1-15 December 2006
News
Daily Summaries
12 December - Day 12
Can't touch this: Khalfan Al Khalfan of Qatar nips the ball past Mohsen Arzani of IR Iran
Riding the crest of a wave
Flags waved, drums banged and car horns honked all across Doha after an emotional rollercoaster ride which saw Qatar’s footballers reach their first ever Asian Games final and the basketball team book their semifinal spot in overtime.
No host nation had reached the men’s football final for 20 years, but that did not stop a partisan crowd at Al-Sadd Sports Club roaring their team on to a 2-0 victory over two-time defending champions IR Iran.
The victory – with goals by Sebastian Quintana and Hussain Yaser Abdulrahman – ended IR Iran’s 15-match unbeaten run in the Asian Games which stretched back almost eight years to the day.
Qatar now face Iraq, who became the first team to score against Korea in their 1-0 victory in the other semifinal at Al-Gharrafa Sports Club, in the final on Friday 15 December at 15:00 before what is sure to be a passionate crowd.
The Qatari basketballers gave their supporters at Sport City a harder night and needed a nerveless Erfan Ali Saeed to sink two free throws to tie their quarterfinal with Chinese Taipei at 81-81 with four seconds remaining.
Chinese Taipei missed a last-second shot and then fluffed two free throws with the scores locked at 92-92 with four seconds left in the first period of overtime. They lived to regret those misses as Qatar ran out 103-96 winners.
Coincidentally Qatar now face IR Iran for a place in the final. They tip off at 21:15 on Wednesday 13 December and only time will tell if history will repeat itself with another victory for the hosts.
Can't touch this: Khalfan Al Khalfan of Qatar nips the ball past Mohsen Arzani of IR IranFlags waved, drums banged and car horns honked all across Doha after an emotional rollercoaster ride which saw Qatar’s footballers reach their first ever Asian Games final and the basketball team book their semifinal spot in overtime.
No host nation had reached the men’s football final for 20 years, but that did not stop a partisan crowd at Al-Sadd Sports Club roaring their team on to a 2-0 victory over two-time defending champions IR Iran.
The victory – with goals by Sebastian Quintana and Hussain Yaser Abdulrahman – ended IR Iran’s 15-match unbeaten run in the Asian Games which stretched back almost eight years to the day.
Qatar now face Iraq, who became the first team to score against Korea in their 1-0 victory in the other semifinal at Al-Gharrafa Sports Club, in the final on Friday 15 December at 15:00 before what is sure to be a passionate crowd.
The Qatari basketballers gave their supporters at Sport City a harder night and needed a nerveless Erfan Ali Saeed to sink two free throws to tie their quarterfinal with Chinese Taipei at 81-81 with four seconds remaining.
Chinese Taipei missed a last-second shot and then fluffed two free throws with the scores locked at 92-92 with four seconds left in the first period of overtime. They lived to regret those misses as Qatar ran out 103-96 winners.
Coincidentally Qatar now face IR Iran for a place in the final. They tip off at 21:15 on Wednesday 13 December and only time will tell if history will repeat itself with another victory for the hosts.
However these two teams were not the only reasons that Qatari people had to smile about on Day 12 – one that saw 36 gold medals handed out across 12 sports – with champions crowned on the final day of equestrian and athletics.
Ali Yousuf Ahmad Al Rumaihi rode his brown stallion Nagano to two clear rounds to claim gold in the individual jumping – Qatar’s seventh gold medal of the Games.
That though became eight with James Kwalia Kurui winning the 5000m, bringing the Khalifa Stadium crowd to their feet when compatriot Sultan Khamis Zaman followed him home for the bronze medal.
However Day 12 didn’t just belong to Qatar with China claiming another 13 gold medals, including a clean sweep in the gymnastics trampoline and their women’s volleyball team winning a third consecutive title by beating Japan 3-1.
There was better news for Japan’s water polo team, Koji Tanaka giving them a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Kazakhstan to reach the final and avenge a defeat by the same method in the gold medal match four years ago.
The action continues on Day 13 with more tears of joy and sadness to be shed.
Ali Yousuf Ahmad Al Rumaihi rode his brown stallion Nagano to two clear rounds to claim gold in the individual jumping – Qatar’s seventh gold medal of the Games.
That though became eight with James Kwalia Kurui winning the 5000m, bringing the Khalifa Stadium crowd to their feet when compatriot Sultan Khamis Zaman followed him home for the bronze medal.
However Day 12 didn’t just belong to Qatar with China claiming another 13 gold medals, including a clean sweep in the gymnastics trampoline and their women’s volleyball team winning a third consecutive title by beating Japan 3-1.
There was better news for Japan’s water polo team, Koji Tanaka giving them a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Kazakhstan to reach the final and avenge a defeat by the same method in the gold medal match four years ago.
The action continues on Day 13 with more tears of joy and sadness to be shed.
Qatar lived on their nerves to cap a memorable sporting night by reaching the semifinals of the ....
China produced an exciting last minute comeback to reach their first ever men’s hockey final in a ....
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The number of knockouts in the quarterfinals should make the sanshou wushu semis an interesting ....
Hosts Qatar ousted defending champions IR Iran to reach their first ever Asian Games football final ....
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I really want to see my mother now. I want her close to me at this difficult time
