Qatar forward Akram Afif on Thursday said that he encouraged local fans to throw objects onto the pitch to waste time during their FIFA World Cup qualification match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Qatar secured a 2-1 victory over the UAE at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Tuesday, topping Group A of the AFC playoffs and earning direct qualification for the World Cup in North America next year.
The Asian champions needed a win to qualify directly, while a draw would have been sufficient for the UAE to advance.
Photo: AFP
Videos circulating online showed Afif gesturing to fans, who threw water bottles onto the field near the end of the match.
“Just to waste time, naturally. Honestly, I told them to throw [things] so we could waste time,” Afif said during a televised interview with Saudi Arabian newspaper Asharq al-Awsat at the AFC Awards ceremony in Riyadh.
“At the same time, I was asking them to stop so the referee wouldn’t add more” stoppage-time, he added with a smile. “In the end, [we wanted] the three points.”
Photo: Reuters
Tensions escalated when Pedro Miguel scored Qatar’s second goal in the 74th minute, prompting UAE fans to throw bottles and plastic cups onto the pitch before play resumed.
Afif, 28, a two-time AFC Player of the Year, played a pivotal role in Qatar’s campaign to qualify for the World Cup.
It is to be Qatar’s second appearance at the tournament, following their participation as hosts in 2022, and their first qualification through the Asian process.
The eight direct slots from the Asia region have been filled with the completion of the other AFC Round Four match on Tuesday between Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan were joined by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who played out a goalless draw in their Group B match at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The result put the hosts on top of their group and gave them direct qualification, while Iraq and UAE are to play each other in the two-legged Round 5 for a place in the FIFA Playoff Tournament in March next year.
Two teams from CONCACAF, and one team apiece from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL and OFC regions are to meet at the playoff tournament to decide the final two qualifiers for the Cup.
CONCACAF direct qualifying in the North America-Central America-Caribbean region is to conclude next month.
Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia are the nine teams who qualified directly from the CAF African region.
Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Uruguay have advanced from South America’s CONMEBOL.
New Zealand in March secured their place at the global showpiece by beating New Caledonia in the Oceania region qualifying final, while New Caledonia took the OFC spot in the playoff tournament.
UEFA’s qualifiers in the Europe region are ongoing, with only England guaranteed a World Cup berth so far.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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