Djokovic in 7th heaven with Australian Open triumph PAGE 18 MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 2019 Roston Chase does the star turn as ASIAN CUP 2019 PAGE 19 West Indies crush England IRAN VS JAPAN (5PM) ASIAN CUP 2019: 1ST SEMI-FINAL Queiroz calls for Iran to be confident against Japan DPA ABU DHABI IRAN coach Carlos Queiroz has attempted to paint his side as underdogs throughout the Asian Cup but has called on his team to be confident going into Monday’s semi- final with Japan. “We need to be ourselves and play with confidence and trust,” he told reporters in Al Ain on Sunday. “We have our own weap- ons to play with but, of course, we have to pay attention to the Japanese team and adapt and try to control the strong points, and they have a lot.” Prior to the tournament starting in the UAE, Queiroz claimed a last four spot was Iran’s target – a somewhat modest aim given they were ranked number one in Asia. Four wins from five with- out conceding a goal has re- Iran coach Carlos Queiroz wants his players (above) to show self-belief when they take on four-time Asian Cup champions Japan (right) in the 2019 semi-final in Abu Dhabi on Monday. inforced the belief they are a favourite to lift the trophy in “It’s a hundred per cent one’s dream.” developing after five wins from Should Moriyasu lead Japan fore going on to lift the trophy. and at the first Asian Cup in Ja- the February 1 final. our dream to win the 2019 Iran will be without the five to date, all by a single goal. to a fifth continental title he will “I hope the players here pan I felt the attention from the Either the hosting United AFC Asian Cup,” said Not- suspended Mehdi Taremi who “When we came to this tour- become the first to win the Asian will play as well as we did in people was growing higher and Arab Emirates or Qatar, who tingham Forest forward Karim picked up a second booking in nament we already knew every Cup as both player and coach that game,” he said. “When we higher each time we played. We play on Tuesday, will meet the Ansarifard. the quarter-final cruise over game would be difficult and we having been part of his country’s compare the situations from had never won the title, so we winner of the first semi-final. “Hopefully it happens as China. Vahid Amiri can return. prepared for that,” he said. maiden success in 1992. when I was a player and now, had a lot of motivation. Victory over Japan would we are all dreaming of Iran be- Japan meanwhile will “We’re not a perfect team In that home tournament there’s a big difference. “But now winning is nor- secure Iran a first final place ing the champions. We will try have Yoshinori Muto available and we’re not a mature team, Japan scored late on in a game “When I was a player, Ja- mal and the players have to since the last of three consecu- for the people of our country, again and coach Hajime Mori- so we’re developing in every with Iran to eliminate Team pan was transitioning from play with a lot of pressure and tive title triumphs in 1976. so that we can achieve every- yasu hopes his side can keep game we play.” Melli from the group phase be- amateurism to professionalism that’s the different part.” UPBEAT AL ANNABI GEAR UP FOR CLASH AGAINST UAE Familiarity, stability paying Nothing’s impossible, says Abdelkarim dividends: Khoukhi AFC What I have learned in football, is there is rea (Republic) were strong ABU DHABI nothing (that is) impossible. Everything is and we had to defend to stop AFC possible, so we will keep working hard them from scoring against us ABU DHABI ON the verge of his side’s first and pushing, until the end. and we did it. ever AFC Asian Cup semi- — Qatar’s star left-back Abdelkarim Hassan “We did it, we wrote his- QATAR’S Boualem Khoukhi says familiar- final, Qatar’s star left-back tory and we enter history (be- ity and stability within his side’s playing and Abdelkarim Hassan has a five successive matches, and club teammate Akram Afif, ing) the first time in the Asian coaching ranks is a positive factor in their simple message – anything beaten three former champi- and in-form striker Almoez Cup that Qatar arrive in this surge to a first ever AFC Asian Cup semi-final. is possible. ons in a row, to reach the final Ali - who remains one goal stage, and I am very proud of The West Asians earned a slice history Qatar’s success would four for the first time