2024-02-12 00:30:24
Doha: The Tunisian journalist met Fais Rousey while traveling to the main media center in Mushairib after the Asian Cup final at Lusail Stadium. He started talking about the game and was asked about the top three teams in this tournament. The answer was without thinking for a moment. Finalists Jordan, Uzbekistan, who returned from a quarter-final loss to Qatar, and debutants Tajikistan.
When the month-long Asian Cup comes to an end, what remains in the minds of fans and football writers are the changing faces of world football. For the second time in a row, Qatar won the continental title but lost, and a handful of players who showed flashes of talent are in the hearts of sports fans.
The 18th Asian Cup also saw the reign of top goal scorer Akram Afif, the architect of the host’s victory, while Qatar won the title after defeating Jordan 3-1 in the final held in Lusail.
Akram Afif testified after the semi-finals that Qatar, who won the Asian title in the UAE in 2019, faded without a win in the World Cup on its own soil, but the participation in the World Cup has become a source of experience for big fights.
Jordan filled the field
Jordan’s fans did not even expect a knockout when he reached the Asian Cup this time. However, by the time they returned as runners-up in the tournament, they had already made their mark in terms of rank as well as performance. They drew against powerhouse South Korea in the group stage and will enter the prequarters as one of the best third-placed teams. Then laid the foundation for the steps with good wins in each round of the knockout. The performance against Korea surprised even their own countrymen who had predicted their elimination in the semi-finals. Finally, in the final against the hosts Qatar, Jordan fell to the misfortune of a penalty. While most of the team’s players are from local clubs, French League club Montpellier’s player Moussa Al-Tamari, nicknamed ‘Jordan Messi’, is a sign of the country’s changing football.
Uzbek and Tajikistan show their strength
Uzbekistan was placed in Group ‘B’ which includes India. They entered the quarter after drawing Syria and shaking Australia. In the next round, Uzbek, who surrendered to Qatar in the shootout, performed well with the game. Having emerged as the U-23 Asian champions, the likes of Abbasbek Faysulaev, Khozhimat Erkinov and Ustan Urunov have also been welcomed into senior football. Another impressive line-up is Tajikistan, who bowled in the tournament as debutants. Despite the pain of their own country, which has become a war zone, Palestine, which has progressed with a good game, and teams including Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have not given up their old glory in football, are returning with impressive addresses in the tournament this time.
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