Hosts Qatar stormed to the knock-out stage of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 with a 1-0 win against China.
AFC Asian Cup hosts Qatar finished their group stage in style on Monday with a spectacular volley from Hassan Al-Haydos for a 1-0 win over China, which is on the brink of elimination from the tournament.
The deadlock at the Khalifa International Stadium was broken midway through the second half with an unforgettable strike. Akram Afif’s corner was immediately met outside the area by Al-Haydos, who confidently volleyed into the top corner. Both players had just been introduced as substitutes.
Qatar, who had already secured its spot in the knockout stage, topped Group A with nine points and advanced with Tajikistan, who beat last-place Lebanon 2-1 to take second place with four points.
China finished with just two points and failed to score in any of their three games. They have never won the Asian Cup and must now wait for other results but have only the faintest of chances of squeezing into the next round as one of the four best-performing third-place teams in the six groups.
🔝 Record-breaker 💪 Captain on the field 🔥 Scores, creates, and dazzles
Qatar may have lost all three games on home soil at the 2022 World Cup but have been perfect in the Asian Cup, advancing to the round of 16 by winning all three games without conceding a goal.
Already certain of the top spot heading into the match, defending champions Qatar made nine changes from the previous game, handing the initiative to China who created better chances in the first half.
Wei Shihao had three opportunities to score his team’s first goal. After just seven minutes, he side-footed wide from just inside the area and later, his low shot from close range was saved by Qatar’s Saad Al Sheeb.
Wei went close again right before the break with a header that just cleared the bar.
After Al-Haydos’s superb goal in the 66th, China had the ball in the net with three minutes remaining but Jiang Shenglong’s shot was ruled out as the ball had gone out of play in the buildup.
In the group’s other fixture, Tajikistan rallied to beat Lebanon and advance to the knockout stage for the first time.
“We made history today and this is the biggest thing for the Tajikistan people,” coach Petar Segrt said. “It was difficult but we kept fighting and we did it.”
Lebanon took the lead early in the second half with a curling shot from Bassel Jradi but were reduced to 10 men after 54 minutes because of a foul by Kassem El Zein.
Tajikistan had two goals ruled out for offside but finally scored with 10 minutes remaining. Parvizdzhon Umarbaev scored, then Nuriddin Khamrokulov headed home a winning goal in the second minute of second-half stoppage time.
FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino has called for worldwide stadium bans for fans and “automatic forfeits” for teams whose supporters hurl “abhorrent” abuse, following racist incidents at club matches in Italy and England.
The head of governing body the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) said on Sunday that there was no place for discrimination of any kind in the sport or wider society.
“The events that took place in Udine and Sheffield on Saturday are totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable,” he said in a statement.
“The players affected by Saturday’s events have my undivided support.”
Fans aimed monkey chants at AC Milan and France goalkeeper Mike Maignan during Milan’s dramatic 3-2 win at Udinese, with the game temporarily halted.
In a strongly worded statement on X, formerly Twitter, the France team said: “You have all our support Mike Maignan. The FFF [French Football Federation] totally condemns all racist acts.”
France captain Kylian Mbappe also offered his backing to his international teammate.
“You are very far from being alone Mike Maignan, we are all with you,” wrote the Paris Saint-Germain star.
“Still the same problems and still NO solution. Enough is enough!!!!! NO TO RACISM” he posted on X.
“We need all the relevant stakeholders to take action, starting with education in schools so that future generations understand that this is not part of football or society,” Infantino said.
“As well as the three-step process (match stopped, match re-stopped, match abandoned), we have to implement an automatic forfeit for the team whose fans have committed racism and caused the match to be abandoned as well as worldwide stadium bans and criminal charges for racists.
“FIFA and football shows full solidarity to victims of racism and any form of discrimination. Once and for all: No to racism! No to any form of discrimination!”
On behalf of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, has made the following statement:
“The events that took place in Udine and Sheffield on Saturday are totally abhorrent and completely unacceptable. There is no place for racism or any form of discrimination – both in football…
At Udinese, referee Fabio Maresca stopped play during the first half and a livid Maignan stormed down the tunnel with his teammates.
Play resumed after about five minutes.
Maignan said something had to change as racist abuse has been part of football for too long.
“This shouldn’t exist in the world of football, but unfortunately for many years this is a recurrence,” he told Milan TV after confirming he heard fans making monkey noises.
“With all the cameras present and sanctions for these things, something must be done to change things.
“We all have to react, we must do something because you can’t play like this.”
Last week Lazio were hit with a one-match stand closure after supporters directed monkey chants at Romelu Lukaku during their team’s Italian Cup win over local rivals Roma.
Coventry midfielder Kasey Palmer accused Sheffield Wednesday fans of doing the same to him during their English Championship clash, which his team won 2-1 on Saturday as well.
