Asian Cup 2019: UAE fans throw shoes at Qatar players in humbling semi-final defeat
Qatar ran out dominant 4-0 winners of the match dubbed ‘El Gasico’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Asian Cup semi-final between the United Arab Emirates and Qatar was marred by unrest in the stands, as UAE supporters booed the Qatari national anthem and threw shoes at Qatar’s players.
Qatar ran out dominant 4-0 winners of the match dubbed ‘El Gasico’ between two Middle Eastern states at the heart of tension in the region.
Qatar fans were largely barred from the game in UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi due to the ongoing blockade against the country over allegations of supporting terrorism, something Doha denies.
The 42,000 inside the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium soon grew fustrated as their team fell behind, and video later emerged of supporters launching their sandals and plastic bottles at Qatari players as they celebrated their second goal of the evening.
The initial airborne volley appeared to miss its intended targets, but later a bottle struck Qatar defender Salem Al Hajri as he celebrated their third goal.
The 2022 World Cup hosts will take on Japan in the final in the Zayed Sports City stadium across the city on Friday.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments