Asian Cup 2019: Match previews for 8 games

Following continental football and the group stage of the 2019 Asian Cup, it's noticeable that there are four matches with significant differences in strength. Barring any major surprises, Iran, China, South Korea, and host nation UAE are likely to advance. For the remaining four matches, the difference in strength is negligible, making it difficult to make an accurate prediction due to the balanced nature of the teams.

Two title contenders

Watching Oman struggle to win 3-1 against Turkmenistan, one can only appreciate the fighting spirit of the players. Relying solely on long balls will make it difficult to achieve anything against the Iranian players, who have an average height of 1.84m. Many football experts would vote for Iran to advance, as one of the two teams with a perfect record and no goals conceded in the group stage.

Who will win the trophy? Photo: AFC

Thailand and China are a mismatched pair. In their past 25 encounters, China has won 17 and lost only 5. In their two most recent friendly matches in 2014 and 2018, Thailand suffered defeats on both occasions. While the Chinese team at the 2019 Asian Cup isn't as strong as before, Thailand still doesn't seem to be a match for them.

With captain Son Heung-min in the UAE, the South Korean players have a good chance of defeating Bahrain. This title contender will have no difficulty neutralizing Bahrain's simple attacking play. Meanwhile, the South Korean players are more creative in their attacking moves and always utilize their free-kick skills.

The UAE, playing at home, aren't significantly stronger than Kyrgyzstan, but the home advantage will help them advance to the next round. Kyrgyzstan's lack of sharp strikers means the UAE can avoid defeat; if they play a more open game, the UAE will inevitably score.

Of these four matches, Iran and South Korea are considered the favorites to win. It is highly likely that Iran's next opponents before the final will be China and Japan.

Unpredictable

The Qatar-Iraq match is the most unpredictable, because even though Qatar has won all their matches, hasn't conceded a single goal, and boasts Almoez Ali, the tournament's top scorer with 7 goals in 3 games, their opponent is Iraq. These two teams have faced each other many times in history; they are familiar with each other's playing style, and experience is a valuable asset that Iraq possesses.

Defending champions Australia have made things difficult for themselves by finishing second in Group B. Therefore, Uzbekistan is an opponent they absolutely do not want to face at this moment. Uzbekistan's 23-year-old striker Eldor Shomurodov, with 4 goals and 4 assists, is a player Australia must be wary of if they don't want to pack their bags and head home.

Japan are contenders for the championship, but that doesn't mean they chose a rather hesitant approach from the early rounds. Saudi Arabia was the "test" for the ambitions of the team from the Land of the Rising Sun. Despite winning all three group stage matches, it seemed that coach Hajime Moriyasu was holding back; they didn't play as brilliantly as South Korea and Qatar. Only when they needed a win, after falling behind to Uzbekistan, did the Japanese players show their true strength.

Asian Cup 2019 draw. Photo: AFC

It's hard to say which team, Japan or Saudi Arabia, will win. All we know is that the winner will face the winner of the Vietnam vs. Jordan match and will have the best chance of advancing among the four remaining matches.

As Vietnamese, everyone wants Jordan to lose. Compared to Vietnam, Jordan has far more experience in this arena. In 2004, Jordan qualified for the Asian Cup finals for the first time. In the tournament held in China that year, they surprised everyone by reaching the quarter-finals. At the 2011 Asian Cup, they achieved a similar feat by drawing with Japan and then defeating Saudi Arabia and Syria.

However, in the 2015 tournament, Jordan performed poorly and were eliminated in the group stage. Vietnam has drawn twice with Jordan in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers. Therefore, we have reason to believe in a victory against Jordan, although it will be very difficult.