Qatar book AFC U-19 final spot

(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Qatar secured a berth in the final of the AFC U-19 Championship after defeating hosts Myanmar 3-2 in extra time in yesterday's semi-final at the Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium here.

Almoez Ali gave Qatar the lead in first-half stoppage time but Myanmar had their home fans shaking the stands as first Aung Thu netted on the hour-mark and then Nyein Chan Aung scored shortly afterwards.

However, in the 75th minute, Akram Afif's long-range free-kick brought the scores level once more and took the tie to extra-time. And in the first minute of the additional 30 minutes added on, defender Serigne Abdou was on target to restore Qatar's lead and take them onwards to the tournament's climax.

Al Annabi will now face three-time winners DPR Korea, who defeated Uzbekistan 5-0 in the semi-final, in Thursday's final.

Qatar have now already equalled their best-ever performance in the tournament's history - they last finished second in 1980 when the competition was hosted in Thailand and played in a round-robin format.

Qatar, who are so far undefeated in the tournament, had the game's first shot on goal in the third minute as Saltan Al Brake's header found Ali lurking at the back-post and the striker's close-range effort needed a firm block from Myanmar's goalkeeper Myo Min Latt.

After 12 minutes, Ahmed Al Sadi then gave warning of his expertise from dead-ball situations with a curling effort from 20-yards out that brought forth another flying save from Myo Min Latt, as he flung himself to his left to turn the ball behind.

And Myo Min Latt was seemingly on a one-man mission to deny Qatar as after Ali had been sent through on goal by Tarek Salman, the stopper pulled off a stunning save, diving low to his right to divert the shot wide.

But as the first period reached stoppage time, Qatar took the lead their pressure had long threatened.

Abdullah Al Ahrak's whipped in corner from the left side was met by Ali, once again positioned at the back-post, and this time Myo Min Latt could not keep him out as the forward forced the ball home.

Following the re-start, the hosts came out in a positive frame of mind and 10 minutes in, Kyaw Min Oo cleverly directed Aung Thu's 25-yard free-kick goal-wards with a skillful flick of his boot, although Qatar keeper Yousof Hassan read the danger and collected adroitly.

Aung Thu's next contribution, however, was stunning. Receiving the ball just to the left of the semi-circle, the forward shimmied onto his right foot, made space, and let fly with a sublime curler that crashed off the underside of the crossbar and bounced down into the net.

And three minutes later the already fever-pitch crowds in the stands at Thuwunna Youth Training Centre Stadium were taken to deafening new levels of decibels as goalscorer Aung Thu turned provider as his curling free-kick met the head of Nyein Chan Aung who slammed in his third goal of the tournament.

But with a quarter of an hour of the tie remaining, first-half substitute Afif restored parity for Qatar with a sweetly struck free-kick from 25 yards out that zipped past Myo Min Latt's outstretched hand and found the bottom right-hand corner.

And although the remaining 15 minutes could not break the deadlock, in the very first minute of extra-time, Qatar took back the lead as a short corner routine saw Al Ahrak float in a cross from the left flank and find Ali who directed the ball back across for Abdou to head the West Asians in front once more.

The second-half of extra-time almost had a similarly explosive opening as Afif burst through on goal only to see his dink over Myo Min Latt turned onto the crossbar and away by a last-ditch slide from Thiha Htet Aung.

Myanmar threw everything at Qatar in the final minutes of the tie and Maung Maung Soe forced Hassan into a match-winning brace of saves right at the death that were as important as the earlier goal, as Qatar booked their place in Thursday's final.