Category: Sports

Doha: The media preparations for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 are working perfectly, said HE Media Director of the Local Organizing Committee Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani.

Speaking with Qatar News Agency , His Excellency added that the local organizing committee held regular meetings ahead of the kick-off of the sixth edition of the tournament to welcome around 500 media professionals accompanying the participating teams. The media delegations received their permits under a coordination between the organizing committee and the AFC.

Hosts Qatar will kick off the quarter-finals on Thursday against 2016 winners Japan, with the hosts eyeing their first trophy. The top three sides will qualify to the Summer Olympic Games Paris 2024 while the fourth-placed team will play an AFC-CAF play-off against guinea on May 9.

HE Sheikh Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani said that Asian media agencies were keen to cover the prestigious event given Qatar’s thriving record of hosting and the top-notch facilities that st
reamline the media covering. He highlighted the huge experiences Qatari cadres had acquired from the hosting of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 and other sports events.

Highlighting the enormous World Cup Qatar 2022 legacy, His Excellency said that the full-ready World Cup stadiums and all logistical aspects would contribute to producing a high-quality event.

He hailed the great efforts of the local media as an essential partner in the success of any sports championship staged in Qatar.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Yokohama F. Marinos of Japan advanced to the AFC Champions League final for the first time after beating Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai FC 5-4 on penalties in the second leg of the semi-final on Wednesday following a 3-3 draw on aggregate.

A pulsating first half at Yokohama International Stadium saw Asahi Uenaka’s double and a goal from Anderson Lopes put the Japanese side 3-1 up on aggregate, the AFC website reported.

However, a Matheus Sales header and a penalty from Darijan Bojanic brought the aggregate scoreline level at the interval as the hosts were also reduced to 10 men after Takumi Kamijima was dismissed.

With no further goals in the second half or extra time, the tie went to penalties where Eduardo struck the winning spot-kick after Yokohama goalkeeper William Popp had saved from Kim Min-woo as Yokohama booked a date with the United Arab Emirates’ Al Ain FC in next month’s final.

Yokohama made three changes from the side that started the 1-0 defeat in Korea last week, with the big news being the return f
rom injury of Brazilian winger Elber, while Matheus Sales for Ko Seung-beom was the only change made by Ulsan head coach Hong Myung-bo.

The game kicked off in heavy rain with the hosts on the front foot from the start as Yan Matheus cut inside from the right and curled wide of the far post inside five minutes.

And the pressure told when the opening goal arrived in the 13th minute. Nam Tae-hee miscontrolled a Yan Matheus pass from the right but, after a mix up in the Ulsan defence, Uenaka pounced onto the loose ball before coolly finishing into the bottom right corner.

Harry Kewell’s side kept pushing forward and Lopes called Jo Hyeon-woo into action when his fizzing shot from distance forced the Ulsan goalkeeper to get down low to his left and push wide.

The second goal arrived in the 21st minute following more good work from Yan Matheus, who threaded the ball to Lopes on the edge of the area and the Brazilian took one touch with his right foot before firing low and hard into the bottom left corner to dou
ble his side’s advantage.

Incredibly, the hosts went three up in the 30th minute when Ulsan lost possession in their own half, allowing Nam to find Uenaka who spun away from his marker and planted a delightful effort from 20 yards into the top-left corner.

But just as it appeared like the J1 League side were going to cruise into the final, Ulsan gave themselves hope in the 35th minute when Matheus Sales headed Lee Dong-gyeong’s inswinging corner from the right into the back of the net.

The visitors then drew level on aggregate three minutes before the interval when Um Won-sang raced into the area and when he attempted to cut inside Kamijima, the ball struck the sliding defender’s arm and the referee pointed to the spot before showing the Marinos man red.

Substitute Bojanic, who was introduced just before the first goal, made no mistake from the spot, sending goalkeeper Popp the wrong way to make it 3-2 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate.