history. away from equalling Ali my teammates, from the head on Friday, defeating two-time winners and have been difficult to imagine An unused substitute no Daei’s tournament record of coach to the administration, 2015 runners-up Korea Republic thanks to four years ago. Hassan, an more, Hassan is the 2018 eight – Hassan has become a because we work hard, and a Abdelaziz’s Hatim’s 78th-minute screamer at unused substitute, watched AFC Player of the Year, key figure in Felix Sanchez’s lot, to reach this stage. Zayed Sports City Stadium. on as Bahrain’s Sayed Ahmed and, with such significant side, but suspension made “What can I say? It’s won- The achievement is the latest for a side scored eight minutes from changes, the 25-year-old is him a spectator during their derful, and mabrouk for it.” packed with young talents to have blos- time to deliver a final blow to not one to set limits on what historic quarter-final against The next challenge is a somed under the tutelage of head coach Felix Al Annabi’s 2015 campaign. can be achieved. Korea Republic. semi-final against the United Sanchez, who also coached 11 players from Three successive losses “What I have learned in Despite not being able to Arab Emirates; the same side the current squad at last year’s AFC U-23 meant Hassan’s side left Aus- football, is there is nothing personally impact the break- who dealt the first blow, a 4-1 Championship. tralia without a single point. (that is) impossible,” said through 1-0 win, Hassan wore defeat, to the campaign of 2015. The Qatari starting line-up also featured no After years of steady progress, the Al Sadd dynamo. one of the biggest smiles at A sixth win in a row would less than seven players from the Al Sadd club, and a quarter-final appear- “Everything is Zayed Sports City Stadium, see Qatar into their first ever including Khoukhi, who believes those exam- ance on home soil four years possible, so we and remains delighted with AFC Asian Cup final, and a ples of continuity are aiding the team’s cause. Boualem Khoukhi of Qatar (right) during the AFC prior, it was their worst ever will keep working his country’s achievement. seventh would make them “For sure, it gives us stability for the team,” Asian Cup quarter-final against S Korea. (EPA-EFE) result at an AFC Asian Cup. hard and pushing, “I cannot say anything champions. All unthinkable said the 28-year-old. Skip forward four years until the end.” about the game,” he four years ago, but in 2019, “Felix has been with most of our players midfielder, winger or forward, and has 15 in- and the circumstances are Along- said. “Ko- according to Hassan, any- since seven years ago. This is an advantage for ternational goals to his name, including one unrecognisable. side thing is possible. us, and also, we have prepared the team for a in this tournament during his side’s 6-0 group Qatar have won year, so everything went the way Felix wanted. stage win over DPR Korea. “We hope that we can achieve something in The utility revealed his delight at being a this competition.” part of history. Khoukhi turned in a superb display in the “I’d like to congratulate our players, my heart of the Qatari defence, helping to restrict teammates, the technical staff, the administra- a Korean attack which featured Son Heung- tion and everyone who have supported us. Qatar have won five succes- A sixth win would see min among several other attacking weapons. “I’d like also to thank the Oman fans who sive matches & beaten three Qatar into their first ever His performance was even more impres- have been supporting us during the competi- sive when considering he is also adept as a tion. We now will focus on the semi-finals.” former champions in a row AFC Asian Cup final Hosts offer free tickets to garner fans’ support for semis vs Qatar AFC cil, and distributed to fans ea- Tickets were distributed providers is strictly prohibited. ABU DHABI ger to support the UAE in the at various locations with long “The AFC takes a serious semi-final on Tuesday. queues forming and all the view of this breach and rein- THE Abu Dhabi Sports Coun- The Abu Dhabi Sports tickets snapped up. The Mo- forces its commitment to pro- cil has purchased all remain- Council, in a statement on its hammed bin Zayed Stadium’s tect the interest of fans who ing tickets for the AFC Asian official social media account, seating capacity is 42,000.