AFC Asian Cup
Spaniard Lopez made five changes to the team that beat Lebanon 3-0 in the opening game, but Qatar were still too strong for Tajikistan as they confirmed the Group A top spot with a match to spare.
#AsianCup2023 | Group A : Tajikistan 0 - 1 Qatar
“I’m very pleased to qualify after two matches,” said Lopez. “It was a difficult game but we always knew that was going to happen because Tajikistan are a tough team.
“We have 26 players and I decided to make some changes in order to give more energy to the team but the style remains the same."
.jpg?w=2400&q=80)
“Every match is difficult because we are at the Asian Cup. The opponents started with high pressure but we handled that well. We controlled the match well and we achieved the victory.
“Of course we have won and qualified to the Round of 16, but we still have one more match against China (PR). Maybe we will make more changes but the aim will always be to win, then we will see who we will meet.”
Akram Afif once again showed his quality, netting the decisive goal to stretch Qatar’s winning run at the AFC Asian Cup to nine matches, with the Al Sadd SC forward now having scored or assisted in his last five consecutive games at the continental showpiece, the first player to do so since Saudi Arabia’s Yasser Al-Qahtani in 2007.
Afif’s connection with the Qatar head coach was first developed at Belgian club side K.A.S Eupen, where he went on loan in 2015 with Lopez being the manager at that time.
“To play behind the striker, this position he trained me six years ago so the instructions he gave me, I already knew from back then, so I’m happy to play for him,” said Afif, who also scored a brace against Lebanon.
“Almoez (Ali) is one of my best friends. We understand each other very well. We’ve been together for a long time, we know each other. By just a look, we understand each other’s movements. We hope the best is still yet to come.”
Despite the defeat, all is not lost for debutants Tajikistan who could still clinch a place in the Round of 16 should they beat Lebanon on Monday.
Head coach Petar Segrt wanted to focus on the positives and the manner in which his side troubled Qatar for large parts of the match, but also acknowledged their struggles upfront with Tajikistan yet to find the back of the net, having drawn 0-0 with China PR in their opening tie.
“The calculation before the game was to win one of the two (remaining) games,” said Segrt. “We lost this game, we gave everything. We lost because Qatar were more lucky and we missed our chances."
“We created lots of chances. But we don’t have Ronaldo, Lewandowski or Mbappe - strikers making goals is a quality. We play well but we cannot score. As a coach I cannot make the goal, but I hope that people can see that we try to play football.
“Only with training can you make this goal, it’s a question of self quality and experience. I can only protect these boys. But for me as long as we keep creating chances, then I can be happy because the rest will come.
“We have a third match, it’s everything or nothing. We have to win against Lebanon. A draw will help neither team. We will try our best to go into the next round. On the other hand, I hope Qatar win (against China), which can help us.”
