[스포츠한국 이재호 기자] The host country, Qatar, trailed 0-1 in the first half against Iran, which defeated Japan, but ended up winning 2-1.
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Qatar ended the first half with a 2-1 lead against Iran in the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup semifinals held at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar at 12:00 am on the 8th (Korean time).
The host nation, Qatar, which beat Uzbekistan in the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout, and Iran, which defeated Japan, which was the top contender for the title, with a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory, faced each other in the semifinals.
In the 4th minute of the first half, the ball was put into the box through a long throw-in from the right, and Mehdi Taremi headed it back, but the Qatari defense headed it high, so Azmoun gave Iran the first goal with a surprising right-footed overhead kick.
Qatar aggressively pushed forward after conceding the first goal. In the 17th minute of the first half, ace Akram Afif made a low cutback pass from the right side of the line, and Jassem Abdulsalam Gaber, who was outside the center of the box, shot a low right-footed shot. This shot deflected high after hitting the Iranian defense and passed the key of the Iranian goalkeeper in front, resulting in the equalizer.
In the 31st minute of the first half, Qatar has a golden opportunity for a comeback. In the counterattack that immediately followed after blocking Iran’s attack, Akram Afif ran from the center line with only one defender in front of him, and when his right-footed shot into the box hit the goalkeeper, he shot again, but ended up hitting the top net.
With momentum, Qatar even scored a comeback goal in the 43rd minute of the first half. After stealing the ball with a tackle in the center, the ball was passed to Akram Afif, who was waiting on the left. Afif entered the center from the left and made a bold right-footed shot between four defenders from the left side of the box. The powerful shot pierced the Iranian net. paid it
Iran’s left corner kick attack in the second minute of added time in the second half saw the ball flow to the far post, and Hossein Kanani’s right-footed shot right in front of the goal hit Qatar defender Lucas Mendes, who was right in front of the goal line, and did not result in a goal. Iran, who missed a goal without a goalkeeper, ended up down 1-2 in the first half.
