Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tsuneyasu Miyamoto’s captaincy played a major role in Japan’s victory at the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China PR as the Samurai Blue overcame difficult conditions to lift the continental trophy for the third time in their history.
Defending champions Japan, taken to a penalty shootout by tournament debutants Jordan, were staring elimination squarely in the face. Shunsuke Nakamura and Alessandro Santos had missed Japan’s first two spot-kicks and elimination looked a distinct possibility.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: A cool January evening in Doha saw Japan lift their fourth AFC Asian Cup trophy after defeating Australia in extra time. Goalscorer Tadanari Lee remembers a historic moment for him and for the Samurai Blue.
Tadanari Lee may not have been the prolific goal scorer for Japan that Kunishige Kamamoto or Kazuyoshi Miura were, but having only registered two goals for his nation, he will always have a place in history books and in the memory of Japanese football fans.
The 2007 AFC Asian Cup was the first time the Samurai Blue failed to reach the final in two decades, so when the following edition rolled around, there was an unprecedented level of determination to make amends.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Sixteen Asian nations came together as a historic edition of the AFC Asian Cup kicked-off exactly 11 years ago. The-AFC.com takes a trip down memory lane to relive three weeks of thrilling action.
The 2007 edition was a historic one for a variety of reasons; four different nations (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam) co-hosted the AFC Asian Cup for the first and only time in the competition's history, as Australia joined the Asian Football Confederation and made their continental debut.
History was made in the final as we saw a seventh different nation crowned champions of Asia. An unfancied Iraq side beat the odds to win their maiden AFC Asian Cup title. The tournament also got its own official match ball for the first time ever with the introduction of the Nike Mercurial AC.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: In the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, to be the third highest scoring international footballer in the world is no mean feat, and for an Asian player to be within one goal of Messi’s 65 goals for a national team is a record our latest inductee to the “Asian Icons” list should be proud of.
As he turns 34 today, we celebrate the career of Sunil Chhetri, India’s most capped player and all-time top goalscorer.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: As tickets go on sale and momentum builds up towards UAE 2019, we have an AFC Asian Cup special in round four of the Asian Football Trivia.
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!
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tashkent: Former Valencia and Egypt boss Hector Cuper was unveiled as Uzbekistan's new football coach on Monday as the country sets its sights on a first-ever FIFA World Cup qualification.
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.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seoul: Korea Republic's upcoming friendly matches against Costa Rica and Chile will take place in Goyang and Busan respectively.
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.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Iraq defeated Palestine 3-0 in an international friendly on Saturday as both teams gear up for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
Some 2,000 people attended the match in Al Ram, where Raad Fanar bagged his first international goal with new Al Shorta signings Mustafa Nadhim and Mohammed Shokan adding two more goals via headers.
For the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the UAE next January, Palestine are drawn in Group B, alongside Australia, Syria and Jordan, while Iraq will look to continue their fine form as they go up against Islamic Republic of Iran, Vietnam and Yemen in Group D.
Photos: AFP