Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Lebanon qualified for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time after playing in the 2000 edition as the host country. And Hassan Maatouk’s contribution has been crucial to their success.
Despite boasting a host of foreign-based players, Maatouk, who returned to Lebanon after six years in UAE football, remains Lebanon’s talisman. He helped the Cedars qualify for UAE 2019 with five goals in six matches.
Nationality: Lebanon
Date of birth: 08/10/1987
Position: Forward
Current club: Nejmeh SC (Lebanon)
Previous clubs: Al Ahed (Lebanon), Ajman, Al Shaab, Fujairah (All UAE)
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hassan_maatouk_1.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hassan-maatouk_22_aacq_afp_jpg.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Syria lured Bernd Stange out of retirement to take the helm of their squad for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, but the veteran German coach is confident the side that narrowly missed out on a place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia can succeed no matter who is sitting on the sidelines.
Stange’s team have been drawn to face Australia – who ended Syria’s hopes of a debut World Cup appearance – Palestine and Jordan in Group B of the 2019 edition of the Continental showpiece, with the Syrians kicking off their campaign against the Palestinians in Sharjah on January 6.
And as they seek to build on the performances that took the country into the play-off phase of qualifying for Russia 2018, Stange stresses the desire to succeed comes from within the playing group.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With less than a month to go until the 2019 AFC Asian Cup gets underway, the-AFC.com roams social media to see what the continent's stars have been up to.
New deals, team and individual honours and fantasy football, all feature in the second instalment of our weekly AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 social wrap.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tashkent: Despite disappointing results from their recent training camp in Australia, Uzbekistan coach Hector Cuper still believes the White Wolves can go all the way at AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019
On paper, a 4-0 defeat against Korea Republic and a goalless draw with Lebanon last month in Australia does not look the best preparation for Uzbekistan's AFC Asian Cup next campaign.
However, coach Cuper insists there are still positives to be taken from the training camp and remains convinced the Central Asians have what it takes to challenge the best the continent has to offer.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: After a stellar 2018 AFC Cup campaign, Musa Al Taamari made the switch to Cyprus. In January, he could be Jordan's only Europe-based player.
Having reached the quarter-finals in two of their previous three AFC Asian Cup campaigns, Jordan have big hopes for the 2019 edition, and 20-year-old Al Taamari is the poster boy for the nation's ambitions.
Nationality: Jordan Date of birth: 10/06/1997 Position: Winger Current club: APOEL (Cyprus) Previous clubs: Al Jazeera, Shabab Al Ordon (both in Jordan)
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: It has been a mixed 12 months for Syria’s Omar Khribin, from losing the 2017 AFC Champions League final, to winning the AFC Player of the Year Award a few days later, to coming within a whisker of reaching the 2018 FIFA World Cup. His next challenge? The AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
Syria were very close to making the FIFA World Cup for the first time, but they fell in the Continental playoff, with Australia going on to become Asia's fifth representative in Russia 2018. A "golden generation" spearheaded by Khribin and his strike partner Omar Al Somah looks to make amends in UAE 2019.
Nationality: Syria
Date of birth: 15/01/1994
Position: Striker
Current club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Previous clubs: Al Wahda (Syria), Air Force Club, Al Mina’ (Iraq), Al Dhafra (UAE)
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Top scorer of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Ali Mabkhout has grown in importance for the host nation as they look to win their first ever title.
If Omar Abdulrahman was the poster boy for the United Arab Emirates’ success in reaching the AFC Asian Cup last time out in Australia, and finishing third, then Ali Mabkhout was the side’s most productive performer.
The Whites’ number 7 was the tournament’s top goalscorer in 2015, bagging five goals in six appearances, including the fastest ever goal in the history of the AFC Asian Cup, scored 14 seconds into the UAE’s group stage match against Bahrain.