Almoez Ali winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award at the Asian Cup came as no surprise but the star Qatari striker could well be on course to also pocket the honour for the best goal of the tournament.
From fantastic free-kicks to sumptuous volleys and brilliant curlers, the tournament saw some brilliant goals, but it’s Almoez’s sensational bicycle-kick effort in the final that is being talked about across the football world, not just for the thrill it generated but also for the demoralising effect it had on four-time champions Japan.
Unsurprisingly, the Asian Football Federation (AFC) has chosen his goal as one of the top-10 goals of the tournament, with fans being able to vote through its website (the-afc.com) to decide the best.
Almoez used his left foot to tap down a crisp chip from Akram Afif from just outside the penalty area, deftly lifted the ball with his right foot to get it to a comfortable height, before getting airborne and shooting past the diving Japanese goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda as a host of defenders were left rooted to their spots.
The goal laid the foundation for Qatar’s total domination of the Japanese, with Abdulaziz Hatim and Afif adding to the tally as Al Annabi completed an amazing run in the UAE against all odds, exacerbated of course by the blockade and the fact that their fans were not able to travel to the UAE to cheer their team.
Almoez and Afif have been together through various age-group teams and their understanding of each other was crucial to Qatar’s success in the tournament.
“For the first goal I had one defender behind me so I knew I could put the ball in any corner, so I tried to put it in the corner past the goalkeeper,” he said. “It was a nice goal,” said Almoez.
“Akram and I have been together for seven years and I know where Akram will be and where he will pass and he knows what is expected from me, so it’s normal after seven years that we get along very well together.”
Almoez’s success however was not much of a surprise, not the least for Younis Mahmoud, easily the best Iraqi football player and the architect of his country’s title triumph in the 2007 Asian Cup.
Mahmoud, who won the MVP award then and now spends most of his time in Doha as a football analyst, said he always knew Almoez would shine in the UAE tournament.
“I think Almoez is a very good player and we have seen him play in the Qatar Stars League (QSL). He is a very different player. I knew he would score many goals. For Almoez also, it is great as he has been able to show his quality in the Asian Cup,” Mahmoud told Goal.com.
Mahmoud added that the Maroons were impressive in attack where they scored 19 goals in seven matches apart from merely conceding once in over 630 minutes.
“This group of Qatari players are very good. In Akram Afif and Hassan al-Haydos, they have great quality. These players help each other in attack which is very important. It is good for the Gulf nations as Qatar has done so well,” said Mahmoud.
“I have played in Qatar for over 10 years. So I know how good these players are. In Qatar, the focus is also on developing the youth. They are sent to several foreign leagues at a young age and so when they come back to Qatar, they become very good. In 2022, Qatar have a good chance to do well in the World Cup because this team has got the quality.”
Qatar coach Felix Sanchez, who worked with Almoez last year when he finished as the leading scorer at the AFC U23 Championship in China, also was all praise for the 22-year-old forward and stressed that he expected even more from him in the future.
“Almoez is a fantastic player and it’s a pleasure to coach him,” said the Spaniard. “He’s 100 percent committed and in each game he gives 100 percent and he reached this tournament in the perfect moment.
“We’re very proud of him. He got two awards that are very well deserved. He got this because of the group, but he did excellent work. It’s very well deserved and we’re proud of him.
“It’s not the first time that he has shown this performance and last year in China he was also the top scorer, so he’s on the right way and I’m sure he will be looking to do even better in the next tournament and help the team.”
Meanwhile, Almoez was the star attraction as Qatar’s triumphant team returned to Doha on Saturday, triggering off wild celebrations in the country with hundreds of thousands of citizens and expatriates thronging the picturesque Corniche to witness the victory parade.
Earlier, the team were accorded a rapturous welcome when they arrived by a special plane on Saturday, with His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani personally receiving the players, coach Felix Sanchez and support staff with garlands and hugs at the airport.
The celebrations continued late in the night, with the players taking part in a traditional Arab dance at the Al Kass headquarters before they retired for some well-earned rest after almost a month of strenuous, non-stop action.