AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023/ Qatar Beat Tajikistan, Qualify for Round of 16

Doha, January 17 (QNA) - The Qatari football team qualified for the round of 16 of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 after they beat Tajikistan team 1-0 on Wednesday in their confrontation at Al-Bayt Stadium within the third round of Group A.
       The flamboyant footballer Akram Afif scored the sole goal in the minute 18, and by this victory the Qatari squad became certain that they have topped the group after upscaling their points to six taking advantage of the goalless matches between China and Lebanon.
   By this triumph, Tajikistan points become frozen at one point within the group. 
    The Qatari team needed more times to get into the confrontation atmosphere. A clear advantage was given to the Tajik team, which started the match with high pressure and speed in recovering balls, while the Qatari team encountered difficulty in leaving its back areas.
   The goal scored by the Qatari team offered great confidence to their players to control the saga and threaten the net of the contender in numerous occasions. The Qatari team's chances continued when Akram Afif shot a strong ball that was blocked by the goalkeeper, and it fell in front of Almoez Ali, who wanted to put it into the net, but the defender cleared the ball before it crossed the goal line in the 43rd minute.
   Also, the Qatari team relied on counterattacks to exploit space in the opponent’s back line. Akram Afif launched a ball and prepared it for the substitute Ahmed Al-Janahi who quickly shot it over the crossbar in the 54th minute, while Almoez wasted an easy opportunity when he faced the goalkeeper from Akram Afif’s pass, but he did not behave well in the 57th minute. (QNA)