AL AIN: Qatar strode impressively into the knockout rounds of the Asian Cup on Sunday as the 2022 World Cup hosts handed North Korea a 6-0 thrashing, with striker Almoez Ali scoring a record-equalling four times for Felix Sanchez’s side.

The Al Duhail forward was in rampant form for the Qataris as he became only the fourth player in Asian Cup history to score four in a single game.

Ali helped himself against a poor North Korean side, who trailed from the ninth minute and were six goals down with a quarter of the game still to go.

Saudi Arabia, who beat Lebanon 2-0 on Saturday for their second straight victory, will join Qatar in the round of 16 from Group ‘E’. Amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries, Qatar and Saudi Arabia meet on Thursday in a game which will decide the group winner.

Four-time champions Japan and Uzbekistan also made the next round with a game to spare in Group ‘F’. Japan beat Oman 1-0 on Sunday and Uzbekistan routed Turkmenistan 4-0.

The top two teams in each group and the four best third-placed teams advance to the round of 16.

Ali put Qatar in command with goals in the ninth and 11th minutes before Boualem Khoukhi netted his side’s third from close range two minutes before the interval.

He completed his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half after latching on to Akram Afif’s through ball and slotting past Ri Myung Guk.

Five minutes later, the same pair combined again for Ali to notch his fourth before Asian Player of the Year Abdelkarim Hassan completed the rout with a fine solo goal midway through the second half.

In Abu Dhabi, Genki Haraguchi earned the penalty and then converted from the spot in the 28th minute for Japan as Hajime Moriyasu continued his unbeaten run since taking over as coach following the World Cup.

The result means Japan must beat Uzbekistan on Thursday to win Group ‘F’ after Hector Cuper’s team crushed neighbours Turkmenistan.

In the day’s late kickoff in Dubai, Eldor Shomurodov claimed two — in the 24th and 42nd minutes — while Javokhir Sidikov and Jaloliddin Masharipov were also on target in a clash of former Soviet republics.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2019