Qatar begin Asian Cup defence with Akram Afif-inspired win over Lebanon

Playmaker strikes twice, while Almoez Ali also finds netTournament opens with ceremony at the Lusail Stadium

Qatar, the Asian Cup hosts, kickstarted their title defence with a 3-0 win over Lebanon in the tournament opener on Friday thanks to a brace from Akram Afif, their prized playmaker, and another goal from Almoez Ali.

Following a glitzy opening ceremony, with Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in attendance at Lusail Stadium, the two attackers stole the show to kick off the tournament with three points for the hosts.

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