Qatar puts World Cup heartache behind it to win Asian Cup opener

Two-goal Akram Afif said Qatar had “forgotten about the World Cup” after the team got its Asian Cup campaign off to a winning start in the tournament’s opening game on Friday.

The hosts beat Lebanon 3-0 at the 88,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, where a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina beat France on penalties in the World Cup final 13 months ago.

Qatar suffered a disastrous 2022 World Cup on the pitch, making a first-round exit after losing all three games, the worst performance by a host in the history of the competition.