The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, the biggest Asian soccer festival, kicked off in an upbeat mood. However, empty seats that were seen everywhere after the first half became a tinge of jade.
Qatar and Lebanon played their first Group A match of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, at 1 a.m. on the 13th (Korean time).
The match between the two teams was the official opening match of the tournament, with about 80,000 spectators visiting the stadium.
The figure was enough to quell concerns about the upcoming event. Until just before the opening of the Asian Games, there were few signs indicating the hosting of the Asian Games in Doha, Qatar.
A Korean resident in Qatar said, “During the 2022 World Cup, Qatar was very crowded with the hosting of the 2022 World Cup. However, we cannot feel the atmosphere ahead of the Asian Cup.”
However, the organizing committee said, “We will hold a successful Asian Cup. We will continue our experience of hosting the World Cup,” adding, “We are confident that the event will be held successfully by banking on the latest facilities including the newly built stadiums for the Qatar World Cup.”
Fortunately, the opening match attracted as many as 80,000 spectators, filling most of the 86,000 seats. The stadium was crowded with spectators four hours before the game started. On the way to the stadium, various performances were held, providing additional fun to the audience.
Many spectators visited the stadium, but no major accident occurred. Police controlled the streets from 4 kilometers away, and the crowd followed suit without much complaints. Thanks to this, spectators quickly filled the stands as they entered the stadium in an orderly fashion.
The packed audience enjoyed the opening ceremony and opening ceremony ahead of the game. After the game began, they cheered for the stadium by singing exciting songs and surfing the waves. They had a great time with colorful lighting and exciting music even during the half-time. 헤라카지노도메인
The opening ceremony, which seemed to end successfully, left a regret as the second half began.
After the end of the first half, a large number of spectators began to leave the stadium. As the second half began, empty seats were seen all over the stands. As time passed, the crowd continued to leave the stadium, leaving more empty seats, leaving a bitter feeling.
Meanwhile, Qatar, the host and defending champion, started the tournament in a good mood by beating Lebanon 3-0 with the unilateral support of the home crowd on their backs.