Croatian coach Petar Segrt, at the helm of the Tajikistan national team, has joined the growing list of those lauding the performance of Qatar’s star Akram Afif at the Asian Cup football championship, after he scored a match-winning goal against Tajikistan and secured the defending champions and hosts a spot in the round of 16.
Al-Annabi topped Group A at the end of the second round with six points, four points ahead of China, the group’s second-placed team. Tajikistan sits in third place with one point, separated only by goal difference from Lebanon, at the bottom of the standings.
Qatar, the titleholder, claimed their ninth consecutive win in the last nine matches of the Asian continental tournament, starting with a victory over Lebanon on January 9, 2019.
The striker from Qatari club Al Sadd was awarded the best player of the match for the second consecutive time.
Coach Segrt praised what Afif offered and said to journalists after the match, “I have to accept that, the goal was amazing. He’s a smart player, perfect, and his timing [in taking shots] is good.”
Qatar’s coach, Marquez Lopez, also commended Afif after he scored twice in the opening 3-0 win over Lebanon.
Afif, who closed the scoring for Qatar in the 3-1 win over Japan in the 2019 Asian Cup final in Abu Dhabi, also opened Qatar’s record in the current edition’s tournament with a goal in the 3-0 win over Lebanon.
Spanish coach Lopez praised Akram Afif’s performance to journalists following the opening match of the Asian Cup, “Akram was chosen as the best player of the match. He is a high-level player and he deserves it.”
Lebanon’s coach Miodrag Radulovic also showered praise on Afif, who plays for Al Sadd.
He remarked, “Akram Afif is one of the best players in Asia, and he could play in Europe. He’s a leader in this team and with his abilities, he decided the match tonight.”
Afif currently tops the Asian Cup 2023 goal-scoring chart with three goals, one ahead of several players, including:
- Japanese Takumi Minamino.
- Jordanian duo Musa Al-Taamari and Mahmoud Al Mardi.
- South Korean Lee Kang-in.
Afif commented after the victory against Tajikistan, “I congratulate our national team’s fans on the win and the well-deserved qualification as leaders of Group A after a strong match against a tough opponent, but we dealt with the details to achieve the required result.”
Qatar will conclude their group stage matches in the Asian Cup against China on January 22.
The top two teams from the six groups qualify for the round of 16, along with the best four third-placed teams.
