SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2019 “Congratulations to the leadership, the people of Qatar and the Arab world onon AsianAsia Cup 2019 champions, the Al Annabi triumph. The achievement is not just for Qatar but also of the peopleple of QatarQata football team will be arriving the Arab world and the Middle East which will host the first-ever World Cup inin 202 2022.”2.” – Qatar Olympic Committee President HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al Thani hohomem to a grand welcome today. AL ANNABI ON TOP OF THE Magic of The Maroons CONTINENT VINAY NAYUDU ALL it sheer bril- and the unfolding of liance or absolute genius, if there was ever a fairytale you had only heard of Cand may not have seen un- fold then Qatar’s magnificent triumph in the Asian Cup was one such dream come true. a Qatari fairytale Right from the start until the enthralling final against the four-time champions Ja- Asian Cup pan, there was no stopping the Maroons, who in exem- Roll of plary fashion displayed to the Honour world what football means to this World Cup 2022 hosting O 1956 South Korea nation and its people. O 1960 South Korea O 1964 Israel O 1968 Iran O 1972 Iran O 1976 Iran O 1980 Kuwait O 1984 Saudi Arabia O 1988 Saudi Arabia O 1992 Japan To win seven games in a O 1996 Saudi Arabia row, we deserve to be O 2000 Japan champions. We made history for our country. It O 2004 Japan was an unbelievable O 2007 Iraq opening goal from Almoez – he’s so dynamic, O 2011 Japan everything he touches O 2015 Australia turns into gold. O 2019 Qatar Qatar coach Felix Sanchez on his team’s Asian triumph Qatar’s football achieve- ment and emergence as cham- pions of Asia is a tribute to the country’s wise leadership, the passion for sport of its people, the astute planning of the Qa- tar Football Association, and surely the big hard work of its players and the guidance of super coach Felix Sanchez. Qatar won seven matches in the tournament in steam- rolling style, and conceded just one goal against Japan. That too can be termed as an aber- The Qatar football team and ration, though given their grit officials after the Asian Cup the Samurai Blue did breach 2019 trophy presentation in the so unbreakable seeming Abu Dhabi on Friday. Qatar beat wall of Qatar defence. Japan 3-1 in the final. (REUTERS) While the scoreline 3-1 highlights the dominance of champions Qatar over Japan, it was the super free-flowing play of Al Annabi that won the hearts of football aficionados all over the world. Somewhat tiki-taka yet typical Qatari, the heart- stopping ball control, the deft short passes, the sprinting bursts, and the cheetah-like swiftness when it came for the rank and file to fall back in de- fence – their beautiful game was just magical. Almoez Ali, who plays for Al Duhail, and is only 22, emerged as the jewel in Qa- almost sure of having made the Year Abdelkarim Hassan tar’s glittering crown scoring their mission possible. headed one inside the Japa- the most number of goals in an The Japs, however, have nese box, the ball rolled on Asian Cup. Almoez surpassed been known to rise from to the hand of Maya Yoshida Iranian great Ali Daei’s record the dead and they did put and the alert Abdelkarim in an astounding manner with in their all in the second es- made the referee aware of a bicycle kick – an image which say retaining maximum ball what had transpired. The VAR is already etched in the minds possession. Their sweat work was called for and Qatar were of millions and shall keep get- fetched them a reward too as awarded a penalty which the ting replayed each time an Minamino managed to get dazzling Akram Afif kicked Asian Cup is mentioned and past the unbreachable Qatar gleefully in to complete the talked about. custodian Saad al Sheeb in glorious journey of a nation With Almoez’s magic un- the 69th minute. which shall hence be referred folding as early as the 12th The reversal raised Japa- to as the Asian Cup 2019 minute, Qatar were well on way nese hopes and they set out champions and who never lost to making history. Fifteen min- to seek an equaliser which, a game to emerge as one! utes later, Abdulaziz Hatem alas, didn’t come thanks to the Tears rolled, hugs were produced another brilliant left- alertness and die-hard defence exchanged and voices choked foot strike that had the stamp of the Maroon brigade. with emotion. of class and technique all over And just as the dynamic “No words,” said Sanchez it going boom over and into the coach Sanchez kept directing soon after the match taking right corner of the