In an action-packed opening 45 minutes, there was still time for Lee
to rattle the crossbar before half-time with the tide having completely turned and Ulsan dominating.

Bojanic thought he had added a second soon after the restart only for the goal to be ruled out following a VAR review as Gustav Ludwigson, in an offside position, was adjudged to have obstructed the view of Popp.

A lovely give-and-go between Lee and Bojanic then set the former free in the box, but Popp was up to the challenge to push wide for a corner.

Yokohama were next to have a goal ruled out when Yan Matheus was flagged offside after heading Katsuya Nagato’s chipped cross into the back of the net shortly after the hour.

Ludwigson should have netted Ulsan’s third with six minutes remaining but headed wide from just a few yards out after being teed up by substitute Martin Adam, before Adam fired wide from distance soon after as the visitors sought to avoid an additional 30 minutes.

Bojanic was inches away from scoring with three minutes remaining as he connected with Ludwigson’s centre only to see his e
ffort rebound back off the post as Yokohama continued to survive.

With the game into the second period of extra time, Yokohama substitute Kota Mizunuma called Jo into action with a low drive which the Korean custodian did well to push wide.

Ulsan’s Kim then had another goal ruled out for offside with five minutes remaining as the game went to penalties.

After both sides scored their first four spot-kicks, Popp saved from Kim allowing Eduardo to step up and score the winning penalty as Yokohama advanced to their first final following an AFC Champions League classic.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: The Qatar Stars League (QSL) announced on Wednesday the preparations for the Qatar Cup 2024.

This came during a press conference held at QSL’s headquarters in Al Bidda Tower in the presence of Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Communication at QSL Hassan Rabiah Al Kuwari, and Director of Competitions Department at QSL Ahmed Salman Al Adsani, in addition to representatives of media outlets.

Al Kuwari said: “The QSL attaches great importance to this prestigious tournament through arrangements in cooperation with all parties concerned, partners and competing clubs, in order to organize it in a distinctive manner at the technical and organizational levels.” He stated that the semifinals would be held at the Khalifa International Stadium and Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on May 1, and the final would be at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium of Al Duhail Club on May 4.

The semi-final teams and other details will be decided later, after the end of the league championship. He pointed out that all partners wer
e working hand in hand despite the time constraints and were ready for all scenarios.

“We’ve begun the promotion, marketing and publicity campaigns for the tournament in addition to the Trophy Tour stops at the headquarters of sponsoring companies as per specific schedule. The tour will include visits to the clubs competing in the tournament and a number of different locations”, Al Kuwari said.

Regarding match tickets, he confirmed that tickets for the semi-finals would be up for sale immediately after the end of the final round of the league championship and there would be complete coordination with the clubs in view of the expected large crowd turnout.

The match program also includes the organization of a number of different events, and this is also a new opportunity for the fans to come to the stadiums and support their teams, in addition to winning valuable prizes on the sidelines of the final match, the details of which will be announced later.

Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Communication
at QSL concluded his statements by saying “I hope that well succeed in presenting a distinguished tournament at all technical and organizational levels. I also extend my thanks and appreciation to the sponsors, partners, supporters and media outlets.” On his part, Al Adsani said: “We emphasize that our preparations are continuing at all levels in order for the tournament to emerge in a distinguished manner and there is coordination with the clubs and all parties concerned.” He pointed out that the competitions will be held at three stadiums and inspection tours of the stadiums have been held.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: April 23 – Uzbekistan defeated Vietnam 3-0 in the last game of Group D of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024, at the Khalifa International Stadium on Tuesday.

With this win, the 2018 champions will play Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals on Friday while Vietnam, who also advanced despite the defeat, will meet Iraq.

The top three finishers directly qualify to the Summer Olympic Games (Paris 2024), while the fourth-placed side will play an AFC-CAF play-off match against Guinea, on May 9.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Dubai, April 23 – The official opening ceremony of the 1st GCC Youth Games UAE 2024 was held Tuesday evening at the Dubai Opera.

