Marking the commencement of the Asian Cup, hosts and defending champions Qatar displayed dominance in a 3-0 victory against Lebanon on Friday.
Akram Afif’s powerful shot just before half-time broke the deadlock, putting the 2022 World Cup hosts in the lead.
Almoez Ali extended their advantage in the second half, and Afif sealed the win with a late third goal.
Initially accommodating over 80,000 fans, the Lusail Stadium, where Lionel Messi’s Argentina triumphed over France in the World Cup final 13 months ago, saw some spectators leave early, resulting in numerous empty seats by the final whistle.
This positive start comes as Qatar, who secured their first Asian Cup five years ago, recently underwent a coaching change, with Tintin Marquez replacing Carlos Queiroz last month.
Having shocked Japan in the 2019 final, winning every game in the tournament, Qatar faced disappointment at the World Cup on home soil, exiting in the first round after three consecutive losses.
Against Lebanon, Ali, the player of the tournament in 2019, had an early goal disallowed by VAR for offside.
Afif, another key figure in Qatar’s 2019 victory, nearly scored with a header that hit the crossbar in the 30th minute.
However, he successfully found the net just before half-time, converting a right-foot shot after a setup by Ali in the box.
Qatar continued their dominance in the second half, securing the second goal in the 56th minute through a well-executed passing sequence, with Mohammed Waad providing the cross for Ali to head past Lebanon’s goalkeeper Mostafa Matar.
Despite the sizable crowd dispersing after Qatar’s second goal, they missed Afif’s skillful finish for the team’s third goal in the 96th minute, concluding a remarkable individual performance.
Qatar previously faced Lebanon in the opening game of the 2019 Asian Cup.
Their upcoming match in Group A will be against Tajikistan on Wednesday, with China as the other team in the group.
Saturday’s fixtures include Australia versus India, China against Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan meeting Syria.
Ada Peter