Palmer labelled the abuse “abhorrent and wholly unacceptable”, with the match paused as the referee spoke to both managers on the touchline.
In a statement, Sheffield Wednesday said they were “shocked and saddened by the racist gesture from the stands” reported by Palmer.
“Both clubs roundly condemn any form of discrimination and abuse, and underline that there is no place for this kind of behaviour in football or our wider society,” the statement added.
“We will work together with the relevant authorities and anyone proven to be culpable will face the strictest possible sanctions from both Sheffield Wednesday and the law.”
Former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright applauded the “solidarity” in the Milan side and urged teams to “keep walking off” when they hear abuse and called for stronger sanctions.
He wrote on X: “We did ‘playing through it’ and nothing has changed. Points deductions needed, the fines are pointless.”
However, Palmer admitted he was sceptical that things would change in the game, also writing on X: “Racism is a disgrace. it has no place in the world, let alone football.
“I’m black and proud and I am raising my three kids to be the exact same. I’ll be honest, it feels like things will never change, no matter how hard we try.
“Couple [of] fans doing monkey chants don’t define a fan base – I appreciate all the love and support I’ve received.”
Al Wakrah, Qatar – It was a night to remember at Al Janoub Stadium – a night that belonged to Palestine irrespective of the result on the pitch.
The crowd’s noise, flags and numbers all were in the favour of the team that came into the match with an AFC Asian Cup 2023 loss to its name and a relentless war on its people.
The unrestrained show of love and support for the war-struck nation began before kick off, increased as the night wore on and quietened down only when the last set of fans had left the stadium’s at the end of Palestine’s Group C match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Al Wakrah on Thursday night.
Chants of “Free, free Palestine” went up in a crescendo when the players walked out of the tunnel and onto the pitch. The Palestinian players acknowledged the crowd with waves and applause before gathering in a huddle.
“The players will feel a sense of responsibility tonight – they must be aware that they are carrying the hopes of a nation under war,” Mariana al-Hindi, a Palestinian resident of Qatar, told Al Jazeera ahead of kick off.
“They will want to put a smile on everyone’s face by doing well tonight,” she said as she approached the turnstiles with her husband and daughter.
“As Palestinians, we are happy to see out country represented and recognised at a big event, but at the same time, we are heartbroken about the situation in Gaza,” Abdullah, her husband, said.
Mariana al-Hindi, Abdullah, and their daughter outside the stadium [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]
Once the match kicked off, the men in red were willed on by a roaring crowd.
Every touch of the ball by a Palestinian player was cheered and every time the UAE held possession the unabashedly partisan crowd loudly booed.
Palestine enjoyed some early possession but the UAE soon settled into a rhythm and began attacking the Palestinian goal. Their efforts bore fruit in the 23rd minute when Sultan Adil scored from a free header. The stadium fell silent for a moment until a small contingent of Emirati fans began singing.
Sultan Adil celebrates scoring for the UAE [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Not to be deterred, the rest of the crowd picked up again and urged the Palestinian team to push for a goal and when a Oday Dabbagh was hauled down in UAE’s box 12 minutes later, the crowd jumped up and pointed to the penalty spot.
The referee’s dismissal of the appeals was not taken well by the crowd, who willed him on to run a VAR check.
When a penalty was subsequently awarded to Palestine and Khalifa Al Hammadi was shown a red card, the stadium stood up to applaud the decision.
Tamer Sayem failed to convert from the spot and the first half ended with UAE still in the lead.
There was no let up in cheering during half-time, especially when the intro to the song Dammi Falastini blared from the PA.
The crowd was up on its dancing feet and singing along to the chorus – they were all Palestinian for one night.
Palestine fans at Al Janoub Stadium [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
When play resumed, Palestine looked to take control of the proceedings with early pressure and it bore fruit as the UAE scored an own goal in the 48th minute.
Palestine didn’t care how the goal came – they ran around the pitch in delight. In the stands, it was pandemonium. Children jumped on the seats, women hugged each other and men let the tears flow when the ball went in.
“These players have been through a lot, all Palestinians have been through a lot, so this was a very special moment,” Yassine Abdullah, a Palestinian student, said moments after the goal.
“Everyone saw what hard work, inspiration and support did for Morocco at the World Cup – we are hoping this match can do the same for our team,” he said as Palestine pressed for a second goal.
“We could be the Morocco of this tournament.”
Palestine equalise through an own goal [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Despite their relentless attacks, the 10-man UAE team kept Palestine at bay and held on for a 1-1 draw.
At the full-time whistle, the Palestinian players walked around the pitch to applaud their supporters for the electric atmosphere that kept them going all the way until the end.
Assad Qusais, who watched the match with his family, said the men in red may have done just enough to keep some hope alive.
“It depends on they play against Hong Kong [in the last group match] but we could still make it as one of the best third-placed teams,” he said with a shrug.