Held until May 2 under the theme, “Our Gulf is One… Our Youth are Promising”, the inaugural GCC Youth Games features the participation of 3,500 male and female athletes competing in 24 sports.

The opening ceremony was attended by HE Second Vice President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al Kuwari, HE Secretary General of the QOC Jassim bin Rashid Al Buainain and HE Director of the Sport Sector at the QOC Sheikh Khalifa bin Khalid Al-Thani, in addition to the Qatari delegation participating in the GCC Youth Games UAE 2024.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: Umm Salal upstaged defeated Al Duhail 2-0 in Week 21 of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium of Al Gharafa club on Wednesday.

Lucas Joao scored a brace in the 48th and 90th minutes for Umm Salal. Reigning champions Al Duhail were hit hard when two of their players received red cards Almoez Ali (after a second yellow card in the 45th minute) and Mohammed Musa in the 87th minute.

Th league’s official website said that, each time The Red Knights were reprimanded, The Orange Fortress gained advantage and scored, thereby spoiling Al Duhails hopes.

The result saw Umm Salal take their own tally to 27 points, while Al Duhail, suffering their ninth loss of the season, remained on 28 points.

The opening goal for Umm Salal was realized as a miss-pass of Al Duhail was intercepted by Victor Lekhal, who then sent the ball to his right for Joao to essay a strong left-foot strike which hit the outstretched right hand of goalkeeper Shehab Ellethy before going in. Joao then returned
into the thick of action just before end of normal time scoring his and the teams second goal.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: Al Markhiya battled from being a goal down to defeat Al Arabi 2-1 in their crucial Week 21 clash of the 2023-2024 season Expo Stars League at the Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday.

Star striker Yusupha Njie (41st minute) and Talal Ali (87th minute) scored for Al Markhiya after Omar Al Somah (seventh-minute penalty) had provided Al Arabi the lead.

Their fifth win of the season saw Al Markhiya elevate themselves to 17 points after being bottom-placed all through, while Al Arabi, after seventh loss of the season, remained on 26 points.

Al Markhiya faced an uphill battle soon after the start as a VAR for a defensive tackle foul saw them being handed a penalty, with Al Somah making the strike for The Dream Team.

Al Markhiya, however, held their nerves and rose to the occasion as their Gambian professional Njie beautifully beat two defenders and the goalkeeper in front of the goal to fetch the equalizer.

With the scores levelled at 1-1, both sides battled hard and held on tight in their defence for long. I
n the 65th minute, two Al Markhiya players rushed into the box to get hold of a long ball, but Al Arabi’s Helal Mohammed did well to push the ball towards the goalkeeper and safety.

It was only late in the second session that Al Markhiya got the winner and in an exciting way. As a long and powerful drive from about yards outside the box by Driss Fettouhi spilled out of Al Arabi goalkeeper Jassim Al Hail’s hands, Talal Ali rushed in to gain control and put the ball back into the net.

The goal sent Al Markhiya’s players and fans into a frenzy alike.

Al Markhiya and the now bottom-placed Muaither, who lost 3-5 to Qatar SC, have been in a battle to avoid relegation and the former will seek to rise further in the final Week 22 when Al Markhiya will meet Umm Salal, and Muaither will battle Al Arabi.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: The Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, an AFC Medical Centre of Excellence, announced its partnership with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to deliver comprehensive medical care for athletes competing in the prestigious AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024, in keeping with its pioneering role in delivering world-class medical services to athletes and major sports events.

Taking place in Doha from April 15 to May 3, the tournament features 16 teams vying for the continental title. As the exclusive medical provider, Aspetar will leverage its unparalleled expertise in sports medicine to ensure the well-being of all participating athletes throughout the competition.

Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon and Director of the Visiting Surgeons Program at Aspetar Dr. Khalid Al Khelaifi heads the tournament’s medical organizing committee. Through this committee, Aspetar will oversee all medical services at all tournament facilities, including stadiums and player accommodations.

