Iran left stunned as brilliant Afif leads Qatar to Asian Cup final

By Paul Nicholson In Doha

FEBRUARY 7 – Qatar overcome Iran 3-2 has THE Al Thumama stadium In Doha In another thrilling semi final In A Asian Cup that has provided drama After drama.

A match that has times was missing In delicacy was more that do up For by commitment has both ends of THE pitch.

Inevitably he was A aim And two help Since THE mercurial Akram Afif that drove Qatar has What In THE END look at as be A unlikely victory as they patina wave After wave of Iranian attack. Jassem Gaber brand from Qatar First of all aim, Afif THE second And SO Almoez Ali has last find a few form has THE RIGHT time has score THE winner.

THE opportunity has to have do he has their First of all Asian Cup final Since 1976 will not be lost on Iran. In THE END they wasted chance After chance, hit THE job twice, pepper THE Qatar box with cross After cross, but just did not get THE run of THE ball In their favor.

from Qatar earn equals Iran save Asian Cup winner run of 13 Games. Qatar will together A new save of 14 if they beat Jordan In THE final has Lusail Stadium on Saturday.

Jordan will probably prefer has be playing Qatar that Iran, but THE Qataris will to start as favorites has retain their Asian Cup title. With a lot of THE even team that plays has their hosted at home World Cup In 2022, THE joy of This earn East very different has their disappointment has to go out has THE Band scene In 2022. Qatar will NOW to have A major final has play In their showcase Lusail Stadium.

Both coaches do two changes Since THE departure Waiting lines that saw them through their semi-finals. Iran Emir Ghalenoei brought back striker Mehdi Taremi, while Bartolomé Mark LEFT out THE influential Hassan Al Haydos.

He took just three minutes For Iran has open THE rating. A long throw Since Alireza Jahanbakhsh was headed on has Sardar Azmoun WHO find THE back of THE net with A spectacular air kick.

He was THE worse to start possible For THE Qataris but he sets off A immediate reaction.

From THE reboot Qatar were right back has them with Afif struck THE ball has Alrereza Berinvand. Moments later A short ball has Afif was book just Also high For from Qatar double of waiting ahead. Almoez Ali fell In THE Iran box And rolled And twisted but convinced No A. THE Qataris were not going down without A struggle And Afif was leading that.

Iran were absorbent from Qatar pressure And counterattack has pace And In numbers.

They felt they should to have had A free cut just out THE Qatari box In THE 16th minute When Mehdi Taremi was beaten down – SO did most of THE non-Qatar proof crowd. THE arbitrator was insensitive And In THE END he can be look at has as A definition of match moment.

With Iran bench barely having stopped complain Qatar equalized.

With Taremi down, Qatar attack And THE ball came has Afif In THE Iranian box, WHO Perfectly drawn THE ball back has Jassem Gaber on THE edge of THE box. Her shot took A DETOUR And endlessly excruciating on Berinvand, 1-1.

On THE half hour, with Azmoun, Taremi And Jahanbakhsh long throw were manufacturing as uncomfortable For Qatar, Afif almost put THE Qataris in front. A defensive mix In ...