Qatar claim first Asian Cup with win over Japan

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - Qatar claimed their first Asian Cup on Friday with a 3-1 win over four-time champion Japan in the 2019 final.

In the match at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Qatar took the lead with Almoez Ali scoring in the 12th minute. Qatar made it 2-0 by Abdulazez Hatem scoring in the 27th minute.

With nine goals in the tournament overall, Ali's goal on Friday made him the Asian Cup’s top scorer ever in its five-year history.

Japan's Takumi Minamino scored in the 69th minute to make it 2-1, but in the 83rd minute Qatar scored the final goal with a penalty shot to end the game in victory. The match ended 3-1.

After advancing to the 2019 Asian Cup final for the first time, Qatar was chasing yet another milestone achievement in the final.

Qatar earlier made history as the first-ever team to give up no goals in the first six games of the Asia Cup, with a goal difference of 16-0. The final was their seventh game in the tournament which ended 3-1.

Japan's top scorer Yuya Osako scored four goals in the 2019 Asian Cup.

Qatar on Tuesday beat host the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 4-0 to make it to the final for the first time.

The World Cup 2022 hosts had advanced to the semifinals for the first time by beating two-time champion South Korea.

On Monday, four-time champion Japan defeated three-time champion Iran 3-0 to reach the final.

Japan is the most successful team in the Asian Cup to date with four titles, followed by Iran and Saudi Arabia with three apiece.

The 2019 AFC Asian Cup is the men's football championship of Asia organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).