Almoez Ali scored with a spectacular overhead kick for a record ninth goal of the Asian Cup to set Qatar on their way to a first continental title with a stunning 3-1 win over four-times champions Japan.



Ali’s early goal took him past Ali Daei’s 1996 tally and, combined with a 27th minute strike from Abdulaziz Hatem and a late Akram Afif penalty, helped the Qataris make an emphatic statement ahead of their hosting of the 2022 World Cup.



Sudan-born Ali’s record goal came after a protest by the host United Emirates FA into his eligibility to represent Qatar was dismissed by the Asian Football Confederation only a few hours before kickoff.



Japan finally found a way through a Qatar defence that had not conceded in six previous matches when Takumi Minamino scored in the 69th minute but the penalty condemned the Samurai Blue to their first defeat in an Asian Cup final.



The victory was celebrated wildly by thousands of Omanis who had turned out to support Qatar in the absence of their own fans, who were unable to travel because of a deep political rift with the UAE.



Japan, chasing a record-extending fifth title, started the brighter but it was the Qataris who drew first blood through the prolific Ali, who was later named Player of the Tournament.



Afif has set up most of Ali’s goals in the UAE and he was again the provider in the 12th minute with a cross that found the striker in space with his back to goal close to the penalty spot.



There was still plenty of work to do but Ali took a touch off each foot to tee up the ball before angling it past Shuichi Gonda into the corner of the net with a bicycle kick.



The Afif-Ali combination nearly struck again a minute later but the Qataris did not have to wait long to double their lead.



Hatem, who scored the winner against South Korea in the quarter-finals, summoned up another magnificent strike, cutting in from the right before curling the ball past the helpless Gonda into the top left-hand corner.



The Japanese, who had weathered a first-half storm before beating Iran in the semi-finals, kept their composure but were simply unable to break through the compact lines of Qatar’s defence.



Japan skipper Maya Yoshida clashed heads with Boualem Khoukhi on the hour mark resulting in the big Qatari defender being carried off on a stretcher.



The Qatar defence looked less assured without him and Japan took full advantage when Yuya Osako played in Minamino and the winger chipped the ball over advancing goalkeeper Saad Al Sheeb.



Japan poured forward looking for an equaliser but, after reference to VAR, Yoshida was adjudged to have blocked Abdelkarim Hassan’s header with his hand in the 80th minute and Afif calmly sent Gonda the wrong way from the spot.</s>It has come down to this, Japan and Qatar are the last two teams remaining in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 which took fans and supporters by storm.

Both squads have proven their worth of being in the showpiece event and after the night, it could be Japan’s record fifth AFC Asian Cup title, or Qatar breaking ground and winning their first.

A lot are on the line for the two teams as Japan are looking to re-establish their dominance in the region. After dispatching of tough teams like IR Iran, this younger Samurai Blue squad have proven that they have what it takes to carry the winning tradition of the stars before them.

Meanwhile, Qatar are also looking to make a splash in the international football scene. As hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, many are wondering just how good their national team can be. Faced against big odds like Korea Republic and United Arab Emirates, the players from Qatar stepped up and people are now taking notice that they may not only be hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup but are also looking to leave a mark.

However, with the AFC Asian Cup 2019 just a few hours away, we take a look at five players who are likely to play a big role in the outcome of tonight’s battle.

One of the Samurai Blue stars to score against tournament favourites IR Iran in the semifinal, Genki Haraguchi has the chance to throw his name into international superstardom if he performs well against Qatar.

The 27-year-old plays club football for German club Hannover 96 and has been a consistent throughout the AFC Asian Cup 2019.

One last great effort is needed and Japan may be crowned as champions again.

One of the young Japanese players to have proven his worth to be part of the new national squad is Ritsu Doan.

With two goals to his name in the competition, he joins Haraguchi with in that distinction.

At 20 years old, the FC Groningen has been a thorn down defences sides when he makes his runs and Qatar should try and always have a defender keep an eye on him or risk him being open to score or assist in Japan’s goal.

The third player on the list, Bassam Al-Rawi also has two goals to his name but could have gotten more if he played in the semifinal clash against United Arab Emirates.

He picked up two yellow cards earlier in the competition – in a group stage battle against Iraq and in the quarterfinal against Korea Republic.

After serving the suspension in the semifinal against UAE, many expect the 21-year-old defender to maintain his aggressive nature and there are few doubting that he may end up on the scoresheet yet again.

