AFC Asian Cup: Qatar retain trophy as Jordan pay penalty for indiscipline in lacklustre end to tournament
- Referee Ma Ning awards hosts hat-trick of spot kicks in disappointing end to enthralling month of football
- Akram Afif scores all his side’s goals in 3-1 win, and Qatar coach Marquez Lopez admits ‘football wasn’t as beautiful as we wished for’
Qatar retained their Asian Cup title at Lusail Stadium on Saturday, beating Jordan 3-1 in a game where Akram Afif scored a hat-trick from the penalty spot.
Chinese referee Ma Ning, who became the first official from the Mainland to take charge of the continental showpiece, awarded the penalties from which Afif scored in the 22nd, 73rd and 95th minutes
Afif finished on top of the scoring charts with eight goals and as the Asian Cup’s MVP. His side became the first team to successfully defend the title in 20 years.
“The referee made his decision with the VAR and the fans can see what happened,” Afif said. “I’m just a player and I play according to the referee’s decision. I just played my best to make my people proud and the win tonight was well deserved.”
The Qataris received the trophy from Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Thani in front of a crowd of 86,492 spectators who witnessed a lacklustre end to an enthralling month-long competition.
Qatar’s first penalty came when Al Sadd forward Afif was nudged over in the box by Jordanian right back Abdallah Nasib, and he calmly put the holders in front.