Abdullah, who compared the support enjoyed by Palestine to the backing Morocco enjoyed at the World Cup, said he would love it if his team replicated a similar run.
The continental tournament and the match may not may not carry the weight of a World Cup, but the night meant the world to the passionate Palestinian supporters.
Goals from Romain Saiss, Azzedine Ounahi and Youssef En-Nesyri see Morocco cruise past 10-man Tanzania.
Morocco underlined their status as pre-tournament favourites by beating 10-man Tanzania 3-0 to make a winning start to their Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Group F.
The World Cup semifinalists got their campaign under way with an impressive performance at the Laurent Pokou Stadium in San Pedro on Wednesday.
Captain Romain Saiss scored a rare goal to put the Atlas Lions ahead at halftime with Azzedine Ounahi and Youssef En-Nesyri adding two more in the space of three second-half minutes to emphasise their dominance, especially after Tanzania had Novatus Miroshi sent off after a second caution.
En-Nesyri had to wait until he was on the substitutes’ bench before celebrating his goal.
En-Nesyri’s celebrations were initially cut short by the offside flag after he scored his team’s third goal in the 80th minute. He had already made way for substitute Amine Harit to go on in his place before a VAR check confirmed he had been onside for Achraf Hakimi’s cross.
It prompted En-Nesyri’s teammates to rush to the Moroccan bench to congratulate the Sevilla forward.
Ounahi sealed the win seven minutes later after playing a one-two with Amine Adli and striking a low shot inside the left post, three minutes before En-Nesyri had the final say.
Although an African powerhouse for decades, Morocco are seeking only a second Cup of Nations title 48 years after lifting the trophy in Ethiopia.
The victory over group outsiders Tanzania in the southwest of the Ivory Coast was anticipated as Morocco are ranked 13th in the world, 108 places above the Taifa Stars.
Morocco began with seven players from the team that started in the 2-0 World Cup semifinal loss to France in Qatar.
There were three La Liga players, two each from the Premier League and Ligue 1 and two with Saudi Pro League sides. Moroccans with Turkish and Egyptian clubs completed the lineup.
This contrasted sharply with Tanzania, whose lineup included Tarryn Allarakhia from English fifth-tier outfit Wealdstone. The winger struggled and was replaced after 38 minutes.
The convincing scoreline matched the three-goal victory for holders Senegal over The Gambia on Monday, reinforcing their status as the continent’s top-ranked sides and the teams most fancied for success at the tournament.
Education City Stadium, Qatar – In the end, Palestine lost to Iran on the pitch but the team and the Palestinian people won over thousands of hearts in their opening match of the AFC Asian Cup at the Education City Stadium in Qatar.
The 4-1 scoreline in Iran’s favour fairly reflected the possession and dominance that the Asian powerhouse enjoyed in the Group C match on Sunday night, but it does not tell the story of a crowd that was united behind Palestine amid Israel’s devastating war on Gaza.
From the moment the stadium’s gates opened to the public, Palestine had some form of representation in the crowd filing into the venue in Al Rayyan, on the outskirts of Qatar’s capital Doha.
Fans from dozens of different nationalities who call Qatar home came dressed in Palestine shirts or draped in its flag and keffiyehs.
They danced to “Dammi Falastini” as the popular unofficial Palestinian anthem was played outside the stadium and watched in awe as a Palestinian dabke group performed on a stage outside the turnstiles.
As fans soaked in the atmosphere, two Palestinian sisters whose family hails from Gaza admitted it was an emotional night for them.
“The show of support we have seen here makes us feel acknowledged,” they told Al Jazeera, requesting anonymity.
“We have never been able to travel to our native land [Gaza]. It’s unjust and upsetting because wherever we go, it never feels like home.”
Palestine fans in the stands during the match [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
‘Special night’
Despite the importance of the match – in a group that also includes Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates – Iranian fans acknowledged the emotional importance of the night.
Ali Mir, from Iran, arrived with a unique flag: half Iranian and half Palestinian.
“These two countries are playing a very important match tonight and will be opponents, but in reality, they are brothers and are striving for peace in the world,” he said.
“So I am here to support both on this special night.”
Ali Mir, a fan outside Education City Stadium ahead of the match [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Emotions were running high in the stands, too.
When national anthems of both countries were played ahead of kick-off, the Iranian anthem was received with a loud rendition by the team’s raucous supporters.
And when “Fidai Baladi” rang out, the Palestinians could not hold back their emotions as they sang along.
Iran’s fan groups backed Team Melli vociferously from the stands with drums and large flags.
They had barely begun warming up when Iran opened the scoring in the second minute.
Palestine found themselves chasing the game throughout the first half, but provided their fans with a moment of joy when they scored in the sixth minute of added time.
