By Abdelaziz Abuhamar
January 22 – Qatar’s defender Bassam Al-Rawi fired his second goal from a free kick in Qatar’s 1-0 narrow victory over Iraq in round 16 of the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
Qatar progressed to the quarter final stage for the third time having previously done so in 2000 and 2011. They have never made it further than this stage in the continental tournament.
Bassam earlier scored the first goal in Qatar’s 2-0 win over Lebanon in the group stage, also from a free kick.
Out of 44 goals Qatar have scored in total in Asian Cup, five players have scored seven goals from free kicks, ironically three goals of them against Japan, according to #mundial11.
Abdelnasser Al Obaidly fired the first free-kick goal for Qatar against Japan in the 1-1 draw in 2000.
Then Sebastian Soria scored again against Japan from free kick in another 1-1 draw in 2007.
In 2011, Fabio Ceasar scored two free kick goals, against Japan and Kuwait.
In 2015, Hassan Al-Haydous netted from a free kick for Qatar’s only goal in their 2-1 defeat against Bahrain.
In 2019, it was the talented Aspire graduate Bassam (pictured) who has scored twicefor Qatar from free kicks, against Lebanon then last night against Iraq, perhaps the most significant goal of all of them to date.
Contact the writer of this story, Abdelaziz Abuhamar, at moc.l1713964440labto1713964440ofdlr1713964440owedi1713964440sni@o1713964440fni1713964440
