Europe Wrap: Eventful week for Japan’s best

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

Europe Wrap: Eventful week for Japan’s best

Kuala Lumpur: Japan striker Daizen Maeda netted his first goal in the English Premier League as the 28-year-old made his seventh start for Ipswich Town while international teammate Takefusa Kubo claimed his first La Liga strike of the season when he opened for Real Sociedad.

Samurai Blue midfielder Daichi Kamada secured his first Europa League goal for Crystal Palace in the same match that saw Lyon’s Japan striker Keito Nakamura assist twice, so follow the-AFC.com as we look at what Asia’s finest have been up to in Europe.

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Group F: Australia 1-1 Chile

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

Group F: Australia 1-1 Chile

Rabat: Australia and Chile battled to a hard-fought 1-1 draw in their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026 Group F opener on Monday.

Charlotte Bradshaw’s second-half equaliser cancelled out Kiara Concha’s opener as the Junior Matildas secured a share of the points.

Group E: Kenya 0-3 China PR

Tue, 20 Oct, 2026

Group E: Kenya 0-3 China PR

Rabat: Xu Xiaotang’s second half brace steered China PR to a 3-0 win against Kenya in their opening FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2026 Group E tie on Monday.

Xu Yue had given Ma Xiaoxu’s side the lead in the first half before Xiaotang scored twice in four second-half minutes to seal China PR’s victory, with Samoa next up for them on Thursday.

Player to watch: Nasser Al Gahwashi (YEM)

Sun, 18 Oct, 2026

Player to watch: Nasser Al Gahwashi (YEM)

Kuala Lumpur: Nasser Al Gahwashi has already delivered one of the defining moments in Yemen's journey to the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ and the influential midfielder will be looking to inspire the West Asian side to greater heights when they return to the continental stage.

A creative spark in midfield with an eye for goal, Al Gahwashi has established himself as one of Yemen's most important players, combining his technical ability with a knack for producing decisive contributions.

Player to watch: Nguyen Quang Hai (VIE)

Sat, 17 Oct, 2026

Player to watch: Nguyen Quang Hai (VIE)

Kuala Lumpur: Nguyen Quang Hai exploded onto the scene at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019™ and has firmly established himself as one of the foremost players to come out of Vietnam but not without its bumps and hurdles along the way.

At 20 years old, he had already scored his first senior international goal in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers in 2017 against Cambodia but it was the arrival of Park Hang-seo as head coach for both the Under-23s and full senior set-up that turned Quang Hai into a household name.

Player to watch: Fabio Lima (UAE)

Fri, 16 Oct, 2026

Player to watch: Fabio Lima (UAE)

Kuala Lumpur: Fabio Lima will aim to make use of an impressive scoring record and a wealth of domestic and international experience when the midfielder turns out for the United Arab Emirates at the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™.

The 33-year-old, who has established himself as one of the UAE Pro League's most prolific players, will undoubtedly play a key role in The Whites’ campaign as they seek to improve on their Round of 16 showing at Qatar 2023.