The crowd erupted in a loud cheer and chanted for the men in red.
The Palestinian team put on an improved display in the second half, but were unable to score and instead conceded a fourth goal.
Palestine fans cheer at Education City Stadium as their team pulls a goal back [Showkat Shafi/Al Jazeera]
‘Gaza is on our mind’
Laith Saleh, a Palestinian who grew up in Jordan after his family fled from Ramallah in the early 2000s, was disappointed with the result but said he understood it must not have been easy for Palestine’s players to focus on football as the war on their homeland rages on for the 100th day.
“It’s not just about tonight or this match – Gaza is on our mind every moment of every day,” he told Al Jazeera.
“I know how hard it is myself – I work as a chef and every time I cook a meal from my homeland, it makes me very emotional. And when I sit down to eat, I can’t help but think of my brothers and sisters who are starving in this war.”
Like most displaced Palestinians, he is not able to visit his family back home whenever he wants. He urged the world to do more to help bring an end to the war.
“It has been going on for 100 years, not days – and the whole world has not been able to stop it,” he said with a shrug.
After the full-time whistle, some dejected Palestinian players dropped on their haunches, but others walked up to their fans to acknowledge their support.
Iran find themselves on top of the group and with a good chance of progressing to the knockout stage.
Meanwhile, Palestine will have to somehow pick themselves up ahead of their second match against the UAE.
Palestinian striker Mahmoud Wadi learned that his cousin had been killed in Gaza while he was at his final training session before Palestine’s first match of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 in Qatar against Iran in Group C.
Abidjan, Ivory Coast – Cocktails being named after popular African footballers. Street merchants draped in samples of the orange-white-and-green Ivorian flags stacked for sale on their shoulders. Women decked in the jersey of Les Elephants, the senior men’s football team, dancing in the market. Wire designs of balls hung as overhead street decor alongside signs flanking the road from the airport into the Abidjan city centre. Big screens going up at large open-air beer parlours or maquis, across the nation.
On the eve of the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), host country Ivory Coast is agog with anticipation. Nowhere is this more evident than in its commercial capital Abidjan, the economic powerhouse of Francophone Africa.
While the goals the 24 participating countries score during the footballing spectacle will likely elicit the loudest cheers, the tournament is also a source of patriotic joy for millions in this West African nation, where football has often been a tool for unity.
On several occasions, legendary striker Didier Drogba has used his stature as one of football’s greats and one of the most popular Africans alive, to call for lasting peace in his home country.
In October 2005, immediately after Les Elephants qualified for their first-ever appearance at the World Cup, Drogba, surrounded by his kneeling teammates pleaded with warring factions in the ongoing civil war, to lay down their arms. That wish was granted within a week.
Just over two years ago, the former Chelsea striker again called for peace in his country following unrest that caused the deaths of nearly 100 people after President Alassane Ouattara – whose 2010 win triggered the second civil war – secured a controversial third term in office in November 2020.
“We are happy we can host Africa today,” says Brice Kouame, a patron at Blockosso, a lagoonside agglomeration of maquis in northern Abidjan, while sipping a Beaufort, a local beer. Having skipped the 2017 Francophone Games in the city, the last major sporting event the country hosted, the 27-year-old can’t wait for proceedings to begin on Saturday.
Construction and controversy
President Ouattara alluded to the potential reconciliatory role of hosting the Nations Cup for a second time – the other time was in 1984 – when he told the nation during his New Year’s address: “We must show our ability to unite, to make our country shine.”
His government has been busy ahead of the tournament.
In addition to a new shiny $260m, 60,000 capacity stadium on the outskirts of Abidjan named after Ouattara, several stadiums have been built or upgraded across four other cities: the capital Yamoussoukro, Korhogo to the north, the central hub of Bouake and dreamy coastal San Pedro near the Liberian border.
Two new bridges crossing the Ebrie Lagoon in Abidjan have been commissioned in the last seven months, to manage traffic in the city. Roads and hotels have also been upgraded.
The month-long event is expected to boost tourism in the Ivory Coast, especially from within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which is home to 11 of the 24 participating teams. Fans are taking advantage of freedom of movement within the bloc to pour into the country to support their teams.
But the world’s largest cocoa producer spending an eye-popping $1bn to host Africa’s biggest sporting event when almost half of its 25 million people live on $1.2 or less a day, has led to criticism for the Ouattara administration’s priorities.
And there has been more controversy.
Last September, the new Abidjan stadium, the main venue, was flooded after a downpour. It cost Patrick Achi and and Paulin Danho their jobs as prime minister and sport minister respectively, and an unnamed amount to relay the pitch.
The initial construction of the stadium was financed by a $180m “gift” from the Chinese government as a gesture to celebrate 35 years of friendship between the two countries. It is the latest example of Beijing’s controversial “palace diplomacy” projects across Africa.
