Qatar star pulls out rogue magic celebration as penalty madness seals back-to-back Asian Cups

Hosts Qatar retained the Asian Cup with a 3-1 win on Saturday against surprise packages Jordan as Akram Afif scored a hat-trick of penalties.

It was a fitting final act to a month of football that began with 24 teams and witnessed a series of dramatic games and plenty of goals.

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It will also help dispel the memories of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, when they lost all three games, the worst record of any host in the competition’s history.

The 27-year-old Afif was the hero, holding his nerve once from the penalty spot in the first half and, after under dogs Jordan equalised, twice more in the second period.

He was named player of the tournament and finished top scorer with eight goals. His teammates threw him in the air at the final whistle.

“It is not about the technique or the angle,” said Afif, asked how he was able to score three penalties under pressure in front of 86,492 spectators at Lusail Stadium.

“It’s about the feeling that the team and people are behind me.” Jordan were in their first Asian Cup final and contesting the biggest match in their history.

Ranked 87th in FIFA’s world rankings, 29 places below their opponents, they fell behind midway through the first half when Afif slotted home after being brought down in the box.

Qatar deserved their half-time lead but Jordan roared back to equalise through Yazan Al-Naimat’s smart finish.

Jordan were level however for just six minutes, Afif scoring once again from a penalty after the referee was advised by VAR to go to his pitch-side monitor.

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