The Qatari national team has qualified for the second round of the Qatar 2023 Asian Cup after defeating the Tajikistan national team 1-0 in a match held today at Al Bayt Stadium as part of the second round of group A. Akram Afif scored the goal for Qatar in the 17th minute.
The match was of average quality, with both teams exchanging control of the game. The Qatari team managed to score an early goal and maintained it for the remainder of the match despite their opponent's unsuccessful attempts. Qatar's points increased to 6, topping their group, while Tajikistan remained at one point.
**First Half**
The match began unexpectedly as the Tajik team surprised everyone by putting pressure on their Qatari counterparts from the start, controlling the game's dynamics and organizing several dangerous attacks. After 15 minutes, the Qatari team began to settle into the match, attempting to gain possession and regain control. They indeed started to put pressure on their opponent.
Less than two minutes later, the Qatari team converted their dominance into an early goal. Almoez Ali capitalized on a mistake from the Tajikistan midfield, stole the ball, and passed it to Akram Afif, who broke free and scored the first goal without hesitation. After the goal, the Tajik team tried to respond, but as time passed, Qatar completely controlled the game's pace. The Tajik team retracted and made intermittent attempts, while Qatar pressured their opponents and tried multiple times to increase their goal tally, but they wasted several chances through Akram Afif and Mustafa Mashal.
**Second Half**
In the second half, Tajikistan started pressing heavily and created several attacks that posed a real threat to the Qatari goal. The visiting team controlled the proceedings in the early minutes of the second half, while Qatar relied on occasional counterattacks that were more dangerous against the Tajik goal.
The Qatari team squandered several opportunities, particularly from Ahmed Al-Janahi and Almoez Ali. In the final minutes, the Tajik team retracted further, affected by a numerical disadvantage after the expulsion of their player, Emadoni Kamalov, who received a direct red card for excessive violence after a review using video technology.
