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Ikoli Victor
Doha
Qatar defeated a physical Afghanistan side with two first half goals in the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020 Qualifiers at Aspire Stadium 5 in Doha on Friday.
The win takes Qatar atop of Group A with three points same as Oman who had earlier edged Nepal 1-0.
The Afghans dominated the early exchanges but were stopped by the impressive defensive duo of Qatar’s Asian Cup 2019 winning team Tarek Salman and Bassam al Rawi.
Hassan Ahmad scores the opening goal for Qatar in the 13th minute from inside the box. It was The enterprising play of Abdurrahman Moustafa from the left wing that set up the striker to slot the ball into the net from close range.
Despite being a goal down, Afghanistan pressed on in search of goal and were almost rewarded but for the timely intervention of goalkeeper Mohamed Albakri to to stop striker Fareed Sadat.
Qatar’s patience paid off as defender Abdul Najem hacks down Hassan Ahmad inside the box and Japanese referee Yudai Yamamoto pointed to the spot and the resultant penalty was converted by Abdullah Alaharak on 35 minutes.
Just before the break, Asian Cup 2019 winner Bassam al Rawi’s rising header went wide from a corner kick. The Afghans too had a corner kick in first half stoppage time as they tried to level the tie but some infringement inside the box ended the half with Qatar taking a two-goal cushion into the break.
Qatar resumed the second half spiritedly and should have added a third goal but for Ahmad’s shocking miss in front of goal. Affer Alahrak went past his marker he clipped the ball across the face of the top post needing the slightest of touch but Ahmad shot wide.
As the game dragged on, midfielder Alahrak suffered a knock on the knee and was replaced by Hazem Shehata after the hour mark. Hashim Ali completed the substitutions for Qatar when he came in for Moustafa in the 77th minute. Ilyas Mohammed had earlier given way for Ahmed Albakheet.
Afghanistan‘s captain Amanullah Sardari was given the marching orders after a second yellow card in added time.
It was a deserved win for the host and a disciplined performance especially in the second half where they restricted the Afghans in their own area.
Speaking after the match, Qatar coach Albert Fernandez said: “Usually the first game is not easy but started with a win. We are not very happy with our performance because it was a nervous start yet positive.”
“Hopefully in the nex game the players would play without pressure and expeess themselves better.”
Afghanistan coach said after the game, “It was a good match for the players but our lack of preparation and inexperience cost us the match.”
Meanwhile, Oman edged Nepal by a lone goal when an overlapping Al Malki found space on the left hand side before beating Nepal goalkeeper Arpan Karki with an accurate low finish on 13 minutes.
Nepal held their own in the minutes that but Oman held on for the win.
Doha
Qatar defeated a physical Afghanistan side with two first half goals in the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020 Qualifiers at Aspire Stadium 5 in Doha on Friday.
The win takes Qatar atop of Group A with three points same as Oman who had earlier edged Nepal 1-0.
The Afghans dominated the early exchanges but were stopped by the impressive defensive duo of Qatar’s Asian Cup 2019 winning team Tarek Salman and Bassam al Rawi.
Hassan Ahmad scores the opening goal for Qatar in the 13th minute from inside the box. It was The enterprising play of Abdurrahman Moustafa from the left wing that set up the striker to slot the ball into the net from close range.
Despite being a goal down, Afghanistan pressed on in search of goal and were almost rewarded but for the timely intervention of goalkeeper Mohamed Albakri to to stop striker Fareed Sadat.
Qatar’s patience paid off as defender Abdul Najem hacks down Hassan Ahmad inside the box and Japanese referee Yudai Yamamoto pointed to the spot and the resultant penalty was converted by Abdullah Alaharak on 35 minutes.
Just before the break, Asian Cup 2019 winner Bassam al Rawi’s rising header went wide from a corner kick. The Afghans too had a corner kick in first half stoppage time as they tried to level the tie but some infringement inside the box ended the half with Qatar taking a two-goal cushion into the break.
Qatar resumed the second half spiritedly and should have added a third goal but for Ahmad’s shocking miss in front of goal. Affer Alahrak went past his marker he clipped the ball across the face of the top post needing the slightest of touch but Ahmad shot wide.
As the game dragged on, midfielder Alahrak suffered a knock on the knee and was replaced by Hazem Shehata after the hour mark. Hashim Ali completed the substitutions for Qatar when he came in for Moustafa in the 77th minute. Ilyas Mohammed had earlier given way for Ahmed Albakheet.
Afghanistan‘s captain Amanullah Sardari was given the marching orders after a second yellow card in added time.
It was a deserved win for the host and a disciplined performance especially in the second half where they restricted the Afghans in their own area.
Speaking after the match, Qatar coach Albert Fernandez said: “Usually the first game is not easy but started with a win. We are not very happy with our performance because it was a nervous start yet positive.”
“Hopefully in the nex game the players would play without pressure and expeess themselves better.”
Afghanistan coach said after the game, “It was a good match for the players but our lack of preparation and inexperience cost us the match.”
Meanwhile, Oman edged Nepal by a lone goal when an overlapping Al Malki found space on the left hand side before beating Nepal goalkeeper Arpan Karki with an accurate low finish on 13 minutes.
Nepal held their own in the minutes that but Oman held on for the win.
