Cuper, 62, whose most recent job was with the Egyptian national team, told journalists in the capital Tashkent that Uzbekistan can be "a strong team in Asia" after he was greeted at the airport by dozens of boisterous fans.

Cuper's contract with the "White Wolves" as Uzbekistan's national team is known, runs three years with the possibility of a one-year extension which would take him beyond the 2022 World Cup in Qatar if triggered. 

His first major assignment will be the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 where Uzbekistan are in Group F with Japan, Oman and Turkmenistan.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) said the men's national football team will take on Costa Rica at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, north of Seoul, on September 7 and play Chile in Busan, 450 kilometres southeast of the capital, on September 11.

The friendlies will be Korea Republic's first two matches after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, where they suffered a group stage exit but scored a fantastic 2-0 win over 2014 champions Germany.

The friendlies are part of Korea Republic's preparations for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, where the East Asians are in Group C with China PR, Kyrgyz Republic and the Philippines.

The AFC Asian Cup buzz is in the air, tickets are on sale last week, and excitement has been building as 24 Asian nations prepare for the biggest competition in the continent. You, the fans, have been equally enthusiastic, raining in questions about the history of the tournament.

So here we are. A special edition round four of the Asian Football Trivia, all about the AFC Asian Cup. Remember to send us your questions for next week via our social media handles and don’t forget to include the hashtag #AskAFT. Enjoy!

As he turns 34 today, we celebrate the career of Sunil Chhetri, India’s most capped player and all-time top goalscorer.

After a record-setting group stage performance by Asian teams at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, the eyes of the football world now turn towards the UAE from January 5 – February 1, 2019.

The expanded competition, which is set to welcome an unprecedented 24 teams – eight more than the previous 2015 edition – will take place across eight world-class stadiums in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah, and promises to engage more fans than ever before in the biggest sporting event ever hosted in the region.

The glory of being champions, however, was not to be savoured at the end though as UAE lost 2-0 to eventual champions Australia in the semi-finals.

They recovered from their semi-final disappointment to defeat Iraq 3-2 to win the bronze with Salmeen eagerly cheering from the stands.

Four years later, the UAE will host the AFC Asian Cup 2019 with tickets for 51 matches in the 24-team tournament set to go on sale from Monday.

With tickets for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 set to go on sale on July 30, Salmeen shares his thoughts on his favourite team and the warmth and hospitality that awaits the best teams and their fans in the Continent's premier football tournament on January 5-February 1.

The 49-year-old Moriyasu, who in October took over as head coach of the Japanese men's team for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, fills the void left by Akira Nishino after the Samurai Blue's 2018 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 defeat by Belgium in Japan's sixth World Cup appearance.

Nishino took the reins following the dismissal of predecessor Vahid Halilhodzic in April, two months before the World Cup, and his brief run as Japan coach ended in July when his contract expired.

Moriyasu, who remains as the Under-21 Japan coach, pledged to bring new blood to the top national side.

"There will be generational changes. There will be integration of various generations of players," he told a press conference.