Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: On a busy night of action for Asian national sides, several AFC Asian Cup 2019 UAE qualifiers were in action on Thursday in preparation for the Continental showpiece on January 5-February 1.
Thailand and Syria recorded wins, the United Arab Emirates played to a draw against Honduras while Bahrain, Iraq and Lebanon suffered defeats.
Barcelona: The United Arab Emirates, aiming to impress on home soil, secured a 1-1 draw with Honduras with talisman Omar Abdulrahman's 32nd minute strike giving them a share of the spoils at the Estadio Olimpico de Montjuic in Barcelona.
Honduras had taken an 18th minute lead through Romell Quioto, who scored with a right-footed shot from close range to the top right corner of the UAE net.
UAE fought back and were rewarded when Abdulrahman found the back of the net with a right-footed effort after receiving the ball from Ismaeil Matar.
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Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: We are three months away from January's AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019, and the-AFC.com continues its series of articles to determine your all-time best AFC Asian Cup side.
In the past few weeks you have been voting for the best forwards and midfielders, and now it's time to turn our attention to defenders.
So, here are eight candidates for the spots at the backline. Review the nominees and then choose your favourite defenders for this all-star XI in the poll below.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: He may be one of the most experienced players in the current Socceroos squad but goalkeeper Brad Jones is excited by the pool of young talent coming through to shape a new era for the team.
Since taking the reins of the national team after June’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, coach Graham Arnold has called a cluster of youngsters into his training camps in both Turkey last month and now in Dubai.
And there could be as many as four debutants in Monday's friendly against Kuwait, with the likes of Awer Mabil, Denis Genreau, Thomas Deng and Kenny Dougall all pushing for selection.
A stalwart of the Australian team, Jones admits the injection of fresh faces proves the depth in the Australian national team is improving all the time.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Hong Kong: Thailand coach Milovan Rajevac insists the aim is to make history at AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 ahead of Thursday's friendly against Hong Kong.
Without Japan and Europe-based stars Chanathip Songkrasin, Teerasil Dangda, Theerathon Bunmathan and Kawin Thamsatchanan, Thailand will have a new-look side when they face Hong Kong on October 11 and Trinidad and Tobago on October 14.
However, coach Rajevac (below) is convinced the games will serve as vital build-up for the War Elephants, with important challenges to come in the months ahead with the 2018 AFF Championship and AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 looming large.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Paju: Korea Republic's national football team head coach Paulo Bento is on a mission to find and fix problems ahead of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
Bento's side assembled at the National Football Center (NFC) in Paju, north of Seoul, on Monday to prepare for friendlies against on Uruguay in Seoul on Friday and Panama in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, four days later.
Korea Republic had a 2-0 win against Costa Rica and played to a goalless draw against Chile last month. Before competing at the AFC Asian Cup UAE in January, Bento said his goal is to identify problems and improve the team's shortcomings.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
New Delhi: 13 U-23 players who were part of the Indian squad that emerged runners-up in the SAFF Cup 2018 last month have been called up by national coach Stephen Constantine for a training camp in New Delhi as part of the senior national team’s preparation for the friendly against China PR.
India, who are preparing for the AFC Asian Cup 2019 UAE, will play China PR on October 13 at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium.
The 29-member squad will assemble in New Delhi on Monday for the two-day camp before they leave for China PR on Wednesday.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Carlos Quieroz admits winning the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will be a tough challenge but the Islamic Republic of Iran head coach has vowed his team will be ready.
Iran won the last of their titles in 1976 and Quieroz said this is a wait that must end.
“My responsibility as a coach is to lead my team to our target. Our biggest challenge in the UAE is winning the title. We’ve not won the title since 1976,” the former Real Madrid coach said to the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran website.
Iran are in Group D alongside Iraq, Vietnam and Yemen and their first target will be to navigate into the knockout stage in UAE 2019 on January 5-February 1.