Japan’s star striker has certainly delivered when needed as he already has four goals to his name to lead the way for the Samurai Blue.

The 28-year-old Werder Bremen player has been difficult to stop and Qatar’s defences will definitely get tested when Osako is within the penalty box charging for an attempt on goal.

To this point, Qatar have yet to concede a goal and if they want to continue that streak, they should find a way to slow down Osako or the first goal they concede might ultimately cost them the AFC Asian Cup 2019 title.

Last but certainly not the least is Qatar’s striking superstar Almoez Ali.

He has certainly been a revelation in the AFC Asian Cup and leads the competition with eight goals – tying the tournament’s record for most goals in a single campaign.

The 22-year-old has been unstoppable and his mere presence around the box makes life difficult for defenders so Japan need to always mark the Sudanese-born striker to keep him off the scoresheet.</s>AFC Asian Cup 2019, Japan vs Qatar Live Streaming: Japan and Qatar clash in the AFC Asian Cup final at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday, against the backdrop of political tension. While Japan have the Asian Cup pedigree, Qatar players were pelted with plastic bottles and even shoes by the crowd during their semifinal clash against hosts United Arab Emirates, who went down 4-0 in the clash. Qatar, however, will take confidence from their record-breaking run to their first-ever final. After surviving that ordeal, the 2022 World Cup hosts believe they have nothing to fear from Japan. Here are all the details you need to know ahead of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 final clash:

When is the AFC Asian Cup final match between Japan vs Qatar?

The AFC Asian Cup final match between Japan vs Qatar will take place on Friday, February 1, 2019.

Where is AFC Asian Cup 2019 final match between Japan vs Qatar?

The AFC Asian Cup 2019 final match between Japan vs Qatar will be played at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

What time does the AFC Asian Cup 2019 final match between Japan vs Qatar begin?

The AFC Asian Cup 2019 final match between Japan vs Qatar will begin at 7:30 PM IST.

Which TV channels will broadcast the AFC Asian Cup 2019 final match between Japan vs Qatar?

The AFC Asian Cup 2019 final match between Japan vs Qatar will be broadcast on Star Sports 2, Star Sports 2 HD, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 1 (Hindi), Star Sports 1 HD (Hindi), Star Sports 1 (Tamil), Star Sports 1 (Kannada).

How do I watch online live streaming of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 final match between Japan vs Qatar?

AFC Asian Cup match between Japan vs Qatar live streaming will be available on Hotstar. You can catch live scores, live updates and live commentary on IndianExpress.com.</s>Despite failing to win their fifth AFC Asian Cup title after losing to Qatar, Japan admitted that their rivals were simply better in their final clash.

Qatar beat the Samurai Blue 3-1 to lift the title for the first time in history as Japan could not contain the early pressure put on by their opponents in the final match-up.

Takumi Minamino scored Japan’s only goal as it gave a glimpse of a possible comeback, but Qatar dashed all hopes when they scored their third.

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu spoke to AFC and shared his thoughts, revealing that Qatar had the quality and deserved to be champions.

“Our goal was obviously to win the title for our fans, and I feel disappointed that that we could not deliver the win for the people of Japan,” he said.

“It is my responsibility that my players could not show their strength on the pitch. You saw how we started the game, we could not get into our rhythm and there was a mismatch in the systems between Qatar and Japan.

“However, I always believe the winning team [of any tournament] is the strongest one and, in those terms, Qatar were the better side.

“It did not come as a surprise to me because we knew Qatar can have a tight defence as well as strength in attack. They had a quick attack and they can also move the ball and create chances. I think the head coach is building a very good team for the FIFA World Cup in 2022.”

Despite coming short of the title, Moriyasu believes that this bodes well for the young Japanese side as they experience top competition.

“The goal when we came here was to be champions, so obviously I am disappointed.

“I am, however, proud of how we have developed. Coming into the competition, we wanted to have a team that was a blend of both young and experienced players.

“I want to thank the more senior players who have helped the younger ones [in the squad], and I now want the youngsters to retain their hunger to improve.

“The seven matches we have played at the AFC Asian Cup have been against different teams and styles which has also helped us improve as a side.

