Barsham the hero as Qatar edge Uzbekistan on penalties

Young goalkeeper Meshaal Barsham on Saturday produced a daring performance against feisty Uzbekistan to single handedly take Qatar into the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup 2023.

The 25-year-old Al Sadd keeper stopped three penalties before Qatar defender Pedro Miguel converted the game-changing fifth and final penalty for a thrilling 3-2 win at a packed Al Bayt Stadium.

Qatar will take on Iran in the semi-final on Wednesday at Al Thumama Stadium. Iran on Saturday stunned four-time champions Japan 2-1 with a strike in injury time at Education City Stadium

In the first semi-final on Tuesday, South Korea take on Jordan at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

It was defending champions Qatar’s 12th successive Asian Cup win following their seven consecutive victories at the 2019 edition they won in the UAE. It was Qatar’s first win over Uzbekistan in three Asian Cup matches.

This will be the second time that Qatar have reached the semi-finals of Asia’s premier national team event following their title winning streak in the UAE in 2019.

Saturday’s defeat means Uzbekistan have left the tournament for the second time after their heartbreaking loss in similar fashion against Australia five years ago.

Coached by Marquez Lopez, Qatar on Saturday dominated the proceedings in the first half as they walked off for the break with a 1-0 lead following an own goal by keeper Utkir Yusupov.

The Qatar players - especially Akaram Afif and captain Hasan al-Haydos - worked in slick unison for most part of the first half making inroads into the Uzbek half almost at will.

In the 10th minute, the ever alert Afif pounced a long loopy cross that landed inside the Uzbekistan box but the Qatari striker’s powerful left-footed drive was blocked by ’keeper Yusupov.

Close to the half-hour mark, al-Haydos picked up a loose ball and headed towards the Uzbekistan box. An unmarked al-Haydos delivered a low cross that deflected off Rustamjon Ashurmatov’s leg and then flew towards keeper Yusupov who lost sight of the ball and accidently flapped it into his own goal.

Captain al-Hayods celebrated the goal - thinking he had nicked the third one this tournament - but the referee correctly called it an own goal by keeper Yusupov.

Shortly afterwards, Uzbek midfielders Otabek Shukurov managed to turn inside the Qatar box but his shot flew over the crossbar much to the delight of home fans. With the Uzbekistan forward line increasing pressure on the resultant corner kick, Qatar defender Lucas Mendes headed the ball away for another corner.

In what turned out to be an incredible block, Qatar’s Mohamed Waad produced a well-timed slide to block a powerful shot from Pakhtakor winger Azizbek Turgunboev shortly afterwards.

Five minutes from close of the first half, Afif fired a long range shot from outside the box but Yusupov made amends for the own goal earlier with a brilliant one-handed save to block a header from Mahdi.

Soon after the break, Uzbekistan captain Jaloliddin Masharipov curled in a long range shot in the 55th minute but the ball sailed away just centimetres from the Qatari goal post. After a couple of minutes, Shukurov fired another long range shot that also sailed away close to the goalpost to the left of a diving Barsham.

A minute before the hour mark, Odiljon Hamrobekov produced a classy left footed drive to score the equaliser. After breaking free of his marker, Hamrobekov slipped into the Qatar box and then fired a shot to the left of ’keeper Barsham.

Neither team could manage a goal in the remaining part of the second half. With players feeling exhausted, the two teams looked scrappy in the two halves of the extra time.

After the final whistle, the two teams got ready for the heart-stopping penalty shootout. With 59,000 fans at Al Bayt Stadium screaming, Uzbekistan’s Rustam Ashurmatov and Qatar’s 2019 top scorer Almoez Ali failed to score from their spot kicks.

Qatar’s Al-Mahdi Ali Mukhtar skied his penalty but young Barsham - brother of track and field superstar Mutaz Barshim - stopped three penalties to make it a memorable night for the home side. Defender Miguel did the rest by converting the fifth and final penalty.



Semi-finals line-up

South Korea vs Jordan

on Tuesday, 6pm at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium



Qatar vs Iran

on Wednesday, 6pm at Al Thumama Stadium