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Qatar thrash UAE to reach Asian Cup football final

Qatar beat hosts United Arab Emirates 4-0 to reach the final of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

The win, coming in front of a hostile Abu Dhabi crowd, sealed Qatar's progress to the title match for the first time where it will face Japan on Friday.

Qatar opened the scoring with Boualem Khoukhi in the 22nd minute with Almoez Ali adding a second 15 minutes later. 

Hassan al-Haydos added a third in the 80th minute with a chip over the UAE goal-keeper and Ismaeil sealed Qatar's progress with a goal in injury time.

The match was marred by crowd disruptions twice where shoes and bottles were thrown at Qatari players celebrating after scoring. 

The crowd could be heard chanting and booing during the playing of Qatar’s national anthem minutes before the start
"I think the players were aware that it was going to be tough with the crowd but I think they controlled their emotions very well," said Qatar coach Felix Sanchez.

"It was difficult for the players, it's normal in a semi-final to celebrate, and I think it was only a few people who behaved in a not proper way, most were fair. But it was a great game for us ... I'm very proud and very happy."

Insult was added to indignity in stoppage time when UAE defender Ismail Ahmed was sent off after a VAR review for an elbow to the face of Salem Al-Hajri just before Qatar scored the final goal.

"It was a tough game in this situation and they played in the right way ...they made us happy, the whole country is proud of them," Nasser al-Mohannadi, a Qatari fan who watched the game with thousands of other fans in Doha, told Al Jazeera.


Al Jazeera
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