Live updates: Qatar v Japan – Asian Cup final

Four-time winners Japan take on Qatar in the final of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup football tournament at the Zayed Sport City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Qatar wins maiden title

Qatar’s national football team has defeated Japan 3-1 in the final to lift its first Asian Cup title.

Third goal for Qatar

Qatar’s Akram Afif converts the penalty kick to put his side 3-1 ahead. 

He receives a yellow card for taking his shirt off to celebrate. 

Five minutes of extra time. 

Japan scores 

Japan’s Takumi Minamino scores the first goal for his side in the 69th minute. 

Second-half substitutions

Japan’s Yoshinori Muto comes in for Genki Haraguchi. 

Qatar’s Boualem Khoukhi taken off on a stretcher. He is replaced by Salem Al Hajri

Half-time statistics

Possession: Qatar 45 percent, Japan 55 percent

Shots (on goal): Qatar 5 (2), Japan 3 (0)

Fouls: Qatar: 5, Japan 6

Corners: Qatar 1, Japan 3

Qatar doubles the lead

Abdelaziz Hatim scores the second goal for the Maroons in the 27th minute.

What a goal by Qatar’s Abdulaziz Hatem #AsianCup2019 #JPNvQAT #قطر_اليابان pic.twitter.com/zU6Gxyk5NC

— فيصل عيدروس (@faisaledroos) February 1, 2019

Qatar’s Abdelaziz Hatim celebrates scoring their second goal with team mates [Ahmed Jadallah/Reuters]

First goal for Qatar

Qatar takes the lead with 22-year-old Almoez Ali scoring in the 12th minute.

This is Ali’s ninth goal of the tournament.

He has broken the record for the most goals scored in a single edition of the competition.

How did that Almoez kick end up in the back of the net!! This crowd doesnt care! Japan 0-1 Qatar #AFCAsianCup2019 pic.twitter.com/UQ3uEQQHo6

— Faras Ghani (@farasG) February 1, 2019

Japan and Qatar fans out side the stadium before the match [Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]

Qatar fans before the kick-off [Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]

UAE protest against Qatar dismissed

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has dismissed the protest lodged by the United Arab Emirates Football Association over the eligibility of two of Qatar’s players, the body said in a statement ahead of the final on Friday.

The complaint about Qatar’s Almoez Ali, a 22-year-old striker born in Sudan, and Bassam Al Rawi, a 21-year-old defender born in Iraq, was reportedly filed within two hours of Qatar’s 4-0 victory over the UAE on Wednesday. 

Who will win the final?

Japan remain the clear favourites, ranked third in Asia and having put through a commendable performance in the 2018 World Cup.

They are ranked 43 places above Qatar.

Here’s a look back on the Samurai Blue’s 🇯🇵 journey en-route to Asian Cup final no. 5⃣!#AsianCup2019 pic.twitter.com/BLQ5sY6PWG

— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) January 30, 2019

But Qatar have scored 16 goals in this tournament without conceding any and have beat teams ranked well above them.

An Al Jazeera English poll carried out on Twitter says fans are equally divided on who will win. 

Watching the final in Qatar

Big screens have been set up in Qatar for fans to watch the final as they were unable to travel to the match in person because of a regional blockade by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt. 

Special TV screenings will take place at around the capital Doha, including Souq Waqif, Katara cultural village, as well as restaurants, malls and hotels.

The match will be screened at Doha’s Souq Waqif [Saba Aziz/Al Jazeera]

One final push

“There are no words to describe what playing in the final means to me,” Qatar’s captain Hassan al-Haydos told reporters on the eve of the game. “It is definitely very important to us as a team.”

Qatar’s coach Felix Sanchez believes his players are ready for one final push that can land them the title.

“The players are determined to get the victory we want by putting in one more huge effort against Japan so that we can make the Qatari people happy once again and make history,” said Sanchez. 

Qatar: ‘Already winners’

The air, land and sea blockade forced the team to take a longer route to reach Abu Dhabi from Qatar.

Qatari fans were not allowed to travel to the UAE to support the team. At some games, Omanis cheered the Qatari players. 

During the semi-final against the UAE team shoes and sandals were thrown at the Qatari players from the stands. 

For the fans back home, Qatar are already winners. Read the match preview by Saba Aziz here. 

All of Qatar’s goals as they sealed a place in the Asian Cup final vs Japan! 🇶🇦 💪 pic.twitter.com/gDaKpuYE3A

— Goal (@goal) January 30, 2019