Qatar Advances to AFC Asian Cup Final with Victory Over Iran; Almoez Ali's Late Strike Seals Win
Defending Champions Continue Title Defense, Set to Face Underdogs Jordan in Final
With their win against Iran, Qatar advanced to the AFC Asian Cup final and resumed their title defense thanks to a late goal by Almoez Ali.
Those hosting Sardar Azmoun's outstanding overhead opener was canceled out by goals from Jassem Gaber and Akram Afif, giving Qatar the lead.
Although a contentious penalty call helped tie the game, Ali's goal in the 82nd minute and Shoja Khalilzadeh's late red card ended Iran's chances of winning.
In the final on Saturday at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, underdogs Jordan will take against Qatar.
Jordan advanced to their first Asian Cup final on Tuesday by shocking South Korea.
With its candidacy, Qatar hopes to become the first team to win back-to-back Asian Cup championships since Japan in 2000 and 2004.
After Qatar failed to clear a long ball into their box, Azmoun sprang acrobatically to strike home a spectacular overhead kick, setting up Iran's semi-final to get off to the ideal start.
Thirteen minutes later, however, Al Thumama Stadium exploded as Gaber's shot floated past goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand after taking a tremendous deflection off Saeid Ezatolahi.
Mehdi Torabi was cautioned for requesting a penalty from the touchline after the equalizer infuriated the Iranian bench, who believed Mehdi Taremi had been fouled in the opposing area seconds earlier.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