A worker spreads fertiliser on the lawn of the Bouake stadium, ahead of the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations [AFCON] scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, in Bouake, Ivory Coast December 7, 2023 [Luc Gnago/Reuters]
Dream or mirage?
Nevertheless, Yacine Idriss Diallo, president of the Ivory Coast Football Federation thinks the investment is for a worthy cause.
“This investment is not only for football but for the entire country. The roads will be used by the people of the country, the hospitals too and the stadiums will be used by sports teams,” enthused Diallo.
The new 20,000-seat stadium in San Pedro, named after legendary Ivorian striker Laurent Pokou, was finished not long after the road linking it to Abidjan was fixed, halving the arduous eight-hour road journey between both places. Consequently, San Pedro’s two top division teams Sewe Sport and San Pedro FC no longer have to go to Abidjan where they were forced to play their home games due to the absence of an adequate venue in their hometown.
Diallo, a former vice president of 29-time Ivorian league winners ASEC Mimosas, is also hopeful that the modern facilities – including four new training pitches in the host cities – will accelerate the development of the country’s next generation of talent.
“The academies are very important, and it is from there you can build good teams,” he says. “We are trying to improve this across the country because we have lots of players from areas outside Abidjan…our football [teams] will have nice infrastructure to play and Ivory Coast will become a hub for football in West Africa. Many countries will now come to play on our fields.”
Diallo highlights the emergence of Wilfried Singo and Simon Adingra from remote areas to star respectively with top French side Monaco and impressive Brighton who have lit up the English Premier League.
The 23-year-old Singo came from AS Denguele based in Odienne, about 700km north of Abidjan. Adingra, the 22-year-old midfielder who has made a big impression in his first season with the Seagulls after moving from Danish side Nordsjaelland, is from Bondouko.
“We need to go into country to provide opportunities to those young people to play and develop into top players,” says Diallo.
Like him, Paul Melly, consulting fellow with the Africa Programme at London-based think-tank Chatham House, believes the massive expenditure to host the tournament could be beneficial in the long term.
“The $1bn capital outlay is hefty and open to complaints the money could be better spent on basic public services,” he says. “But taking the long view, it could prove a shrewd investment: with host stadiums in five different cities the economic impact of the tournament will be spread around the country. Moreover, the Nations Cup will showcase [the Ivory Coast’s] potential as an emerging market and business services hub.”
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast that the Ivorian economy, currently Africa’s 10th largest, will grow by a healthy 6.6 percent in 2024. This would place it among the top 10 best-performing economies in the world. Still, there are concerns about whether that can trickle down to the households most vulnerable to the soaring costs of living, nationwide.
Bright Simon, Research Lead at IMANI, an Accra-based pan-African think tank, highlights the experiences of previous tournament hosts who envisioned post-cup growth that barely came.
“Research shows that South Africa’s World Cup effort added about 0.5 percent to [gross domestic product] in 2010 but the aftermath has been economically disappointing,” he tells Al Jazeera. “Ghana saw the new stadia built for the 2008 Nations Cup deteriorate fairly rapidly and has still not found a means for them to pay for themselves.”
“Of course, infrastructure like roads, hotels and hospitals may fare better, but only if their design and siting are very strategic. In some cases, like we saw with Cameroon’s Nations Cup effort in 2022, there are no linkages to broader economic corridors, thus leading to underwhelming development outcomes,” Simon adds.
A general view of the main entrance of the upgraded Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium ahead of the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations [AFCON], scheduled to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, in Abidjan [Luc Gnago/Reuters]
‘We will try to do our best’
While the cost-analysis debate continues, Ivorian authorities are excited about bringing to life an idea that Ouattara has had since 2014.
“Our country has come very far,” Diallo tells Al Jazeera. “Ten years ago it was tough here [because of the civil war], but now you see the country is quiet, there is peace and everybody is working hard to improve their lives. Hosting the tournament is very important for nation-building. During the Africa Cup of Nations, you will see the passion for the game in this country.”
The current feel-good factor among Ivorians about hosting the Nations Cup could be boosted by an above-average performance by the Serge Aurier-led Elephants, one of the favourites to win the competition.
However, while many Ivorians are hoping their team repeats the success of their predecessors of 1992 and 2015, even Diallo is careful not to get his hopes too high about the Elephants’ chances of lifting African football’s most coveted prize for a third time.
“Of course, it will be good for the tournament if our team does well … but we are building a new team,” he says. “Thirty percent of the team is very young. It will be their first major competition, so we will try to do our best to go as far as possible and try to win the trophy.”
Qatar begin their Asian Cup title defence in style with a 3-0 win over Lebanon in front of a passionate home crowd.
Lusail, Qatar – A little over a year since capturing the world’s attention in a memorable World Cup final, Qatar’s Lusail Stadium returned to the limelight as it hosted the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup 2023.
