As group winners, Iran will play the third-placed team from either Group B, E or F in Abu Dhabi’s Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Sunday, while runners-up Iraq will face the winners of Group E - either Saudi Arabia or Qatar - in Al Nahyan Stadium on Tuesday.

Carlos Queiroz made four changes to Iran’s starting lineup, with Alireza Jahanbakhsh - who had missed the opening two fixtures - being given a chance to play before a packed Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.

With both teams already through to the competition’s knockout phase, Son, who arrived in the Emirates earlier this week after being released by Tottenham Hotspur, captained the two-time champions of Asia as goals from Hwang Ui-jo and Kim Min-Jae saw the Taeguk Warriors set up a Round of 16 meeting against one of the best third-placed finishers from either Group A, B or F in Dubai next Tuesday.

After succumbing to their first defeat of the tournament, Marcello Lippi’s Chinese side finished second in the group and will now face Thailand in Al Ain on Sunday.

Lux scored once in the first half, and twice in the second to seal a historic, and crucial three points for Alexander Krestinin's side, who finished third in Group C behind Korea Republic and China PR.

The result, combined with Vietnam's 2-0 win over Yemen in Al Ain three hours later, means Kyrgyz Republic cannot be dislodged from their position as one of the four highest ranked third-place teams.

Both go into the match with a perfect record of two wins, with Qatar only needing a draw to win the group on goal difference.

The group winners will face the Group D runners-up, either Islamic Republic of Iran or Iraq, while the runners-up will go up against the top-placed team from Group F - either Japan or Uzbekistan.

Both coaches - Saudi Arabia's Juan Antonio Pizzi and Felix Sanchex of Qatar - were adamant that their teams would play to win.

Although both teams have yet to register a point after two rounds of matches, a win could see them qualifying as one of the best four third-placed teams.

DPR Korea have not made it past the group stage since finishing fourth in the 1980 edition while Lebanon’s previous appearance in the Continental showcase in 2000 as hosts ended in the group stage.

The two teams have guaranteed their places in the next phase of the competition after both sides posted wins over Turkmenistan and Oman, with the Uzbeks holding the advantage of a better goal-difference.

With the winners of Group F due to face either Saudi Arabia or Qatar in the Round of 16 and the runners-up slated to meet Australia, attention has been drawn towards the potential opposition in the next phase of the competition.

Having both suffered defeat at the hands of Japan and Uzbekistan in their opening two matches, the two sides know a win in their final Group F encounter is needed if they are to have hope of progression to the knockout stage, a feat neither side has managed in their previous appearances at the AFC Asian Cup.

With such high stakes, both coaches – Pim Verbeek and Yazguly Hojageldyyew – were keeping their cards close to their chest when it came to team selection, not wanting to give their opposition any advantage heading into the match.