Defending champion Qatar beats Lebanon 3-0 in perfect start for Asian Cup host nation

Fri, Jan 12, 2024
Soccer News (AP)

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) - Qatar began its defense of the Asian Cup with a 3-0 win against Lebanon at Lusail Stadium on Friday.

Two goals from Akram Afif and another from Almoez Ali saw the host nation make a perfect start as the tournament kicked off in front of a crowd of 82,490.

The only concern for Qatar coach Bartolome Marquez Lopez was an injury to star forward Ali in the second half.

But Afif proved how important he will be to his team's hopes of retaining the Asian Cup with clinical finishes at the end of each half.

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The forward opened the scoring in the 45th and rounded off the win in stoppage time at the end of the Group A match.

Ali, who was the leading scorer when Qatar won the trophy for the first time in 2019 with nine goals, struck in the 56th. He also had a goal ruled out for offside.

But he looked in discomfort as he limped off the field in the 77th minute, holding the back of his leg.

In the spectacular stadium where Lionel Messi lifted the World Cup for Argentina in 2022, Ali had the home crowd celebrating after just six minutes when he side-footed past Lebanon goalkeeper Mostafa Matar from close range. The offside flag would cut those celebrations short, but it was an early indication of the threat posed by Qatar.

Afif later clipped the top of the bar with a header before finding the back of the net.

A well-worked move from a throw-in saw Yusuf Abdurisag head down to Ali, who laid off to Afif to fire home from inside the box.

Ali doubled Qatar's lead after halftime when he was unmarked in the area and headed in Mohammed Waad's curling cross from the left.

Afif made it 3-0 in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time when charging into the box and lifting a shot over Matar.

Qatar is staging the tournament for the third time after original host China withdrew as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was supposed to be held in 2023, but delayed by a year.

A lavish opening ceremony was held before kickoff, based on the fable "The Lost Chapter of Kelileh and Demneh," featuring actors in animal costumes, songs and fireworks that lit the sky.

Watching on from the VIP section was Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer