Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Qatar suffered a minor setback in their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 after falling to a 1-0 defeat to Algeria at the Khalifa International Stadium, while India and Oman played to a goalless draw on Thursday.
QATAR 0-1 ALGERIA
Doha: Drawn in Group E in the Continental showpiece, Qatar had enjoyed an undefeated streak since their win over Switzerland in November which was put to a halt by a Baghdad Bounedjah goal in the 57th minute.
Felix Sanchez's side will have one more friendly with Islamic Republic of Iran on New Year's Eve before heading to the UAE to open their campaign against Lebanon at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium on January 9.
They will play DPR Korea and Saudi Arabia on January 13 and 17 respectively.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: With just nine days to go to the greatest AFC Asian Cup in history, the largest-ever cast of 24 teams have announced their final list of 23 players as the attention of the footballing world shifts to the United Arab Emirates.
Football fans from across the globe will feast their eyes on the abundance of talent from the 552 players selected and leading the way is none other than Uzbekistan’s Ignatiy Nesterov who is in line to join an exclusive elite group to feature in a record fifth AFC Asian Cup tournament.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Young Palestine player Mohammed Basim Rashid is hoping his skills will not go unnoticed at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 so that he can grab a professional contract with a top club in the region.
The central midfielder was in an upbeat mood as he spoke to the-AFC.com on Palestine’s chances in the Continental showpiece, saying they aim to create a flutter or two in the UAE.
“We are a highly motivated team who will spare no effort to show we belong in the Asian Cup. We are not playing in the tournament just to make up the numbers,” Basim said during an exclusive interview at his team hotel in Doha where Palestine are preparing for the event.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: The last time the AFC Asian Cup was played in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia arrived in Abu Dhabi with their chances being written off.
A disappointing Gulf Cup performance saw head coach Ze Mario replaced with Nelo Vingada as expectations plummeted. Three weeks later, the trophy was heading back to Riyadh.
The mood was downbeat and the hopes low when Nelo Vingada led his team off the flight from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi in the days leading up to start of the 11th edition of the AFC Asian Cup.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Mirlan Murzaev is hoping the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will put Kyrgyz Republic on the international football map as the Central Asians head to their first-ever Continental championship.
The 28-year-old forward has a key role to play in the team and is aware of his responsibilities as Kyrgyz football fans warm up to the game of football, which didn’t enjoy much traction in the country until a few years ago.
Kyrgyz Republic became independent after the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991 and played their first international match in history against Uzbekistan a year later, losing 3-0.
They did not qualify for the AFC Asian Cup in five previous attempts, eventually breaking the jinx this time and raising expectations in his country.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Saudi Arabia are exactly where head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi wants them to be at this stage of their preparation for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019.
With just 11 days to go before the Continental showpiece kicks off, Pizzi said the players selected are the best to carry Saudi Arabia's challenge in UAE 2019.
"We have been watching and evaluating the performance of each player with his club and we examined all possibilities as to what they can provide to the team.
"We also took into consideration whether they participated in previous training camps and know the way the technical staff work," said Pizzi to the Saudi Arabian Football Federation website.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Abu Dhabi: Former head coach Jorn Andersen has backed DPR Korea to secure a place in the knockout stage of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 next month despite being drawn in Group E that also features Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Lebanon.
Andersen was at the helm of the team as they secured their berth at the Finals with a 2-0 victory over Hong Kong in Pyongyang in March before standing down to eventually join K League side Incheon United.
The former Norway international striker has since been replaced by Kim Yong-jun, who will take the squad into the Finals, but Andersen is confident DPR Korea can progress to the knockout phase of the competition for the first time since 1980 as one of the qualifiers from Group E.