net. his boys to go back to their at- a pause to add, “We did won- Two telling blows bamboo- tacking play rather than trying ders. Japan did try to come zled the Japanese defence and Man of the tournament at Asian Cup 2019, Almoez Ali executes his bril- to defend, came another dra- back and we knew how to stop Qatar were like kings on the liant bicycle kick goal against Japan in the final in Abu Dhabi on Friday. matic moment. them. We got a great result and field. They went into the break As the tall AFC Player of well deserved.” Sports Saturday, February 2, 2019 13 How coach Sanchez moulded his Young Turks into big champions RAAJIV TRIPATHI young players was cleared. DOHA Qatar’s present 23-man Asian Cup team consists of 14 QATAR’S brilliant young bri- Qatar’s historic triumph players who are 25 or under. gade which authored a golden has driven many points Even the first eleven against chapter in Continental foot- home. The first, it has Japan contained six players ball history on Friday had below 25. The oldest in the Qa- patience and precision as the indeed created a new tar squad is Akram Afif’s elder hallmarks of their epochal centre of football power brother Ali at 30. Rest are not performance. in Asia. With a strong more than 28, including skip- Al Annabi’s great achieve- system of the League and per Haydos. ment also had a lot to do various other tournaments The inclusion of the young with their former FC Barce- players also helped the Qatar lona former youth coach Felix in place, backed by the defence to a great extent. They Sanchez, who deserves to be Aspire Academy, Qatar had players running back im- complimented as much as any have eventually silenced mediately after the loss of other. His belief in the young all detractors who were possession, tightening the players, who grew up and thinking about Al Annabi defence and crowding out the graduated under his care and rivals. This factor also sharp- guidance, ‘set a tune’ too dif- getting a free ride in the ened Qatar’s counter-attack- ficult for any of their rivals to 2022 World Cup as ing abilities, which used to be match in the UAE. hosts. missing earlier. It would also be rather out The young players gelled of place to single out any par- well with senior players and ticular player at this moment. their splendid team work was But it may be fairly added capped with the AFC Cup to- that if forwards Almoez Ali, day. Japan were the first team Akram Afif, goalkeeper Saad in the tournament to get a al Sheeb, defenders Abdelka- goal against Qatar. On the rim Hassan, Pedro Correia or other hand, Qatar, riding Ali’s midfielder Abdelaziz Hatim record tally of nine strikes, excelled, it was undoubtedly slammed 19 goals and won all possible due to the inspira- their seven matches. tional leadership of Hasan al Qatar’s historic triumph Haydos, masterful planning has driven many points home. and the admirable control The first, it has indeed cre- over the players by the Span- ated a new centre of football ish tactician. power in Asia. With a strong Given the responsibility system of the League and of shaping the national team various other tournaments in worthy of being the FIFA 2022 place, backed by the Aspire World Cup hosts, it was quite Academy, Qatar have eventu- unfortunate that Sanchez fell THE TOAST OF THE CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONS: Qatar’s coach Felix Sanchez is thrown in the air as his team celebrates their win in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup final over Japan at the ally silenced all detractors who short of the nation’s dream Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday. (AFP) were thinking about Al Annabi last year when Qatar failed getting a free ride in the 2022 to qualify for the 2018 Russia did play well but the defence were quite tight. QFA management and Felix out of time to make any impact began to deliver the goods. It World Cup as hosts. World Cup. was not able to withstand the As a result, Qatar, which swung into action and were as a top tier team in Asia. was tested during plenty of Now the time leading to It may however be re- waves of attacks and cracked did exceptionally well in the forced to take some hard deci- The new experiment of ax- friendly matches and then as the FIFA mega event would be called that in the third stage of under pressure, mostly in the previous stages, finished as the sions as the gone-by opportu- ing some of the ageing players the think tank got satisfied, a more than exciting and worth the WC qualifications, Qatar closing stages.