Qatar Win Asian Cup Title After Beating Jordan

Qatar's goalkeeper #01 Saad Al Sheeb lifts the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup trophy as his team celebrates during the podium ceremony after the final football match between Jordan and Qatar at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on February 10, 2024. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
Qatar's goalkeeper #01 Saad Al Sheeb lifts the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup trophy as his team celebrates during the podium ceremony after the final football match between Jordan and Qatar at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on February 10, 2024. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
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Qatar Win Asian Cup Title After Beating Jordan

Qatar's goalkeeper #01 Saad Al Sheeb lifts the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup trophy as his team celebrates during the podium ceremony after the final football match between Jordan and Qatar at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on February 10, 2024. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)
Qatar's goalkeeper #01 Saad Al Sheeb lifts the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup trophy as his team celebrates during the podium ceremony after the final football match between Jordan and Qatar at the Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on February 10, 2024. (Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)

Akram Afif scored a hat trick of penalties to secure back-to-back Asian Cup titles for Qatar in a 3-1 win against Jordan on Saturday.
The forward struck in the first half of the final and then twice after the break at Lusail Stadium to finish as the tournament's leading scorer with eight goals.
Yazan Al Naimat had leveled the game in the second half, but Qatar was awarded two penalties on video review and Afif showed no nerves to convert on both occasions.
Qatar became the first back-to-back winner since Japan in 2000 and 2004. It is the fifth nation to successfully defend the title, though Iran won it three times in a row from 1968 to 1976.
Afif won and converted a penalty in the 22nd minute Saturday, but Jordan — playing in its first Asian Cup final — was back on level terms when Al Naimat rifled home from inside the box in the 67th.
At that point, Jordan had been on top.
It was behind again, however, when Ismaeel Mohammad was brought down by Mahmoud Al Mardi.
It took a video review before referee Ma Ning pointed to the spot — but when he did, again Afif delivered by firing into the left hand corner.
In the fifth minute of stoppage time Afif completed his hat trick after he was fouled by Jordan goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila.
Again it took a video review to award the spot kick. Again Afif converted.



Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
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Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)

The Olympic cauldron that made a stunning first flight at the Paris Games opening ceremony will sit on the ground during the day and rise again every evening.

Paris Olympics organizers said that from Saturday, the cauldron attached to a balloon will fly more than 60 meters (197 feet) above the Tuileries gardens near the glass pyramid entrance to the Louvre museum from sunset until 2 a.m.

During daytime hours, 10,000 people each day can get free tickets to approach the cauldron, which is the first in Olympic history to light up without the use of fossil fuels.

Organizers said the electric flame uses 40 LED spotlights “to illuminate the cloud created by 200 high-pressure misting nozzles.”