IR Iran's response makes Abdi proud

Fri, 23 Jun, 2023

IR Iran's response makes Abdi proud

Pathum Thani: Their morale might have been dampened after a draw in their previous match against Qatar, but Islamic Republic of Iran responded with a stellar showing in their final AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023 Group B clash against Korea Republic.

Two quick-fire goals in the first half saw them win 2-0 at the Pathum Thani Stadium on Thursday and qualify as group winners for the knockout stage - their eighth time in 12 appearances and first since 2016, where they went on to finish as runners-up.
 
IR Iran will meet Yemen in the quarter-finals while Korea Republic will face Thailand.

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Alharbi: Saudi Arabia squad now at desired level

Fri, 23 Jun, 2023

Alharbi: Saudi Arabia squad now at desired level

Chonburi: : Saudi Arabia topped Group C of the AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023 with a perfect record, but head coach Abdulwahab Nasser Alharbi was more pleased that he was afforded the luxury of rotating his players.

The two-time AFC U16 Championship winners scored seven goals and conceded none on route to topping their group. Qualifying for the knockout stage after their second match against Australia enabled Alharbi to give several players their chance in the starting lineup.

Maloney praises Australia’s mindset

Fri, 23 Jun, 2023

Maloney praises Australia’s mindset

Bangkok: Australia head coach Brad Maloney hailed his players' fighting mentality after defeating Tajikistan 2-0 in their final Group C game at the AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023 on Thursday.

Daniel Bennie broke the stalemate just after the hour-mark before Nathan Amanatidis sealed the win in the final minutes to seal Australia’s place in the knockout stage.
 
The Joeys finished on six points,  behind Saudi Arabia who stayed perfect after their 3-0 defeat of China PR. Australia will play the Group D winners in the quarter-finals.

Afghanistan's Zada, Qatar's Shafie confident experience will benefit players

Fri, 23 Jun, 2023

Afghanistan's Zada, Qatar's Shafie confident experience will benefit players

Bangkok: As Afghanistan savoured their 2-1 defeat of Qatar in their final AFC U17 Asian Cup™ Thailand 2023 Group B tie on Thursday, head coach Mohammad Yosuf Mohandis Zada was full of praise after his team collected their first ever win in the tournament’s history.

Barring Afghanistan, the other three teams in the group were former champions and Zada believes that their stay in the competition could have been longer had they gotten more time to prepare to take on the heavyweights.

Five things we learned from the international break

Thu, 22 Jun, 2023

Five things we learned from the international break

Riyadh: With just six months left until the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, national teams across Asia continued their preparations for the continental tournament with friendly matches and regional tournaments keeping the players busy at the end of a long club season.

The 10-day window saw Australia lose to world champions Argentina, while managerless Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates did not make any appearances this window. The-AFC.com looks at five things we learned from Asia’s top sides over the international break.

J1 League: Mid-Season Review

Fri, 23 Jun, 2023

J1 League: Mid-Season Review

Tokyo: There has been no shortage of drama during the 2023 J1 League season since it kicked off in February and it promises even more thrills and spills as the competition enters the second half of the campaign with clubs battling for places up and down the table. 

Reigning champions Yokohama F. Marinos find themselves at the top of the standings at the halfway point, while there looks like being a strong title challenge from Vissel Kobe who have been in the driver’s seat for much of the season and can still go top if they win their game in hand. 
 
As the Japanese top flight returns to action this week, the-AFC.com takes a look at how the 2023 J1 League has panned out over the last four months and highlights what to look out for in the remainder of a thrilling season in Japan.