Conceding an early goal, two goals from Jassem Gaber and Akram Afif gave the home team a lead in the Asian Cup semi-final.
39'
Almahdi Ali shot wide
Qatar were playing with more enthusiasm and initiative. After an unsuccessful combination on the right wing, they were given back possession by Iran and were in danger of being counter-attacked. However, Almahdi Ali quickly got the ball back before firing a shot from 25m away, but the ball was too inaccurate.
32'
Afif missed
An Iranian midfielder's back pass accidentally became an assist for Afif to dribble into the penalty area. The Qatari number 11's nimble feet prevented the Iranian centre-back from tackling. However, after flicking the ball onto his right foot, Afif's shot went straight at goalkeeper Beiranvand. His follow-up toe-poke sent the ball over the bar.
26'
Iran continues to complain to the referee
The visitors were clearly unhappy with the way referee Ahmad Al-Ali had handled the game in the last few minutes. This time, it was Jahanbakhsh's turn to complain about the earlier incident. He felt the referee should have been stricter with Qatar's tackles.
21'
Qatar celebrates after Gaber scores the equalizer. Photo: Al Jazeera
19'
The Iranian players protested against the referee for not awarding them a penalty in the situation before Qatar scored. At that time, Taremi dribbled into the penalty area and had a chance to face the goalkeeper. The Iranian striker kicked the ball but was tackled from behind by a Qatari defender. The referee was very close to this situation and determined that there was no foul. Immediately after that, Qatar equalized. For reacting, Iranian substitute Mehdi Torabi was shown a yellow card.
17'
Qatar equalizes
The home team unexpectedly found an equalizer. Afif failed to compete with two Iranian defenders in the penalty area. But his efforts prevented Iran from clearing the ball. Qatar then reorganized the attack. Gaber rushed up from the second line, causing the ball to hit an Iranian player and change direction before going into the top corner of the goal, leaving Beiranvand no time to react.
13'
Another chance for Iran
Iran's long ball down the right wing was very accurate. Jahanbakhsh accelerated away from the Qatar defender and crossed to Taremi's position. However, the pass was still quite deep compared to the Iranian striker's run.
10'
Qatar plays high pressing
The home team tried to press the opponent's half to find a chance after falling behind. However, Iran were playing quite calmly. Afif seemed to be the most dangerous striker on the Qatar side. He just sent a dangerous pass from the right wing, forcing Beiranvand to come out and punch the ball.
6'
Qatar responded immediately
Receiving a long pass from his teammate, Afif dribbled the ball down the left wing, then turned and curled the ball with his right foot. The ball rolled but hit the position Beiranvand had chosen, allowing the goalkeeper to catch the ball. The television camera just turned to the Qatari fans' stands. They still seemed quite cheerful, showing no signs of worry even though their team was behind.
5'
Azmoun hooked the ball, opening the score for Iran. Photo: Al Jazeera
Iranian players celebrate after scoring the opening goal.
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Qatar, as defending champions, had a relatively easy tournament at home. They topped Group A and easily defeated Palestine in the quarterfinals. However, in the quarterfinals, when facing a tough opponent like Uzbekistan, the home team showed their weaknesses. They needed a mistake from the opposing goalkeeper to equalize 1-1 before winning 3-2 in the penalty shootout. Therefore, facing Iran in the semi-finals will be a big challenge, especially for the defense of the team led by coach Tintin Marquez.
Iran showed their strength by beating Japan 2-1 in the quarter-finals. Alireza Jahanbakhsh's goal in the sixth minute of injury time helped the West Asian team eliminate the top candidate for the Asian Cup this year. But before that, they had to overcome Syria in the round of 16 thanks to a 5-3 penalty shootout victory. Iran have not won the Asian Cup since 1976. Therefore, their fans are hoping that their team can make a miracle this year, especially when their opponent in the final - Jordan - is considered relatively easy to play.
Qatar did not lose a single game when they won the 2019 tournament and they have done the same again this year, meaning the hosts are on a very long unbeaten run at the Asian Cup. The good news for Marquez is that he will have a full squad for the semi-final. Meanwhile, Iran welcome back key striker Mehdi Taremi after he missed the quarter-finals through suspension. However, Sadegh Moharrami and Majid Hosseini are out through injury.
Quang Huy - Quang Dung
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