Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sharjah: It was a different Japan who sealed their AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 berth with a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Monday.
Haijme Moriyasu’s team opted to play defensively and it was a move that paid off for the Samurai Blue as they kept their bid for a record-extending fifth Continental title on track.
Japan’s win came courtesy of Takehiro Tomiyasu’s header in the 20th minute but they found themselves defending for the major part of the match.
However, Moriyasu’s men held off the West Asians to earn a spot in the quarter-finals where they will face Park Hang-seo’s Vietnam on Thursday.
www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_asian_cup/video/match_highlights_-_january_21.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hajime_moriyasu-japan_2.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/saudi-sad.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sharjah: Japan stayed on track for a record-extending fifth title after defeating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in their AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Round of 16 tie at the Sharjah Stadium on Monday.
Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu's thumping header in the 20th minute set up an enticing encounter with Vietnam, who beat Jordan on penalties, in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Three-time champions Saudi Arabia dominated the tie but Juan Antonio Pizzi's men couldn't find a way past the resolute Japanese defence as the West Asians wait - their last title having been won in 1996 - continues.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Al Ain: Maty Ryan was the hero for Australia as the defending champions edged through to the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 on Monday evening with a 4-2 win over Uzbekistan in a penalty shootout.
Ryan kept out spot-kicks from Islom Tukhtakhujaev and Dostonbek Khamdamov to leave Mathew Leckie to score the winning penalty that took Graham Arnold’s side into the next round of the competition.
Neither side had been able to find the back of the net during the previous 120 minutes, leaving Ryan to provide the heroics for his team, who now face the United Arab Emirates - who defeated Kyrgyz Republic 3-2 in their last 16 tie - in the next round.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: Host nation the United Arab Emirates kept alive their AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 title ambitions on Monday, as an extra-time Ahmed Khalil penalty helped secure a hard-fought 3-2 win over Kyrgyz Republic and a place in the quarter-finals.
In truth, Alberto Zaccheroni’s side struggled for large periods of a game which saw Khalil’s success from 12 yards seal their progress only after Kyrgyz Republic had twice come from behind following Khamis Esmaeel’s early opener at Abu Dhabi's Zayed Sports City Stadium.
On a night when tournament debutants Kyrgyz Republic shone brightly, the UAE’s victory sets up a quarter-final showdown with Australia in Al Ain on Friday, and maintained Emirati hopes of claiming a first-ever Continental crown.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: Islamic Republic of Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand has revealed that striker Sardar Azmoun’s advice and a steely determination not to let his country down were behind his remarkable penalty save in Sunday’s Round of 16 win over Oman at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
After Azmoun had been caught on camera suggesting which way Beiranvand should dive, the Persepolis custodian’s outstretched right-hand repelled Ahmed Al Mahaijri’s spot-kick in the opening moments of the game which saw Team Melli go through to the quarter-finals.
Having already saved a penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo at last year’s FIFA World Cup, Beiranvand’s heroics in the United Arab Emirates only added to his burgeoning reputation, with the 26-year-old saying that his primary aim when facing Al Mahaijri was not to let his country down.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Al Ain: Marcello Lippi breathed a huge sigh of relief after China’s second half performance took them through to the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 as goals from Xiao Zhi and Gao Lin secured a 2-1 win over Thailand in Al Ain on Sunday evening.
Supachai Chaided had given the Thais the lead 14 minutes before the end of the first half, but a tactical switch at halftime followed by the introduction of Xiao in the 64th minute turned the game in China’s favour.
“I’m very satisfied,” said Lippi as the Chinese won their first game in the knockout phase of the AFC Asian Cup since the semi-finals of the 2004 tournament on home soil.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: Vietnam defender Bui Tien Dung revealed his delight at delivering the decisive spot-kick, as his side beat Jordan in a penalty shootout to advance to the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 quarter-finals to Sunday.
The dramatic shootout, which followed a spirited 1-1 draw over 120 minutes, included misses from both sides, but Tien Dung kept his composure to add the final touch to his country's first ever knockout stage win in the competition.
Remarkably, the 23-year-old's winner came exactly one year to the day he scored the conclusive penalty in Vietnam's 2018 AFC U-23 Championship quarter-final shootout win over Iraq; a key stepping stone on the way to ultimately reaching the final in China.