DOHA: Uzbekistan and Japan will face each other in the final of the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup after beating Indonesia and Iraq in their respective semifinals in Qatar on Monday.

The results mean both countries also qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Indonesia and Iraq will contest third place, with the winner also booking their spot at the Games. The loser will have a final chance to qualify in a game against an African federation team.

In the first semifinal at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Uzbekistan took the lead after 68 minutes, thanks to Khusayin Norchaev. Their victory was sealed by an own goal by Pratama Arhan in the 86th minute.

Later in the evening at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Al-Rayyan, Japan beat Iraq — the last Arabian team standing — 2-0 with goals from Mao Hosoya (28 minutes) and Ryataro Araki (42).

The current holders of the trophy, Saudi Arabia, exited the competition at the quarterfinal stage following a 2-0 loss to Uzbekistan.

The final between Uzbekistan and Japan is set to take place on Friday at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.

VALENCIA: At international and club level, the past few years have been pretty memorable for Valencia and Morocco star Selim Amallah.

The 27-year-old joined the La Liga team on loan from Segunda Division club Real Valladolid in the summer of 2023, having been part of the Moroccan squad that reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

On Monday night the Belgian-born midfielder will be part of the Valencia team, currently eighth in La Liga and led by club legend Ruben Baraja, that will take on Barcelona at Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys.

Amallah is delighted with the way things have worked out for him.

“I’m thrilled to be playing in Spain because it’s one of the best leagues globally,” Amallah, fresh from a practice session at Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna, Valencia’s state-of-the-art training complex, told Arab News.

“It’s a league I wanted to play in and I've succeeded,” he said. “I anticipated more playing time initially,” he added. “I recognize the invaluable learning experience this season has offered. Frankly, I’m very happy to be here.”

While historically many players from North Africa have thrived in La Liga and other European leagues, very few from the Middle East or Gulf states have even attempted to make that leap.

Amallah feels more Arab players should make that move, not just to experience new sporting challenges and cultures, but primarily to succeed as professionals on the pitch.

“Yes, of course, I believe making history in a championship or for your country is something you aspire to achieve, and it’s one of my goals,” he said.

Without question the highlight of Ramallah’s career to date was Morocco’s incredible march to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Along the way, the Atlas Lions defeated Spain and Portugal, before losing out to France, who were defending world champions.

“It was truly incredible,” said Amallah. “These are memories that I believe will last forever. None of us expected to reach such a remarkable level. We also demonstrated that Moroccan players and our clubs can compete at the highest levels of football. We take immense pride in representing our country.”

Part of the experience in Qatar was the overwhelming support that teams from Arab countries received, with members of various communities uniting to support the regional teams.

“It was an immense source of pride, as our support extended beyond just the Moroccan people to encompass all Muslim communities,” said Amallah. “We took great pride in demonstrating the significant presence of Muslims in football, proving our ability to not only inspire pride among Moroccans but also among the entire Arab and African world through our dedication on the field.”

After the euphoria of Qatar 2022, there was more good news for Morocco when the country was named co-host of the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.

But before the football world showpiece, Amallah said that he and his colleagues will be eyeing more success on the pitch.

“I believe there’s still more for us to prove and demonstrate that Morocco remains a force to be reckoned with,” he said. “We have an exceptional team with talented players, and while the expectations may have risen, we’re determined to rise to the occasion and give our all to represent our country.”