Dr. Khalid Al Khelaifi sa
id, “We are committed to providing exceptional medical services that will ensure the success of the tournament, similar to previous major tournaments held in Qatar.” Aspetar will oversee a comprehensive range of medical services for the tournament, including stationing medical personnel at all four match stadiums.

The hospital will collaborate with local partners to provide emergency care, ambulance services, and paramedics for both competition and non-competition venues, in addition to offering expert guidance and exceptional medical care for acute sports injuries, musculoskeletal issues, and illnesses.

Furthermore, it will also dedicate a team of one physiotherapist and two massage therapists to support referees throughout the tournament.

Aspetar will also provide 24-hour medical support, with on-call doctor services available around the clock at all team hotels through the dedicated Medical Command Center (MCC).

Aspetar is a world-leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital and the fir
st of its kind in the Middle East.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: The Local Organizing Committee of AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 extensively collaborated with the relevant state authorities to produce high-quality services and an ultimate fan experience, said the Committee’s Director of Facilities and Technical Services Eng. Abdullah Ahmed Al Faihani.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency , Al Faihani said that the committees facilities management has gained extensive organizational experience through its participation in organizing many tournaments and sporting events hosted by Qatar over the past years, most notably the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which left a huge legacy for the state.

He pointed out that the specialized departments closely monitored the logistical matters related to the four tournament venues and the arrival of all teams and official delegations.

All the tournament stadiums are equipped with facilities within AFC standards, fan medical clinics and in-stadium mobile medical teams supported by ambulances, Al Faihani added.

He added that all arrangements
for the event including transportation and the access of fans, organizing committee and workforce were finalized before the kick-off of the tournament.

The selection of the four stadiums to host the sixth edition was done in cooperation and coordination between the local organizing committee and the Asian Football Confederation, where a number of inspection visits were organized to the stadiums before they were chosen to host the 16 teams participating in the tournament, he added.

He expected that fan turnout will double during the knockout rounds, stressing that the organizing committee continues coordination with all teams regarding the attendance of fans to prepare all logistical matters and provide technical services in the vicinity of the stadiums.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: Iraq defeated Saudi Arabia 2-1 in Group C match of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 on Monday at the Khalifa International Stadium.

A second consecutive win enabled Iraq to overcome an opening defeat to Thailand to finish top on six points with Saudi Arabia also advancing as the runners-up, after Thailand lost 1-0 to Tajikistan in the other game, the AFC website reported.

The 2022 champions had the ball in the net after only nine minutes but Ahmed Al Ghamdi’s spectacular strike was cancelled after a VAR check showed that Aiman Yahya had strayed just offside in the buildup.

Iraq showed they were also a threat with two great opportunities coming the way of Al Hamawi, who could not keep his shot down after he was set up by Nihat Mohammed, while influential winger Ali Jasim worked his way into the box but shot straight at Saleem Alabsi.

Chasing the win necessary to reach the next stage, Iraq continued to be on the offensive and were awarded a penalty late in the first half after Mustafa Saadoon was brou
ght down by Alabsi with Jasim taking responsibility and converting in the first minute of added time.

Saudi Arabia were given a way back into the match in the 10th minute of added time after referee Hiroyuki Kimura – after a VAR review – awarded them a penalty following Saadoon’s elbow on Haitham Asiri, with Al Ghamdi sending the ball home to send the teams level into the break.

The first chance of the second half was created by Saudi Arabia when Saad Alnasser was put through on the left and his cross found Ziyad Aljohani at the edge of the box, however, the Al Ahli midfielder flashed his shot wide.

Having survived a nervy start to the half, Iraq retook the lead in the 63rd minute after Alabsi failed to clear the ball cleanly, allowing Saadoon to nip in with the ball bouncing off his chest and into the net from Alnasser’s clearance.

