Lopez: Qatar's focus is only on semi-final

Sun, 04 Feb, 2024

Lopez: Qatar's focus is only on semi-final

Al Khor: Qatar head coach Marquez Lopez is refusing to look beyond his side’s AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ semi-final meeting with the Islamic Republic of Iran as the host nation moved a step closer to successfully defending the title with a 3-2 penalty shoot-out win over Uzbekistan.

Goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham was the hero for the 2019 champions after a 1-1 draw at Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday, the Al Sadd man saving three penalties after 120 minutes of action could not separate the two teams.

www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_asian_cup/video/asiancup2023_|_quarter-final__qatar_1_3_-_2_1_uzbekistan_1.html

www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/3007739.html

www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/3007743.html

www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/3007745.html

Semi-finals primed to be sizzlers

Sun, 04 Feb, 2024

Semi-finals primed to be sizzlers

Doha: The AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ semi-finals are set to be blockbusters after Qatar and Islamic Republic of Iran completed the cast on Saturday. 

Jordan will meet Korea Republic in the first semi-final on Tuesday while Iran will play defending champions Qatar on Wednesday.

Katanec confident bright future awaits Uzbekistan

Sun, 04 Feb, 2024

Katanec confident bright future awaits Uzbekistan

Al Khor: Head coach Srecko Katanec urged his Uzbekistan players to learn from their defeat to Qatar in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ quarter-finals on Saturday and bounce back stronger.

Uzbekistan’s quest to emulate, if not better, their 2011 achievement of a fourth place finish came to an end when Pedro Correia scored the winning penalty for Qatar after goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham had saved Jaloliddin Masharipov's spot-kick, with the defending champions winning the shoot-out 3-2.

Qatar show resilience to advance

Sun, 04 Feb, 2024

Qatar show resilience to advance

Al Khor: Qatar were made to work hard to keep their title defence on track, needing penalties to defeat Uzbekistan in their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ quarter-final on Saturday.

The defending champions found themselves pegged by an exciting Uzbekistan but did just enough to win the shoot-out 3-2.
 
The-AFC.com takes a look at some interesting facts and figures from the last eight tie.

Japan victory a turning point for Iranian football, says Ghalenoei

Sun, 04 Feb, 2024

Japan victory a turning point for Iranian football, says Ghalenoei

Doha: Head coach Amir Ghalenoei believes Islamic Republic of Iran’s 2-1 victory over Japan in the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ can be a turning point for the nation’s football.

Team Melli came from a goal down at Education City Stadium to defeat the Samurai Blue thanks to two second-half goals from Mohammad Mohebi and Alireza Jahanbakhsh to reach the last four of the AFC Asian Cup for the second time in a row, with defending champions Qatar their next opponents.

Moriyasu accepts responsibility for Japan’s exit

Sun, 04 Feb, 2024

Moriyasu accepts responsibility for Japan’s exit

Al Rayyan: Hajime Moriyasu took responsibility for Japan’s 2-1 defeat to Islamic Republic of Iran in their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ quarter-final at Education City Stadium on Saturday.

The loss meant the Samurai Blue’s bid for a record-extending fifth title continues, having last emerged champions in 2011.  

Fightback keeps Team Melli on course

Sun, 04 Feb, 2024

Fightback keeps Team Melli on course

Al Rayyan: Islamic Republic of Iran upped their game in the second half to defeat Japan 2-1 in their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ quarter-final on Saturday.

The win took Iran closer to a fourth title, having last emerged champions in 1976.
 
The-AFC.com takes a look at some interesting facts from the absorbing match, which ended Japan's dream of a record-extending fifth title.

Son: My focus was only on helping Korea Republic win, not avenge 2015 defeat

Sat, 03 Feb, 2024

Son: My focus was only on helping Korea Republic win, not avenge 2015 defeat

Al Wakrah: Son Heung-min insisted his determination to defeat Australia was motivated by the desire to keep Korea Republic’s hopes of lifting the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ alive and not to avenge the Taeguk Warriors’ heart-breaking loss to the Socceroos in the 2015 final.

The Tottenham Hotspur forward was instrumental in Jurgen Klinsmann’s side advancing to a last four meeting with Jordan, winning the penalty that allowed Hwang Hee-chan to score an injury time equaliser before hitting a sweetly-struck free-kick in extra-time that sealed the 2-1 victory.
 
The win came almost nine years to the day since Korea Republic lost to the Australians in the 2015 final in Sydney, when Son scored in injury time to take that game into an additional 30 minutes only for James Troisi to hit the winner as Ange Postecoglou’s side were crowned champions.

Al Arab credits head coach for Jordan’s outstanding run

Sat, 03 Feb, 2024

Al Arab credits head coach for Jordan’s outstanding run

Doha: Yazan Al Arab credited head coach Hussein Ammouta for inspiring Jordan to their 1-0 victory over debutants Tajikistan in their AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ quarter-final on Friday.

Jordan surprised many with their exciting 3-2 win over Iraq in the Round of 16 and Ammouta’s charges did it again on Friday, seeing off the spirited challenge of their Central Asian opponents at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

Both teams toiled for 65 minutes until Jordan turned on the pressure, forcing Tajikistan into conceding an own goal - Vahdat Hanonov deflecting Ehsan Haddad’s header into his own net - to send the West Asian side into the AFC Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time.