“I think this tournament will form the base from which we can build a team for the future and I want our staff and players to be proud of what we have achieved here.”</s>Qatar stunned Japan 3-1 to win their first Asian Cup on Friday sparked by a moment of magic from record-breaker Almoez Ali and after nail-biting late drama. Sudan-born striker Almoez Ali scored with an acrobatic bicycle kick after just 12 minutes before Abdelaziz Hatim curled in a superb second and Akram Afif converted a VAR-assisted penalty to give the 2022 World Cup hosts a famous victory in Abu Dhabi. Qatar survived a scare at 2-0 when Takumi Minamino pulled one back on 69 minutes, only for Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov to award the Maroons a penalty on review for a handball by Japan captain Maya Yoshida.

Ali became the first player to score nine goals at a single Asian Cup after only being cleared to play just hours before kickoff following a UAE protest over his eligibility. The Qataris had been pelted with plastic bottles and shoes during the 4-0 semi-final thrashing of hosts United Arab Emirates over the Gulf blockade of the tiny, energy-rich state.

Emirati football officials subsequently lodged a formal protest over the eligibility of Ali and Iraqi-born defender Bassam Al-Rawi, which has been thrown out by the Asian Football Confederation. Qatar had never before gone beyond the Asian Cup quarter-finals but they scored 16 unanswered goals coming into the final and kept a record six clean sheets.

Japan, meanwhile, had never lost an Asian Cup final, winning the last of their record four titles in 2011.

But the Blue Samurai were soon chopped down to size by Ali's outrageous opener, taking him past Iran legend Ali Daei's record tally of eight goals at the 1996 tournament.

Cleverly found by Afif, Ali flicked the ball up to himself before launching into an overhead volley that left Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda helpless as it flew in off the post.

Ali almost scored again within a minute, only to be denied by a desperate block from Yoshida.

However, Qatar doubled their lead in the 27th minute after yet another Afif assist -- his 10th of the tournament -- as Hatim bent in a sumptuous left-foot shot from distance.

Japan, whose only previous Asian Cup defeat by Qatar came 31 years ago, mustered little of note, much to the chagrin of their colourful fans among a crowd of 36,000 -- several sporting fancy dress, including one hardy soul in an inflatable sumo suit.

That all changed when Minamino breached Qatar's defence for the first time this tournament with a delicate chip after Hatim had blazed over from close range.

But moments later Afif ended Japan's resistance from the spot to complete a fairytale triumph for Qatar.</s>Akram Afif made a little history of his own during the final between Qatar and Japan at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 tournament as the Qataris took a deserved lead in the game.

Afif notched up his tenth assist of the tournament thus far, which is an AFC Asian Cup 2019 tournament record, and is also the highest by a Qatar player in the competition.

Almoez Ali already has the record for the most number of goals in AFC Asian Cup history with nine as we speak, and his attacking partner is making waves of his own.

What is most interesting to note is that Afif has ten assists and is the undisputed leader, with Chris Ikonomidis of Australia in a distant second place with just four assists!

It highlights the dominance of Qatar at this tournament, and as things stand, the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts look set to lift their first ever AFC Asian Cup trophy.

You can follow the second half of the final right here on our FOX Sports Asia live blog.</s>The AFC Asian Cup 2019 is now down to the last day and only two teams remain with Japan going up against Qatar for the distinction to be called champion.

Both nations have proven their worth to be in the final, with Japan climbing back to the top of the mountain and looking to win their fifth AFC Asian Cup title in history.

Meanwhile, Qatar have now shown that they are a threat in the region and their 2022 FIFA World Cup hosting just became more intriguing following their run to the final in this competition.

Now more than just winning a trophy and the distinction of being the best in the region, there comes the monetary gain for going far in the competition.

As stated by , they’re out to make this the richest AFC Asian Cup ever as they’re giving away almost USD $15 million in total!

‘I don’t want to see any stupid things’ – Japan captain ahead of Asian Cup final

There were 24 total teams to participate in the competition and simply qualifying to be part of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 gets them $200,000!

This goes especially well for nations who made their debut in the cmpetition namely Philippines, Kyrgyz Republic and Yemen!

While big money was already made for nations who simply qualified for the AFC Asian Cup, those who reach the semifinal of the competition have more prizes in store.

The two losing semifinal nations will bring home USD $1,000,000 each.

So add the two million to the current spending of 4.8 million, the running total is at USD $6,800,000.

Now with Japan and Qatar already in the final, neither will go home empty handed when it comes to the cash prize as the runners-up will take home USD $3,000,000!

As for the champion, an incredible USD $5,000,000 will be given along with the trophy and the distinction of being the best in the region.

That brings us to a grand total of $14,800,000 for the competition!

