Akram Afif’s Triple Penalty Ensures Qatar’s Successful Title Defense
Akram Afif scored a hat-trick of penalty kicks as Qatar clinched their second consecutive AFC Asian Cup title by defeating Jordan 3-1 in the final at a bustling Lusail Stadium on Saturday. Despite Yazan Al Naimat’s equalizer providing Jordan with a glimmer of hope, Afif’s composure and Qatar’s overall dominance ensured their comfortable retention of the title they had secured in 2019. Afif’s hat-trick, the first of such at this year's tournament, boosted his total to eight goals, earning him the Asian Cup top scorer award. Before the match began, Iraqi legend Younis Mahmoud, who won the tourna...