Football the focus for Qatar

Twenty-two sports may be on the schedule for Tuesday 12 December, but only one has truly been the hot topic of conversation across Doha and that is men's football thanks to the presence of hosts Qatar in the semifinals.

Qatar face two-time defending champions IR Iran in the second semifinal - their first ever at the Asian Games - in a 19:00 kick-off at Al-Sadd Sports Club before what is expected to be a passionate crowd.

If these flag-waving, drum-banging supporters can inspire Qatar to victory they will become the first hosts to reach an Asian Games final for 20 years, Korea having been the last in 1986 - and they went on to win the gold.

IR Iran will be no pushover, however, as they look to preserve a 15-match unbeaten run in the Games which stretches back to a 4-2 defeat by Oman in the 1998 Ganes in Bangkok.

China came close to ending that run in the quarterfinals, losing only 8-7 on penalties, but the Iranians remain on course to become the first to win three consecutive titles and will hope to better the 1-1 draw with Qatar in Busan.

The other semifinal, which has been switched from Al-Sadd to Al-Gharrafa Sports Club at 16:00, pits Korea - the only team yet to concede a goal - against Iraq, who are the only team from the qualifying round still in contention.

Iraq have reached the final only once before, in 1982 when they beat Kuwait in Delhi, while Korea have not made the gold medal match since their third and last success in 1986 on home soil in Seoul.

Iraq go into the encounter without striker Karrar Muhamed, who is suspended following his red card in their 2-1 extra-time defeat of Uzbekistan, in which he scored the first goal, so will instead rely on forward Younes Khalef.

Aside from the football there are many other sports worth watching, not least the final day of athletics at Khalifa Stadium where Olympic champion and world record holder Liu Xiang is expected to defend his title with ease in the men's 100m hurdles.

A trip to Al-Rayyan Sports Club is also a must with the women's volleyball final and men's hockey semifinals taking place in the evening.

Olympic champions China and Japan will face each other over the volleyball net in a repeat of the fifth place playoff at last month's World Championships in Japan, one the Chinese won 3-0.

Both nations also feature in the last four of the men's hockey as China face Pakistan in the first semifinal, followed swiftly by Japan taking on defending champions Korea at 20:00.

Only two sports are yet to get underway at the 15th Asian Games - karate and equestrian endurance - but the former starts at Qatar Sports Club Indoor Hall with the individual kata and kumite for both men and women.

Medals will also be handed out in archery, boxing, track cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, gymnastics trampoline and sailing on what promises to be an action-packed day at the Games of your Life.

15th Asian Games Doha 2006