This definitely comes as a big step-up as in the 2015 competition, there were given out as Australia were crowned as champions.</s>Qatar topped-off their 2019 AFC Asian Cup in style, by beating four-time Champions Japan, 3-1. Almoez Ali, Abdelaziz Hatim, and Akram Afif found their names on the scoresheet, helping the Maroons lift the title. In what was a particularly impressive campaign for the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts, we narrow down some key records.

For this list, we have considered both overall and edition (2019) records.

#1 Most goals in a single edition (Overall)

One of the biggest talking points of this competition was the form of young striker Almoez Ali. The 22-year-old had started his competition on a great note, scoring five goals in just two matches. Another brace in the third match followed, leaving him with seven goals going into the knockout stages.

With potentially four more games remaining, fans started wondering whether Ali would eventually break Ali Daei’s long-standing record of goals in a single edition. The Iranian forward had netted eight times during the 1996 edition.

After two matches without a goal, Ali finally popped up in the Semifinals to take his tally to eight, level with Ali Daei. One match later, he was past him.

Nine goals in a single AFC Asian Cup campaign; that’s the new record to beat!

#2 Most goals in a debut campaign (Overall)

Almoez Ali’s 2019 AFC Asian Cup campaign was special for many reasons. The 22-year-old striker formally announced himself on the international stage, while also breaking Ali Daei’s record.

However, many might easily forget that 2019 was indeed Ali’s debut in the Asian Cup!

The young striker has been tearing it apart recently at both the club and the international level. However, when the last edition of the pan-Asian competition took place, Ali was still fighting his way among the youth teams.

Four years later, he’s a key member of the Qatar squad as well as an AFC Asian Cup MVP.

It didn’t take long for Qatar to get their tournament going. Unlike many of the other teams, who struggled against ‘weaker’ opposition, the Maroons sailed through the opening stages.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts scored ten unanswered goals during their first three matches, with star striker Almoez Ali scoring seven of those.

Three more wins followed in the knockout stages; the first two being a narrow 1-0 wins over Iraq and South Korea, while the semifinal a 4-0 thrashing of hosts UAE.

Three more goals came in the final, bringing Qatar’s total tally to nineteen! And while they are still behind Japan in goals scored in a single edition (2000), they were the highest scoring team of the 2019 edition.

Qatar were quite simply, the best offensive and defensive side of the AFC Asian Cup. The Maroons went through seven games by scoring nineteen goals. Furthermore, they only conceded once during those seven matches!

Japan forward Takumi Minamino capitalized on a defensive mix-up midway through the second half, and chipped the ball calmly over an onrushing Saad Al Sheeb, quashing any hope of a remarkable record.

Nevertheless, the Qatar custodian still managed to bag the award for the tournament’s best goalkeeper for all his efforts of keeping the goal clean.

While much of the attention was on star-striker Almoez Ali, winger Akram Afif was quietly running the show. The Al Sadd man slotted in behind Ali as the second striker and managed to assist him on five separate occasions.

Afif added five more assists to his tally, bringing his total to ten; six better than Chris Ikonomidis in the second place.

And while it is still unconfirmed as to whether it is a competition record, Afif’s ten assists still make him this edition’s best provider.</s>AFC Asian Cup 2019 Final Live Score Streaming, Japan vs Qatar Final Football Live Score Streaming: Japan square off against Qatar in the summit clash of the Asian Cup final at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday. After much drama, three hours before the final, Qatar has been cleared to play in Friday’s Asian Cup final after a United Arab Emirates protest about possible ineligible players was rejected.

While Qatar are eyeing their first title, Japan, on the other hand, are firm favourites to lift a fifth title. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is expected to attend the game. Whoever lifts the trophy will make history and not just because they will be the first to win the new larger cup made for this expanded edition of the tournament. Catch live score and updates of Japan vs Qatar</s>Qatar recently won their first ever AFC Asian Cup 2019 after defeating Asian heavyweights Japan 3-1 in the final.

It was an incredible match where Qatar started off well and finished things off just as strong to put the game beyond reach.

The final only highlighted just how impressive Qatar were in the AFC Asian Cup as they scored an impressive 19 goals while only conceding one – and it was in the final.

However, despite this, there are still news that head coach Felix Sanchez may not be a lock to coach Qatar in the future.



 In preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which Qatar are hosting, they might be looking for big-named players to bring them forward and help them compete against the best in the world.

However, many argue what Sanchez has done for Qatar and keeping him should be he priority.
Qatar defeats Japan 3-1 to win the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, earning them their first continental championship title.