Asian football fans often moan that the international media focuses too much on the non-football aspects of the continent’s scene. When it comes to the 2019 Asian Cup however, there can be no complaints. Indeed when the captain of the one of the finalists calls for no more stupidity the day before the big game, then there is a problem.
“But I would mention that if [the tournament] is broadcast all over the world, you don’t want to see any stupid things, especially after the game,” Japan’s Maya Yoshida said. “We are representing Asia under the hashtag #bringingasiatogether – so it’s important to represent Asia by playing good football and with fair play.”
Yoshida had surely been expecting to lift the trophy in Abu Dhabi on Friday but it was Qatar who delivered a surprise and won the final 3-1 – deservedly so. The same can be said of the tournament overall. The Maroons scored 18 and conceded just once in seven games and the 2022 World Cup hosts have been the story of the Asian Cup in more ways than one.
They were by some distance the best team in what was a mediocre field. The football was for the most part, lacking in quality, but not because of the expansion from 16 to 24 nations. The new, or newer, teams were mostly competitive. Kyrgyzstan, the Philippines, India and Vietnam had their moments and, for a while at least, provided plenty to talk about. Some of the more established powers were more disappointing. South Korea and Australia never really got going and left at the last eight stage. A poor UAE team somehow made the last four and even Japan showed little of their usual pass and move groove, preferring a new functional approach until the late…