The regional tournament may not have the same ring to it as the World Cup, the players on the pitch may not evoke the same reactions as a certain Lionel Messi or a Kylian Mbappe, but there was no lack of passion as a major international football tournament returned to the country on Friday night.
A grand opening ceremony set the tone in the middle, a ring of colourful fireworks surrounded the golden mesh-like structure of the country’s biggest football venue and the home team came out of the opening match with a comfortable win over regional rivals Lebanon.
“It feels just like the World Cup to us,” Abdullah Sulaiti, an overjoyed Qatar fan, told Al Jazeera after Qatar’s 3-0 win in the Group A fixture that attracted more than 82,000 fans to the stadium.
“I’ve heard people say the ‘vibes’ are not the same as the World Cup but they need to step inside a stadium to feel the electric atmosphere.”
Qatari fans celebrate a comfortable victory [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
Indeed, before kickoff and up until the end of the first half, fans of both teams were making themselves heard with their singing and flag-waving. However, as soon as Qatar’s lead doubled 11 minutes into the second half, most of the crowd began making a beeline for the exit.
“We know our team has three points in the bag and we’ll back to support them in the next match,” Sara al-Malki, who watched the match with her three children, said while making her way to the exit.
A winning start for the Al Annabi (the Maroons) delighted the home fans who had been desperate for their team to show a glimpse of their title-winning run in 2019.
For Lebanon, and their fans who turned up in their thousands, it was a disappointing start to the tournament and one that leaves them clinging on to the hope that they can turn things around in their next two group games.
“I am not surprised at the result but perhaps the margin of it,” Abdul Rehman Fidawi told Al Jazeera after the match.
“Some of these players work a day job and then put in a shift on the pitch for the team, so it’s not fair to judge them against a team that has a better quality of players and facilities,” he said.
Fidawi said it did not surprise him to see a large turnout of Lebanese supporters.
“We may not have one of the best teams but we certainly have a huge presence in Qatar,” he added with a smile.
Akram Afif celebrates scoring for Qatar [Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
There was no lack of support for Palestine either.
It began as thousands of fans thronged the public transport, the streets leading up to the stadium and the venue itself in Palestinian colours.
Be it the black and white keffiyeh, a large flag draped across their backs, or smaller ones in their hands, football fans from across the region carried solidarity with the war-struck people of Palestine into the stadium.
“It means a lot to us when people put on such displays, especially the segment in the opening ceremony where acknowledged our identity – it showed the world that the Palestinians are not alone,” Dia Ebwini, a Qatar-based Palestinian, said.
Qatar’s captain Hassan al-Haydos, who was meant to take the oath as the representative of the host nation, passed on the honour to his Palestinian counterpart in a move that was welcomed by applause and chants in support of Palestine.
With the Palestinian team set to open their campaign in two day’s time against Iran, a bigger display of solidarity and show of emotions may still unfold at the Education City Stadium.
Until then, Qatar and its fans will bask in a moment that has been a year in the making – a win at the country’s iconic venue.
As the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicks off in Ivory Coast this weekend, few players will be under the spotlight as much as Victor Osimhen.
Despite only recently turning 25, the Nigeria striker is central to the Super Eagles’ hopes of a fourth continental triumph, a distinction he seeks to cap a steep rise in his profile over the last 18 months.
Since breaking out as a star at the under-17 World Cup in 2015 by finishing as top scorer, Osimhen has borne comparisons with some of Nigeria’s greats, from Rashidi Yekini to Nwankwo Kanu.
In leading Napoli to title success in Serie A – the Italian top flight – last season and becoming the first Nigerian to win the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Player of the Year for 24 years, he has begun to justify some expectations. In December, Osimhen also secured top 12 finishes in the Ballon d’Or and FIFA The Best awards, cementing a reputation as one of the deadliest finishers in world football.
Still, the springy forward believes there is more to come.
“It is a huge honour to be compared to some of our legends,” he tells Al Jazeera. “It motivates me a lot. But what motivates me more is making my own way, achieving my own goals.”
Within football, there is little doubt that he is capable of doing precisely that. Emmanuel Adebayor and Didier Drogba, both former African Footballer of the Year winners and global footballing icons, have spoken highly of the Nigeria international, touting him for a move to the Premier League in England.
The transfer market agrees: interest in Osimhen was so fierce that Napoli moved, following protracted negotiations, to sign him on to an extension until 2026, keen to avoid the loss of their headline asset.
Victor Osimhen, one of the most exciting forwards in the world at the moment [Filippo Monteforte/AFP] (AFP)
‘A lot of responsibility’
Having proven himself at club level, attention now shifts to him at AFCON, where Nigeria will face perhaps the strongest field – there are no debutants in this year’s edition – the competition has ever seen.
