophy to Lionel Messi and his Argentina team mates.
Here, he had the no doubt more satisfying task of presenting the gleaming Asian Cup trophy – and, like Messi, a gold-tinged black bisht robe – to Hassan Al-Haydos, the veteran midfielder raising the silverware high into the air to the delight of thousands.
Qatar’s maroon and white flag was waved with pride and in jubilation. Lusail Stadium was almost full from before kick-off, close to capacity save for a sprinkling of empty seats behind one goal and in the highest reaches of the vertiginous stands that wrap around the pitch.
A crowd of 86,492 took the tournament total to a remarkable 1,509,496 spectators, a new record by a considerable margin and one which will be very difficult to surpass for future hosts.
Those inside witnessed Qatar pick up where they left off in the United Arab Emirates in 2019. By a quirk of fate, the country is the only one to have won the current iteration of the Asian Cup trophy, which was introduced for the last edition of the finals.
There was much that was familiar about Qatar’s win. Afif was to the fore, as he was in 2019, and the scoreline, too, was the same as that over Japan when Felix Sanchez was at the helm.
And the Al Sadd man again showed his penalty prowess; having previously scored his side’s third goal against the Japanese in Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Sports City Stadium from the spot, he went two better here.
He showed, in the 22nd minute, he has mastered the art of enticement, luring Abdallah Nasib into a foul in the area before slotting past Yazeed Abulaila; Afif then brought sleight of hand into his goal celebrations, pulling out a card trick on the touchline to the home fans’ delight.
Yazan Al-Naimat’s punishing finish midway through the second half gave Jordan the reward they deserved for an improved showing after the interval, the Al Ahli forward showing poise and control to tame Ehsan Haddad’s cross before giving Barsham no chance.
The equaliser sparked fevered celebrations among the Jordanian fans, many of whom had flown into Doha for the game. They were able to believe again.
But only for seven minutes.
Afif, once more, was on target in the 73rd minute. Again from the penalty spot after Mahmoud Al Mardi brought down Ismaeel Mohammed, restoring his side’s lead and sapping the belief from Jordanians.
Remarkably Afif’s successful conversion of a third penalty in injury time, awarded when goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila clumsily clattered into the Al Sadd forward, set the home fans off into a euphoric, scarf-twirling frenzy.
All that was left was for Ma to call time and spark the on-field celebrations, allowing the Qataris to banish the painful memories of their dismal FIFA World Cup performance, permitting them to revel in still being the kings of Asia.
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