Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Changzhou: Qatar’s hopes of reaching the AFC U23 Championship China 2018 final were dashed after falling 4-3 on penalties to Vietnam on Tuesday, but Akram Afif and Omar Al Emadi have promised to learn from the experience.
Qatar led twice, only for Vietnam to equalise on both occasions to push the game into extra time with a 2-2 draw.
“First of all, I want to say congratulations to Vietnam,” Afif told the-AFC.com
“We were playing to be the first, unfortunately we couldn’t win this game,” said Akram, who gave Qatar their first lead when he converted a penalty in the 39th minute.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Changzhou: Coach Park Hang-seo has praised his players for not letting down the people of Vietnam after they surged into the AFC U23 Championship 2018 final on Tuesday thanks to 4-3 penalty shootout win over Qatar.
Goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung emerged as the hero for Vietnam, his two penalty saves sensationally helping seal the victory after Nguyen Quang Hai had scored twice to ensure an extraordinary 2-2 draw at the end of extra-time.
The victory, which has set up Saturday’s title showdown with fellow last four winners Uzbekistan, comes after Vietnam finished second in Group D before beating Iraq – also on penalties – in the quarter-finals.
“Before this tournament I said that we (as a team) have something special,” declared Park after the game.
“This result against Qatar is a result of my players' sweat and effort.
“I told all my 23 players to put up a tremendous fight and that they should not disappoint the people of Vietnam. They did not let them down.”
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Changzhou: Goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung’s two penalty saves sensationally earned Vietnam a place in the AFC U23 Championship final on Tuesday as the Southeast Asian side defeated Qatar 4-3 in a penalty shootout after an extraordinary 2-2 draw at the end of extra-time.
Tien Dung stopped efforts from Qatari duo Ahmad Moein and Sultan Al Brake to seal the victory, one which continues Vietnam’s incredible journey in the competition under the wily guidance of head coach Park Hang-seo, and now sets up a title showdown against either Korea Republic or Uzbekistan on Saturday.
While the victory moves Vietnam, incredibly, a step nearer to the title, it sees Qatar fall at the semi-final stage for the second successive competition following their fourth-place finish at the tournament’s last edition in 2016.
With a place in the final potentially only 90 minutes away, the opening period proved to be a cautious affair, as Qatar, with captain Moein pulling the strings in midfield, constantly prodded and probed a resolute Vietnamese backline which refused to give an inch.
Indeed, a Bassam Al Rawi free-kick from range in the 36th minute was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock, until defender Bui Tien Dung’s foul on striker Almoez Ali in the penalty area just three minutes later saw referee Muhammad Taqi point to the spot.
The dynamic Akram Afif duly kept his nerve to convert from 12 yards and hand Qatar a slender advantage ahead of the break.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kunshan: Ravshan Khaydarov hailed his Uzbekistan side’s semi-final winning performance against Korea Republic on Tuesday evening as their most impressive to date as the Central Asian nation booked their place in the final of the AFC U23 Championship 2018.
Uzbekistan handed the Koreans a 4-1 defeat in extra-time to advance to the final for the first time, where they will meet Vietnam in Changzhou on Saturday afternoon, and Khaydarov was delighted with his team’s commanding display.
“My players did their maximum, it was their best performance of this tournament,” he said. “We were strong tactically and physically and in other details, even though the players were tired.
“Korea are a strong team and I told my players that before the game. We played two periods of extra time and it was very difficult, but my team showed character and individual skill and I think we deserved this win today.”