Football: Five Players Who Made a Name for Themselves at Asian Cup

Yazan Al-Naimat scores for Jordan against South Korea. Giuseppe CACACE / AFP
Yazan Al-Naimat scores for Jordan against South Korea. Giuseppe CACACE / AFP
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Football: Five Players Who Made a Name for Themselves at Asian Cup

Yazan Al-Naimat scores for Jordan against South Korea. Giuseppe CACACE / AFP
Yazan Al-Naimat scores for Jordan against South Korea. Giuseppe CACACE / AFP

Jordan and hosts and holders Qatar will contest the final of the Asian Cup on Saturday.
AFP Sport picks out five players who made a name for themselves during the tournament:
Yazan Al-Naimat (Jordan)
Together with fellow attacker Mousa Al-Tamari, Naimat terrorized South Korea's defence in Jordan's 2-0 semi-final win.
Tamari is Jordan's only player in Europe but clubs across the planet will have taken note of Naimat's all-action performances over the past month.
The 24-year-old Naimat scored in a 2-2 draw with South Korea in the group phase, then added another against them in the semi-final. He also netted in a thrilling 3-2 win over Iraq.
Quick and direct, he has created 10 chances during the tournament, the joint second most among all players.
He currently plays for Al-Ahli in Qatar and the center-forward has 14 goals in 43 appearances for his club, plus 15 assists.
Mousa Al-Tamari (Jordan)
The 26-year-old wide attacker is a contender for player of the tournament after his goals and assists, along with Naimat's, helped propel Jordan into a first final in their history.
Tamari is with French side Montpellier and his displays in Qatar have showcased his talents to an even wider audience.
He started his tournament with a bang, hitting a brace in a 4-0 demolition of Malaysia, then rose to the occasion with a man-of-the-match role in the win over South Korea in the last four.
Pacy, skilful and hard working, Tamari set up Naimat for the first goal and 13 minutes later got in on the act by slicing through the Korean defense before unleashing a ruthless finish.
Oday Dabbagh (Palestine)
Palestine made history by reaching the Asian Cup knockout rounds for the first time and Dabbagh played a crucial role, chipping in with three goals.
The striker, who moved to Belgian side Charleroi last year, was a constant nuisance for defenders with his aerial prowess and poacher's instinct in front of goal.
Just turned 25 and playing in his second Asian Cup, his peak years are still ahead of him.
Palestine's tournament ended in a 2-1 defeat to Qatar in the last 16, but together with skipper and defender Musab Al-Battat, Dabbagh was their star performer.
Abbosbek Fayzullaev (Uzbekistan)
Uzbekistan's tournament ended in the quarter-finals on penalties to Qatar but there will be plenty more Asian Cups for Fayzullaev.
The 20-year-old attacker has been one to watch for a while now and he showed why in particular with the winner from outside the box against Thailand in the last 16.
As is expected from a young player, he flitted out of games occasionally, but it was the CSKA Moscow starlet's second goal of the competition and he was named man of the match.
Thailand's uncompromising defenders had had enough of him by the end and he asked to be substituted late on to avoid any more rough treatment.
Lucas Mendes (Qatar)
Forward Akram Afif hogged the headlines for Qatar but Mendes also played a key role in taking the hosts and holders to the final.
Born in Brazil, Mendes played for Marseille a decade ago and has Champions League experience with them, suffering defeats to Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund.
Only made his Qatar debut in November but has played his club football in the country for the past nine years.
Quietly effective at the back, Mendes used all of his experience and defensive nous to help Qatar breeze through the group stage without conceding a goal.



South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
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South Korea Expresses Regret after Its Athletes Introduced as North Korea at Opening Ceremony

 Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)
Athletes of South Korea travel by boat along the Seine river during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (AP)

South Korea expressed regret that its delegation of athletes at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday was introduced as from rival North Korea and has demanded assurances from organizers the mistake will not happen again.

As the boat carrying South Korean athletes passed on the Seine, the announcer introduced them as the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" - the official name of North Korea - in French and English.

The announcer used the same introduction when the North Korean delegation passed.

South Korea's vice minister for sports and culture, Jang Mi-ran, who was in Paris, had requested a meeting with International Olympics Committee President Thomas Bach, the ministry said in a statement.

"We express regret that the country was introduced as North Korea at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games when the athletes of the Republic of Korea were entering," it said.

South Korea's National Olympic Committee immediately referred the incident to the Games' organizers and requested that the error will not be repeated.

South Korea's delegation includes 143 athletes competing in 21 events. North Korea, which is returning to the Games for the first time since Rio 2016, has sent 16 athletes.