AFC and FIFA to decide on upcoming Asian Qualifiers

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

AFC and FIFA to decide on upcoming Asian Qualifiers

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) officials will meet with FIFA this week to discuss the status of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Asian Qualifiers scheduled for March and June 2020.

Due to the heightened health concerns and ever extending travel restrictions around the spreading of COVID-19, the AFC has been pro-active in tackling an unprecedented situation and had preliminary discussions with some East Zone Member Associations in Kuala Lumpur.

Stimac calls up 43 players as India eye Qatar tie

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Stimac calls up 43 players as India eye Qatar tie

New Delhi: Head coach Igor Stimac has called up 43 players for a training camp ahead of India resuming their Asian Qualifiers campaign.

Stimac wants to observe as many players of possible before India take on Qatar in Group E of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Asian Qualifiers.

Adnan: Iraq’s World Cup moment has arrived

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Adnan: Iraq’s World Cup moment has arrived

Baghdad: Ali Adnan wasn’t even born when Iraq last reached the FIFA World Cup. But he was very much alive, and brimming with life, when the Lions of Mesopotamia famously brought home the AFC Asian Cup in 2007.

“I was 13 then – still just a kid – and I remember being out with my friends, dancing on the streets until the morning,” he told FIFA.com.

“Everyone knows that Iraqis haven’t had it easy in recent times and, at that point, people were usually scared to go out at night. But when we won the Asian Cup, everyone went out on the streets – and it felt like everyone stuck together more after that point. It really meant a lot. The people back home all still talk about that team now.”

China PR to play next month’s Asian Qualifiers matches in Thailand

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

China PR to play next month’s Asian Qualifiers matches in Thailand

Kuala Lumpur: The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), in consultation with FIFA, has approved China PR’s request to play their upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Asian Qualifiers at a neutral venue.

Due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, China PR are unable to play in the People’s Republic and instead will now play their home match against Maldives on March 26, 2020 at the Chang Arena, Buriram in Thailand.

In addition, the Guam FA has agreed that its home tie against China PR on March 31 will also be staged at the same venue.

Experimental Uzbekistan beaten by Belarus

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Experimental Uzbekistan beaten by Belarus

Sharjah: A severely depleted Uzbekistan line-up fell to a 1-0 loss against Belarus in an international friendly at Sharjah’s Al Hamriyah Stadium on Sunday.

Vadim Abramov’s experimental side were undone by Pavel Nekhaychik’s first half goal, which consigned the White Wolves to a defeat in their opening senior fixture of 2020.

Skocic determined to get IR Iran's campaign back on track

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Skocic determined to get IR Iran's campaign back on track

Tehran: Dragan Skocic has promised to revive Islamic Republic of Iran's Asian Qualifiers campaign for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.

Iran's campaign suffered a setback when Team Melli lost back-to-back matches to Bahrain and Iraq, leaving them third in the Group C standings, although they have a match in hand.

Rising Tien Linh eyes big things with Vietnam

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Rising Tien Linh eyes big things with Vietnam

Hanoi: Twenty two-years-old. Dauntless. Having scored two goals in his FIFA World Cup qualifying debut, this was how Vietnam striker Nguyen Tien Linh impressed the media and fans alike in Asia's qualifying for Qatar 2022.

The Becamex Binh Duong forward failed to find the back of the net in Vietnam's goalless draw against Thailand in the opener, but he showed a glimpse of his genius when he was on target in their 3-1 victory in Indonesia.

Then came his finest moment of the qualifying campaign thus far: he scored the lone goal against United Arab Emirates with the victory moving Vietnam to the top of Group G of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, a group many anticipated to be tricky and too tough to call.