For Qatar, the win meant Qatar entered their first ever Asian Cup final for the first time. The win sent many Qataris into jubilant at home, as Qatar was seen more like a dark horse rather than a tournament's favorite. It was superseded when Qatar managed to outplay Japan in the emphatic 3–1 final victory to take home the country's first ever football honor. Qatar's victorious campaign further deepened the rivalry and tensions, as most Emirati newspapers struggled to provide a report about it.