Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: Korea Republic may have Son Heung-min available but China PR will not let that affect their focus when the two regional rivals meet in a winner-takes-all AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Group C clash at the Al Nahyan Stadium on Wednesday.
The East Asian sides go into the clash with perfect records, having beaten Kyrgyz Republic and Philippines in their earlier matches, and a draw would mean China PR topping the group on goal difference.
Both nations are likely to rotate their teams with the knockout stage looming but the aim, said China PR head coach Marcello Lippi and Paulo Bento - his Korea Republic counterpart - will still be to win.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Al Ain: Thailand’s qualification for the knockout stage of the AFC Asian Cup for the first time in 47 years has left Chanathip Songkrasin hoping more of his compatriots can follow his lead and take the opportunity to play overseas.
Chanathip has just completed an impressive first season in the J.League with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and, with the Thais highlighting their qualities with their performances in the United Arab Emirates, the playmaker believes it is time for others to follow his lead.
“Now I want to thank my coach, Mihailo Petrovic, in Sapporo and the other players,” said the 25-year-old. “I’ve really improved and I’m proud of myself. Now I’m proud of my team and my country and we are going through to the Round of 16.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sharjah: Bahrain were moments away from exiting the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 before an added-time penalty scored by Jamal Rashed gave them a 1-0 win over India to send them through to the knockout stage at the Sharjah Stadium on Monday.
Rashed cooly tucked home the spot-kick past goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu to send the Bahrain bench into a frenzy of celebrations.
Rashed, who plays for Bahraini Premier League side Al-Muharraq, said he’s grateful for the win and expressed gratitude to the fans who stayed to watch the team play till the very end.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sharjah: Sunil Chhetri has emphasised that India must keep improving after the Blue Tigers were eliminated from the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 in heartbreaking fashion following a stoppage-time penalty by Jamal Rashed that saw Bahrain secure a 1-0 win and a place in the next round.
India needed just a draw from their Group A encounter to advance to the knockout rounds for the first time and as the game entered its final minutes, they appeared to have done enough, but Pronay Halder then upended Hamed Alshamsen in the penalty area and Rashed made no mistake from the spot to send India crashing out.
The defeat brought an end to a promising campaign which has seen the South Asians claim a hugely impressive 4-1 opening-day win over Thailand and then prove more than a match for the United Arab Emirates.
Ultimately, though, in the most compact group of the competition, they fell just short, finishing two points adrift of table-toppers UAE and just one behind Thailand and Bahrain, who both progressed to the next stage.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Al Ain: Reigning AFC Player of the Year Abdelkarim Hassan is not expecting another easy ride at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 after helping Qatar brush aside DPR Korea in Al Ain on Sunday to move into pole position in Group E.
Hassan started the game after only featuring for the final 30 minutes of Qatar’s opening win against Lebanon and was among the scorers as Felix Sanchez’s side notched up a comfortable 6-0 victory over the east Asians.
Almoez Ali netted a record equalling four times while Boualem Khoukhi was also on the scoresheet as Qatar recorded their biggest-ever win at the AFC Asian Cup Finals, but with Saudi Arabia up next and then the Round of 16, Hassan knows the challenges ahead will be significantly greater.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: With Uzbekistan through to the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 knockout stage, head coach Hector Cuper is now targeting consistency from the White Wolves as they chase Continental glory.
Goals from Javokhir Sidikov and Jaloliddin Masharipov, as well as a brace from Eldor Shomurodov in the first half, secured the Central Asians a 4-0 win over Turkmenistan on Sunday to send them to the top of the Group F standings on six points.
Up next for Uzbekistan are four-time champions Japan, also on six points, in a top-of the-table clash on Thursday to decide the group winners.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu believes his side are just one of several teams who have what it takes to win the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 title.
Genki Haraguchi’s first-half penalty helped the Samurai Blue seal a narrow 1-0 win over Oman on Sunday, a result which – along with Uzbekistan’s subsequent defeat of Turkmenistan – saw Japan go through to the Round of 16.
Although happy with his side’s progress thus far, the former Sanfrecce Hiroshima boss was quick to add that there are other nations emerging who he feels also have the potential to become champions of Asia.