AFC Asian Cup: Iran’s semi-final loss is all my fault and ‘worst day of my life’, says coach Ghalenoei
- Qatar’s Almoez Ali scores winner eight minutes from time, as defending champions set up final against Jordan
- Iranians were looking to reach the final for the first time since the third of their three consecutive Asian Cup wins in 1976
Amir Ghalenoei said Iran’s 3-2 defeat in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup to hosts Qatar was “one of the worst days in my life”, as he apologised for his team’s failure to make the final.
Almoez Ali scored the decisive third for Marquez Lopez’s team eight minutes from time, in a game that had more drama than quality. There was a late red card for Iran’s Shojae Khalilzadeh and Alireza Jahanbakhsh hit the post in the dying seconds.
The Iranians were looking to reach the final for the first time since the third of their three consecutive Asian Cup wins in 1976, but the loss at Al Thumama Stadium is the seventh time since 1980 the country has been eliminated in the semi-finals.
Instead, Qatar will take on the tournament’s surprise package, Jordan, at Lusail Stadium on Saturday looking to become the first nation to win back-to-back titles since Japan’s success over China – the third of the nation’s four Asian Cup triumphs – in 2004.
“I want to say sorry to the Iranian people because we had the responsibility to make them happy, we should have qualified for the final but we couldn’t do it,” Ghalenoei said.
“We missed a lot of opportunities, we had eight corners in the second half but this is football. If you don’t get what you want from your chances then you are going to be punished.