Saudi Arabia pushed for their second equaliser of the night and nearly found it in the 70th minute, Marwan Al Sahafi producing a clever looping header with the back of his hea
d that had custodian Hussein Hasan backtracking to pluck the ball at the last minute as Iraq safely saw out the remainder of the tie.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: Permits Management Director at the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar, Abdullah Al Mannai, confirmed that around 25,000 permits have been issued for this continental tournament, including registration via the official website of the Asian Football Confederation, as well as through the LOC-approved channels.

In a statement to the Qatar News Agency , Al Mannai explained that the Permits Management, in collaboration with the Security Committee and the Entry Permit Committee for Visitors to Qatar (Hayya), worked on obtaining the necessary approvals and issuing mandatory permits for all entities. Additionally, there is a special platform for journalists, called the “Hayya Media Portal,” aimed at facilitating the work of journalists covering the events, alongside issuing permits for all partners and workforce to perform their duties effectively.

Al Mannai highlighted that the accumulation of experiences gained from previous tournaments, along with the significant legac
y Qatar acquired after hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Finals, contributed to securing the issuance of permits smoothly through cooperation with partners and relevant authorities. This is done with great flexibility in parallel with the required technical aspects, aligning with the importance of the event, further enhancing the distinguished reputation of Qatari organization, he explained.

He concluded his statements to QNA by emphasizing that the Permits Management at the committee comprises outstanding Qatari talents who have gained extensive organizational experience through their participation in organizing numerous tournaments and sporting events hosted by Qatar in recent years.

Source: Qatar News Agency

Doha: China defeated the United Arab Emirates 2-1 on Monday in matchday 3 of Group B of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium.

The victory was only the East Asians’ second ever win in tournament victory and saw them finish third in Group B ahead of their opponents, with both already eliminated prior to kick-off, the AFC website reported.

Having each failed to score in their preceding two matches, China PR and UAE were looking to salvage some pride and it was the latter who threatened first in the seventh minute. Fahad Bader romped down the left and put in a low cross that was turned into his own goal by Jia Feifan, only for VAR to rule that the winger had been offside when receiving the ball.

That was the best moment of the half for the West Asians, who came under the cosh from a determined China PR side that broke the deadlock in the 24th minute. Harib Abdalla’s half-hearted headed clearance from Tao Qianglong’s cross saw the ball fall to Xie Wenneng near the penalty spot, a
nd the 23-year-old promptly volleyed it into the left bottom corner.

It was China PR’s first goal in six AFC U23 Asian Cup matches, with the last time they found the back of the net coming in a 3-0 win against Oman in 2018.

The UAE were granted a second reprieve in the 41st minute when referee Hussein Abo Yehia overturned a penalty award following a VAR review, but it lasted just nine minutes. A blind pass from Sultan Ali was intercepted by Liu Zhurun, who shrugged off Zayed Sultan and advanced into the area to drill a low finish past goalkeeper Khaled Tawhid.

Seeking a response, Marcelo Broli made three changes after the restart and reaped near-immediate dividends. Three minutes into the second half, Ahmed Fawzi masterfully brought Abdulla Almenhali’s piercing diagonal pass under control before calmly sliding the ball past the onrushing goalkeeper Li Hao. It was just the second shot on target registered by the UAE throughout the tournament.

That tally soon grew to three when substitute Mohammed Jumah, wh
o had fired a half chance wide already, drew a smart save from Li with a fierce drive just past the hour mark.

In the ascendancy now, UAE probed for an equaliser and Jumah headed a decent opening over before Sultan Ali nearly atoned for his mistake with a curling free-kick that was tipped over at full stretch by Li, who was making his first appearance at this tournament.

A rare glimpse of goal at the other end for Abuduwaili could have seen him wrap up the win but the forward’s tame effort was gratefully collected by Tawhid, who also shovelled away an effort from Zhu Yue late on.

But in the end, UAE simply could not muster enough to avoid a third successive loss even with nine minutes of added time, leaving China PR to celebrate a hard-earned triumph at the Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium.

Source: Qatar News Agency