On paper, the Super Eagles have one of the best squads in Ivory Coast, a fact that, despite poor recent results and performances, is not lost on Osimhen.
“We have a very strong team, full of players with talent and experience,” he says. “All over Europe, we have players in all the top teams showing great form. We also get along really well: I’m friends personally with a lot of them. Our spirit is strong.”
Despite that strength in depth and team ethos, Nigeria go into the AFCON with a cloud hanging over them. Coach Jose Peseiro divides public opinion and has only won six of his 14 matches since taking charge of the team. The Super Eagles opened their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with consecutive draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe, and there remains a lack of clarity over who the team’s starting goalkeeper is.
The onus, therefore, is on the attack: if Nigeria is to equal its championship-winning performances of 1980, 1994, and 2013, it will be on the back of Osimhen’s goals. Other attackers like Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface and Real Sociedad’s Umar Sadiq have withdrawn from the squad due to injuries.
Having missed out on the last edition of the competition two years prior, he feels the need to make up for lost time; for all his success at club level and in qualifying matches for the Super Eagles, Osimhen has yet to headline a major international tournament at senior level.
“Like I’ve said before, if I never win the AFCON for Nigeria, people will question me,” he says. “And it would be justified: there is a lot of responsibility on me. I know that, and I’m not running away from it.
Nigerian author and Super Eagles fan Joshua Omojuwa thinks he will deliver as expected: “Osimhen has proven to be a reliable striker through the years … if the team plays to enhance his strengths, he’d easily win top scorer of the tournament and possibly even lead Nigeria to the final.”
The Super Eagles kick off their campaign against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, and will then face the host nation Ivory Coast and underdogs Guinea-Bissau – to whom they lost in qualifying – on January 18 and 22 respectively.
Nigeria has not failed to progress from the group stage at an AFCON since 1982; it has also won four silver medals and eight bronze.
However, since 2019’s bronze medal finish, their fans have had little to smile about. Nevertheless, many Nigerians at home and in the diaspora are supporting the squad to perform well at the tournament, led by their star striker.
“There’s a lot of weight on his shoulders, no doubt, but the next few weeks will be his biggest moments in a Super Eagles shirt,” says Abuja-based Tunde Sawyerr, a longstanding Super Eagles fan. “His supporting cast and how much Peseiro is able to maximise Osimhen’s well-known abilities and deploy the most suitable tactics will make all the difference.”
To that, Osimhen says this crop of players is “desperate” for the big prize and will perform against all odds.
“We want to win every match, every trophy available, to make Nigerians proud of us again. Our coaches have some new ideas to help us get there, and if we work together as a team, anything is possible,” he told Al Jazeera.
“I want to win the AFCON with my country and write my own legacy. All the greats in Nigeria have a title to their name and to be mentioned in that space I must win it, too.”
Mumbai, India – For decades, India has lived with the label of being the “sleeping giant” of football.
With a population of 1.4 billion, highest in the world, there is a prevailing sentiment that India is underrepresented in international football.
Compared to its dominance in cricket, the country lags far behind in football and is yet to qualify for a FIFA World Cup.
While former FIFA president Sepp Blatter optimistically declared in 2012 that the “sleeping giant is starting to wake up,” the reality in 2024 paints a different picture.
Currently placed 102nd in the FIFA rankings and not even among the top 10 sides in Asia, India is still in the midst of its football awakening and struggling to emerge from its slumber, experts argue.
“India is not a giant in football because they haven’t done anything on the international front for years,” Stephen Constantine, former head coach of the Indian men’s football team, told Al Jazeera.
Indian football basked in glory in the 1950s and 1960s, clinching gold at the 1951 and 1962 Asian Games and securing a commendable fourth-place finish at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
However, since that illustrious period, India’s performance on the continental stage has been lacklustre, with the team failing to progress past the group stage at the Asian Cup in 1984, 2011 and 2019.
During their last campaign in 2019, the team raised fans’ expectations with a 4-1 win over Thailand in the opening game, but losses against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain meant India missed qualifying for the next round once again.
Now under coach Igor Stimac, India faces a tricky campaign at the Asian Cup, where the men in blue are grouped with teams ranked above them: Australia, Syria and Uzbekistan.
The team’s fearless approach under Stimac has impressed fans, but the coach sparked controversy in November when he said “I don’t consider the Asian Cup as such an important tournament”.
Constantine, who took charge of India in 2002-05 and 2015-19, was surprised at Stimac’s remarks.
“It’s the biggest tournament that India is going to play. What is more important than that?” Constantine said.
India’s 26-member squad for the Asian Cup is led by the country’s highest goal-scorer, Sunil Chhetri, and includes the same core group of players that Stimac has worked with since taking over. All squad members play for clubs in the Indian Super League (ISL), the country’s top division.
