26 Jan 2018
Kunshan, 26 January 2018. Aspire Academy graduate and KAS Eupen-player Akram Afif scored the only goal of the game as a penalty save from Yousof Hassan sealed a 1-0 win for Qatar over Korea Republic in the third place play-off of the 2018 AFC U23 Championship on Friday evening.
Afif claimed the winner in the 39th minute before Hassan kept out Hwang Hyun-soo’s spot-kick, earning Felix Sanchez’s side the consolation of the tournament’s bronze medal. “Today was a difficult one because nobody likes to play this game, but the players showed they were big professionals and they showed their commitment,” said Sanchez. “We played a top team and they could have been in the final. We got the result and it was very tough, like all of our six games. We’re satisfied. We won five and drew one, which we lost on penalties.”
Almoez Ali’s six goals saw the Qatar ace finish as top scorer at the AFC U23 Championship 2018. The 21-year-old Al Duhail striker and Aspire Academy graduate found the net in four of his country’s six games at the tournament, scoring twice against both host nation China PR and Palestine as Qatar finished third.
Losing finalist Nguyen Quang Hai from Vietnam finished second thanks to the five goals he scored, while Qatar midfielder Akram Afif, Uzbekistan's Jasurbek Yakshiboev, Korea Republic striker Lee Keun-ho and Palestine’s Oday Dabbagh tied for third with three goals apiece.
Source: www.the-afc.com