Group A: Winning starts for Vietnam, Singapore

Fri, 24 Jul, 2026

Group A: Winning starts for Vietnam, Singapore

Chonburi: Vietnam made a winning start to their defence of the ASEAN Championship title on Friday as Kim Sang-sik’s side handed Timor-Leste a 7-0 defeat in Group A in Chonburi while Singapore registered a last-gasp 2-1 win over Cambodia in Phnom Penh.

Nguyen Dinh Bac scored a hat-trick for the three-time champions while Do Hoang Hen struck twice and Nguyen Xuan Son was also on target before an own goal by Liam Farrugia completed the scoring.

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Asian Review: IR Iran

Fri, 24 Jul, 2026

Asian Review: IR Iran

Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Republic of Iran may not have progressed past the group stage but the Central Asian side showed tremendous resolve throughout what was a challenging FIFA World Cup 2026 for them.

Amir Ghalenoei's side missed out on a place in the knockout stage by the slimmest of margins but can hold their heads high after completing their campaign undefeated.

Asian Review: Iraq

Thu, 23 Jul, 2026

Asian Review: Iraq

Kuala Lumpur: Iraq knew from the start that their return to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 40 years would be a huge challenge.

Drawn in Group I, the West Asian side had France, Norway and Senegal to contend with and despite losing all three matches, Graham Arnold was proud with the determination and grit shown by his players.

Japan 2026 Draw finalised

Fri, 24 Jul, 2026

Japan 2026 Draw finalised

Kuala Lumpur: Defending champions Korea Republic will face Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the Asian Games 2026 men’s tournament following the draw in Nagoya, Japan on Thursday.

The men's competition features 15 teams following Iraq's withdrawal, with the top two from each group advancing to the quarter-finals.

The women’s draw saw holders Japan drawn alongside Chinese Taipei, Vietnam and Thailand.

Moriyasu to stay on for Saudi Arabia 2027, to be replaced by Oiwa

Thu, 23 Jul, 2026

Moriyasu to stay on for Saudi Arabia 2027, to be replaced by Oiwa

Kuala Lumpur: Hajime Moriyasu will remain as Japan head coach until the conclusion of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ when he will be replaced by current Olympic team coach Go Oiwa, the Japan Football Association announced on Thursday.

Moriyasu will make a third attempt to lead Japan to the continental title at the Finals in Saudi Arabia in January and February after securing a runners-up finish in 2019 and exiting the competition in the quarter-finals in 2023.

He will then stand down from the post he has held since 2018, when he replaced Akira Nishino as Japan head coach in the aftermath of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Finals in Russia.

Koln snap up Okon-Engstler, Dahal joins Al Hilal

Fri, 24 Jul, 2026

Koln snap up Okon-Engstler, Dahal joins Al Hilal

Kuala Lumpur: Australian international Paul Okon-Engstler secured a move to German Bundesliga club FC Koln on a four-year deal on Thursday.

Four-time Asian champions Al Hilal SFC, meanwhile, have inked a deal with rising talent Sabri Dahal, signing the youngster from fellow Saudi Pro League, Al Fayha.