February 7 – Indonesia may have exited the Asian Cup in Qatar at the group stage, but their eSports team are leaving with the eAsian Cup trophy.
Played at Doha’s Virtuocity eSports Arena, semi-final showdowns were played between Indonesia and Thailand, Japan and Saudi Arabia, with the two finalists, Indonesia and Japan, being watched by more than 200,000 viewers.
The Indonesian trio of Rizky Faidan, Mohamad Akbar Paudie, and the 2022 IESF Bali World Esports champion Elga Cahya Putra, beat Japan in two tight encounters. The first win came in a tense penalty shootout, while the second was sealed with a hard-fought 1-0 win in the 100th minute of extra time.
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said: “On behalf of the AFC, I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to Indonesia on their phenomenal performance at the AFC eAsian Cup, which has truly exemplified the extraordinary talent that thrives in Asia.
“…Over the last few days, we have connected with a whole new generation of fans and have had contenders from all over the Continent come together to celebrate the spirit of football.
“The AFC has always been steadfast in its mission to remain inclusive, and this journey into the virtual realm is the latest step towards realising that goal.”
The five-day tournament, featured 20 teams who were also playing in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 and was played between the end of last 16 knockout rounds and the start of the semi-finals.
In the group stage, teams were divided into four groups of three teams and two groups of four. Each team, comprising two main players and one substitute, will engage in 12-minute matches in a 2v2 format on Konami’s eFootball 2024, using PlayStation 5 consoles.
Shaikh Salman praised the Qatari organisers for the staging of the tournament saying: “Hosting the inaugural edition of the event in the same city as the ongoing AFC Asian Cup made the experience truly unforgettable and I would also like to thank the Qatar Football Association for organising the event with hospitality of the highest standards.”
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