Sport360's Asian Cup 2015 Awards

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  • Hosts Australia won the 2015 Asian Cup but there were plenty of other thrills and spills along the way.

    The 2015 Asian Cup is over and a good time was had by all, well, almost all. Sport360 were there taking you through all the action in January and it’s now time to dish out the awards and present the plaques.

    Best game: Iraq 3-3 Iran (7-6 on pens)

    This is easy. Really easy. The game was the kind of classic that every tournament needs, though doesn’t always get. There was everything – crazy red cards, great goals, fightbacks, more fightbacks, and then an epic extra time. If that wasn’t enough, the penalty shootout was unforgettable in its own right with Younis Mahmoud, that old fox, pulling out a Panenka when he had to score to keep his team alive (he had missed with his last two penalties too – one of which had been a Panenka) and that was that.

    Best goal: Sardar Azmoun for Iran vs Qatar

    The ‘Iranian Messi’ tag may be a little misleading but this 20 year-old striker has been exciting fans in his homeland for some time but against Qatar, he brought a whole continent to his feet and even those back in Doha could surely not fail to agree. With his back to goal at the edge of the area, the 20 year-old received the ball, produced the most divine turn seen on a football pitch since Dennis Bergkamp did his thing in Newcastle, and produced a fine finish. Simply exquisite.

    Best Haircut: Omar Abdulrahman

    Server Djeparov is always good value in the haircut stakes whether sporting a mullet, mohican or some old Greco-Roman classic style as he did in Australia but you literally can’t look past the UAE playmaker. His hairstyle may remind of David Luiz but the Brazilian defender wishes he has half the talent of the Al Ain icon. The hair just means you notice ‘Amoori’ a few seconds sooner than you otherwise would.

    Omar Abdulrahman: Same haircut but twice the talent of David Luiz.

    Best story: China’s help from a ball boy!

    China arrived without much fanfare but performed well and well above expectations by winning all three group games to earn a quarterfinal with the hosts that proved to be a little too much. Yet by that time, Alain Perrin’s men had a special place in Aussie hearts thanks to goalkeeper Wang Dalei. Facing a first game penalty against Saudi Arabia, Wang asked Stephan White, a ballboy behind the goal, which way he should dive. White said left, Wang went left and the rest is history. The 12 year-old became a lucky mascot for the team and a mini-celebrity in China.

    Best fans: Iran

    This is a tough one. South Korean supporters never stopped singing with Iraq and Palestinian followers doing their teams proud too. But it has to be Iran. Followers of Team Melli made some serious noise and brought some serious colour to the stadiums they appeared in. They came in numbers and they left with admiration and respect.

    Best player: Omar Abdulrahman

    UAE’s star man returns to the stage for a second prize. Prior to the tournament there was no doubt as to whether the Al Ain mischief-maker could be the best in Australia. And so he proved. At times, he was mesmerising: producing mouth-watering assists here, defensive-splitting passes there and little turns and tricks everywhere else. Asia has a star that can make the whole world sit up.

    Saddest moment: Cha Du-Ri’s departure

    The South Korea right-back, the team’s last connection to the famed 2002 World Cup semifinalists, was immense in the tournament, where his exhilarating runs became a regular feature. He couldn’t quite lift his team to top spot but he steps down with his reputation never higher.

    Best/worse referee blunder: Ben Williams

    The Australian changed the quarterfinal between Iran and Iraq as with Iran a goal to the good, he somehow decided to show Mehrdad Pooladi a second yellow card, after seemingly forgetting that he had already booked him. Fellow Aussies with the same name on Twitter and Facebook suddenly found themselves with a lot more followers, friend requests and abuse. Carlos Querioz had complained about him during the group stage but it was nothing to how Iran’s Portuguese boss felt after this Canberra clash.

    Best feel-good moment: Palestine’s first goal.

    Apart from FIFA, boss Sepp Blatter getting roundly booed in the final in Sydney, Palestine’s goal was a real highlight. Appearing in their first ever tournament, Palestine were never going to avoid being patronised at least a little. ‘Happy just to be here’ was a constant refrain for the West Asians. An opening game clash with Japan was a little cruel and ended 4-0 but to be losing 5-0 to Jordan in the second game was not in the script. But then up popped Jaka Ihbeisheh to score his team’s first, and to date, only, goal at the Asian Cup. A 5-1 loss, but the whole stadium in Melbourne was on its feet.

    Bitterest/Sweetest Moment: Kruse’s cruel blow

    Australia’s Robbie Kruse had a fine tournament yet a serious Achilles heel injury sustained in the final means that he will likely be out of action for some time. The sight of the Bayer Leverkusen man on crutches as he received his winners’ medal shows that football can be a capricious mistress.

    Biggest shock: UAE eliminating the reigning champions

    In truth, while the tournament had plenty, it did lack a little in the shock stakes. Pretty much the teams you expected to get through the group stage did. China may be able to be classed as a surprise but even if this is the case, it was not a big one. So United Arab Emirates taking the game to Japan early and then frustrating the Samurai Blue after that to win via a penalty shootout was as big a shock as we got.

    Best with the media: Mahdi Ali

    South Korea’s Uli Steilike impressed with his honesty and answers but there was a sense with UAE coach Ali that he was really enjoying himself in his dealings with the media. Such events can be dull but Ali never stopped talking, smiling and laughing and won over the international press with his bright personality.

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