The game of goal
Winning the Asia Cup Football title for the first time in history, Qatar, a land of 26, 41,669 inhabitants and an area of 11, 851 Km, proved that football is a Game of Goal and at the same time justified the CONMOBOL’s invitation to take part in the Copa America Cup Football in June. The West Asian team trounced highest four times Champions Japan 3-1 in the final on Friday in Doha. The half time score was 2-0. The match analysis show that Japan outplayed Qatar in ball possession by 62-38 percent, but fell behind in taking shots on target by 1-3. Moreover, the East Asian team got 11 off sides compared with Qatar’s two only. The interesting matter is that Japan beat Saudi Arabia against run of play in the second round. Similarly Australia lost to UAE. In 1982, Brazilian star Zico said after own team’s World Cup Football loss to Italy against the run of play that ‘football is a game of goal.’ The Bangladeshi footballers must take lessons from Zico, but not from Neymar who often falls into injuries while going to show useless footwork on the pitch.
The past winners are South Korea in 1956 and 1960; Israel 1964; Iran in 1968, 1972 and 1976; Kuwait in 1980; Saudi Arabia in 1984, 1988, and 1996; Japan in 1992, 2000, 2004, 2011; Iraq in 2007 and Australia in 2015.
Abdullah Akber
Dhaka
