Abu Dhabi: The Qatar men’s football team created history when they defeated four-times champions Japan 3-1 in the final to lift their maiden AFC Asian Cup title here Friday. While some made their name some disappointed. Orissa POST takes a look at five players who lit the tournament….
Float like a butterfly
Qatar’s Almoez Ali scored an eye-popping record nine goals at a single Asian Cup, surpassing Iran legend Ali Daei’s tally of eight in 1996 with a wonder strike in the final. The baby-faced striker had plastic bottles and shoes pelted at him after scoring in Qatar’s 4-0 semifinal win over hosts UAE, but had the last laugh as the 2022 World Cup hosts went on to lift the title. The Sudan-born Ali had been under investigation by tournament organisers over eligibility issue but was cleared to play before walking off with the player of the tournament award for good measure.
Saints and sinners
Japan captain Maya Yoshida was the rock at the heart of Japan’s run to the Asian Cup final with his coolness under pressure and no-nonsense approach. The Southampton defender also won plaudits – and a round of applause from journalists – after calling for organisers to improve refereeing standards and exert more control over the off-field controversies that dogged the tournament.
Lux, because he’s worth it
A little-known footballer from Kyrgyzstan became an instant sex symbol in the ex-Soviet republic after plundering a hat-trick against the Philippines to fire the White Falcons into the last 16 on their tournament debut. The 29-year-old heart-throb Vitalij Lux, with the James Dean film-star looks and a name that sounds like a posh shampoo, admitted he was a little bemused by all the sudden attention.
Iranian Messi
Mercurial Iran striker Sardar Azmoun flounced away from the national team after last year’s World Cup, upset with the abuse he had suffered from Iranian fans. Coaxed back by coach Carlos Queiroz for the Asian Cup, the 24-year-old Rubin Kazan forward – dubbed the ‘Iranian Messi’ – quickly rediscovered his mojo, scoring four goals before the tournament favourites were derailed by Japan in the semifinals.
All hands on deckchairs
Though statistics suggest Qatar goalkeeper Saad Al-Sheeb was one of the tournament’s most underemployed players, he quietly set a record six clean sheets at a single Asian Cup as the 2022 World Cup hosts stormed into the final. While Al-Sheeb had the deckchairs out for much of the time behind a defence boasting Asian footballer of the year Abdelkarim Hassan and faced only 11 shots on target, he showed cat-like reflexes when called upon – notably with two superb saves during Qatar’s semifinal win over UAE. As Qatar beat three former champions in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Son Heung-min’s South Korea without ever looking seriously stretched, Al-Sheeb provided an immovable last line of defence for the tournament’s shock winners and unsurprisingly was voted best goalkeeper.