Preview - Group B: Australia v Japan

Thu, 24 Mar, 2022

Preview - Group B: Australia v Japan

Sydney: Australia will aim to shrug off several key absences when they face Japan in Thursday’s crucial AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar™ Matchday Nine clash at Stadium Australia.

Occupying third place in Group B, the Socceroos must win to keep their hopes of direct qualification for Qatar 2022 alive, with a defeat to condemn them to the relatively perilous path of playoffs.

www.the-afc.com/en/national/asian_qualifiers/video/asianqualifiers_-_group_b_|_australia_4_-_0_vietnam.html

www.the-afc.com/en/national/asian_qualifiers/video/asianqualifiers_-_group_b_|_japan_2_-_0_australia.html

AFC Asian Qualifiers: Five classic Australia v Japan encounters

Wed, 23 Mar, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers: Five classic Australia v Japan encounters

Sydney: The stakes could scarcely be higher when Australia and Japan meet in Thursday’s crucial AFC Asian Qualifiers-Road to Qatar™ clash and, for the last 15 years or so, that has been par for the course.

Ever since Australia became a part of the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, the two nations have been virtually inseparable, meeting in every FIFA World Cup™ qualification cycle and two blockbuster AFC Asian Cup™ clashes, including the 2011 final in Doha.
 
They don’t share a border, or a language, and they had only met a handful of times prior to the 1990s but the Socceroos and Samurai Blue have since developed one of the continent’s most compelling footballing rivalries, with almost every meeting between them coming at a crucial time, and invariably taking on blockbuster status.
 
Their next fixture comfortably fulfills those criteria.

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ in Numbers

Tue, 22 Mar, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ in Numbers

Kuala Lumpur: The final round of AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ is upon us with third place still to play for in Group A and two automatic tickets for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ up for grabs in Group B ahead of Matchdays Nine and Ten.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and Korea Republic have already progressed but will battle it out for top spot in Group A, where three teams are competing for the playoff berth in third place. In Group B, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia are all aiming to finish in the top two positions. 

It’s been a thrilling ride in the final round of AFC Asian Qualifiers to date, and we highlight some of the numbers that stand out.

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™: How Group A stands

Fri, 18 Mar, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™: How Group A stands

Kuala Lumpur: The AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ campaign has reached the home straight as the sides get set for their concluding Matchdays Nine and Ten encounters in the week ahead. 

In Group A, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Korea Republic have already guaranteed their progression and will now battle it out for the top spot. Below them, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Iraq remain in the mix for third place and the playoff ticket. 

With the upcoming games to be held on March 24 and March 29, the-AFC.com looks at how things stand ahead of the final two rounds of fixtures.

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™: How Group B stands

Fri, 18 Mar, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™: How Group B stands

Kuala Lumpur: It’s crunch time in Group B of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar™ campaign as three teams battle it out for two automatic qualification places at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. 

Saudi Arabia lead the way but Japan are hot on their heels while Australia – who still have to play the top two – remain firmly in the running as the group gets set for a thrilling finale.

With the Matchdays Nine and Ten fixtures to be played on March 24 and March 29, the-AFC.com looks at the state of play ahead of the final two rounds of fixtures.

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ - The Qualifiers So Far

Sat, 19 Mar, 2022

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ - The Qualifiers So Far

Kuala Lumpur: With 15 of the 32 berths at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ now filled, more than half of the tickets for November’s Finals still remain unclaimed with less than six months remaining until kick-off. 

That, though, will all change by the end of March with another 14 spots set to be filled in a qualifying frenzy as the countdown to the Finals intensifies.