Pradhyum Reddy, an Indian football coach, expects fans to have high hopes for Stimac’s side at the Asian Cup, but says the road to results will not be easy.
India’s campaign opener is against Australia, which reached the round of 16 at the Qatar World Cup 2022 before being knocked out by eventual champions Argentina.
“Australia are seasoned opponents who have got their core group playing in Europe,” Reddy told Al Jazeera.
“But the difference is that under Stimac, India plays on the front foot, so players will try and press Australia and make life difficult for them – maybe even cause them a few problems, but I don’t think we will get any joy out of that game.
“It should be about damage limitation against Australia. Don’t lose by more than what the others did,” added Reddy.
Former India player Darren Caldeira believes his country’s best chance of earning points will be against 91st-ranked Syria, as Uzbekistan (ranked 68th) could present tougher challenges.
“No one is talking too much about Uzbekistan, but they are a rising powerhouse in central Asia,” Caldeira told Al Jazeera. “They have some really good players, especially, Abdukodir Khusanov,” he added, referring to the 19-year-old Uzbek defender who plays for Ligue 1 club Lens in France.
(Al Jazeera)
The gulf is getting bigger
In the lead-up to the Asian Cup, India won three tournaments in 2023, including the SAFF Championship in July, which featured eight teams from South Asia.
Apart from Kyrgyzstan, all opponents that India faced across the three tournaments are ranked below it. This highlights India’s tendency to play against weaker-ranked opponents – a longstanding concern in Indian football.
“We need to play more games against better-ranked nations,” said former midfielder Caldeira, who is now the director of football at top-tier Indian club Bengaluru FC.
“Maybe there has been an apprehension in the past, fearing the result, but for us to improve we must take risks and challenge ourselves against quality opponents,” he added.
Reddy, CEO of third-tier Indian club Dempo, said the team’s Asian Cup qualification and other achievements mask the issues plaguing the sport at home.
“We’ve improved significantly in the last decade … But comparatively, I don’t think we’ve improved as much as other regional teams including Uzbekistan, Thailand and Vietnam,” Reddy said.
“And certainly not as much as Japan or South Korea – the gulf has got bigger.”
Japan is currently the top-ranked Asian side followed by Iran and South Korea in second and third respectively, while Australia and Saudi Arabia make up the top five. India is 18th on the list.
Former India coach Constantine blamed India’s slow progress on a lack of player development.
“When I came to India in 2002, I realised that there is talent but we weren’t looking for it in the right places. And when we did, we weren’t developing them. This is why India has not gone to the heights we imagined,” said Constantine, the current Pakistan coach.
“At the moment, when you look at the big picture, we don’t dominate in the region. So, if you are not dominating in the region, how do you expect to dominate elsewhere?”
(Al Jazeera)
Poor quality of coaching at various levels, absence of a robust league and a lack of game time for players have hampered the progress of domestic football.
Constantine, an UEFA Pro Licence holder and FIFA instructor, emphasised the impact of poor coaching on India’s future and questioned the nation’s reliance on foreign coaches who may not prioritise the development of local talent.
“If we don’t care about the development of Indian coaches, then how are we going to develop our players?” Constantine asked. “We must focus on the development of Indian coaches at all levels and insist on quality, not quantity.”
Reddy, who has worked with several ISL clubs, advocates for a nine-month league, aligning with international standards, as opposed to the existing six-month ISL with 12 teams. He also emphasised the lack of game time in the lower divisions of Indian football.
“In the I-League 2 [third tier] and youth leagues, it’s comical how little football we play,” Reddy said. “You compare that with kids in Japan, and how much they play in high school and colleges, it far exceeds what we’re doing at the semi-professional level.”
Caldeira, who previously played in the ISL, said the league has helped the growth of Indian football by bringing in professionalism that was missing earlier.
“In the past, we had a lot of good quality footballers, but now we’re getting quality footballers coupled with athletes,” he added. “I’ve played with a lot of good footballers who were technically pretty good, but in terms of physicality, they probably weren’t as good.
“But now you’re getting to see footballers who can run around for 90 minutes. And then when they have the ball they produce magic.”
Reddy, on the other hand, argued that the ISL has not made a significant change.
“If you were to calculate how much money had been invested in ISL, so much has exited Indian shores because that money has been paid to foreign coaches and marquee players, it’s money that’s not in the Indian ecosystem,” Reddy explained.
“It would have been better having that money being pumped into Indian football in a way that it would develop and leave a tangible asset.”
Describing India as “minnows”, Reddy said that the only way the country can dream of playing at the World Cup is by consistently performing at major youth tournaments.
“We’ve never qualified for an AFC U-23 tournament or the U-17 and U-20 World Cup on merit,” Reddy said. “So until we reach that level, where we’re bringing in teams that are regularly playing continental competition and at all levels on merit, the rest is just hyperbole.”
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