Qatar secured a historic back-to-back Asian Cup title triumph at Lusail Stadium with a commanding 3-1 victory over Jordan, spearheaded by Akram Afif’s remarkable hat-trick of penalties.
The hosts, Qatar, etched their names in the annals of Asian football history as they became only the fifth team to clinch consecutive Asian titles, replicating their triumph from 2019. Afif’s heroics on the pitch, including his clinical execution from the penalty spot, proved pivotal in Qatar’s triumph.
The contest saw both teams trade blows, with Jordan’s Yazan Al-Naimat momentarily leveling the scoreline with a blistering strike in the second half, canceling out Afif’s first-half penalty. However, Qatar’s resolve and Afif’s lethal accuracy from the spot ultimately proved insurmountable for Jordan.
Afif’s first penalty came after he was brought down in the box by Abdallah Nasib, capping off an impressive first-half performance for the Qatari forward. Despite Jordan’s spirited comeback efforts, Afif struck twice more from the penalty spot in the dying moments of the match, sealing Qatar’s victory and his personal hat-trick.
While Jordan had aspirations of securing their maiden Asian Cup title, Qatar’s resilience and Afif’s clinical finishing dashed their hopes. Even with 13 minutes of additional time indicated, Qatar remained composed, with the video assistant referee awarding them their third penalty of the contest, which Afif duly converted to seal the win.
With this triumph, Qatar not only defended their Asian Cup crown but also made history as the first team to achieve this feat since Japan in 2004.