AFC Asian Cup
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.
Red hot Japan the ones to beat
For the best part of the past three decades, Japan have been amongst the favourites going into every edition of the AFC Asian Cup, and June’s friendlies proved Qatar 2023 will be no different.
For the best part of the past three decades, Japan have been amongst the favourites going into every edition of the AFC Asian Cup, and June’s friendlies proved Qatar 2023 will be no different.
Hajime Moriyasu’s side bagged 10 goals and conceded just once in two statement victories over Latin American opponents El Salvador (6-0) and Peru (4-1).
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With Kaoru Mitoma continuing his rapid rise into a bonafide superstar for the Samurai Blue, coach Moriyasu finally making the most out of Takefusa Kubo’s talents, and Celtic trio Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi all impressing in their respective roles, Japan look closer to the final product than many of their primary rivals, six months ahead of the AFC Asian Cup kick-off in Doha.
Klinsmann’s Korea woes continue
Three months and four games since he sat on the Korea Republic dugout for the first time, German head coach Jurgen Klinsmann remains without a win to his name with the Taeguk Warriors. Against the same two opponents that Japan comfortably thrashed, their Westerly neighbours only managed a 1-1 draw against El Salvador and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Peru.
Three months and four games since he sat on the Korea Republic dugout for the first time, German head coach Jurgen Klinsmann remains without a win to his name with the Taeguk Warriors. Against the same two opponents that Japan comfortably thrashed, their Westerly neighbours only managed a 1-1 draw against El Salvador and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Peru.
Klinsmann was without the services of his star players Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae for the June double-header, but will be left with more questions than answers with the clock ticking down to Qatar 2023 where the Koreans dream of ending 63 years of hurt since their last continental title.
The two faces of Ghalenoei’s IR Iran
A full-strength IR Iran side predictably cruised to victory at the 2023 CAFA Nations Cup. In head coach Amir Ghalenoei’s second international window, his IR Iran side looked dominant in attack, with duo Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi combining to score 10 goals between them. The former scored four goals including the winner in the final, while latter bagged two hat-tricks to win the tournament’s top scorer and MVP award.
A full-strength IR Iran side predictably cruised to victory at the 2023 CAFA Nations Cup. In head coach Amir Ghalenoei’s second international window, his IR Iran side looked dominant in attack, with duo Sardar Azmoun and Mehdi Taremi combining to score 10 goals between them. The former scored four goals including the winner in the final, while latter bagged two hat-tricks to win the tournament’s top scorer and MVP award.
But it was at the back that Team Melli continued to struggle, failing to keep a clean sheet in any of their first five games under Ghalenoei. Conceding against Russia and Kenya back in March and continuing the trend against Afghanistan and Kyrgyz Republic this window, the Iranians will need to work on their defence, but perhaps the clean sheet in the 1-0 victory in the final against Uzbekistan could be a turning point.
Uzbekistan’s youth injection pays dividends
Weeks after returning from a positive participation at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina, duo Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Abdukhodir Khusanov were included in Srecko Katanec’s squad for the inaugural CAFA Nations Cup. The duo wasted no time in making their mark, with Khusanov earning a first start against Turkmenistan and Fayzullaev getting his maiden goal against Tajikistan.
Weeks after returning from a positive participation at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Argentina, duo Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Abdukhodir Khusanov were included in Srecko Katanec’s squad for the inaugural CAFA Nations Cup. The duo wasted no time in making their mark, with Khusanov earning a first start against Turkmenistan and Fayzullaev getting his maiden goal against Tajikistan.
With the likes of captain Eldor Shomurodov and Jaloliddin Masharipov at their peak, the U23 generation of Akmal Mozgovoy, Khojimat Erkinov and Ibrokhimkhalil Yuldoshev maturing into key players and the injection of young talent from the U20 side, Katanec has plenty of reasons for optimism, as evidenced by their run to the final of the tournament they hosted before a narrow 1-0 defeat to a star-studded IR Iran side denied them the trophy.
Queiroz’s Qatar revolution underway
While most players from the other Asian nations jet off for their holidays, the AFC Asian Cup reigning champions will continue a busy summer as they participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, their first tournament under head coach Carlos Queiroz.
While most players from the other Asian nations jet off for their holidays, the AFC Asian Cup reigning champions will continue a busy summer as they participate in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, their first tournament under head coach Carlos Queiroz.
The former IR Iran boss made wholesale changes to the squad that fell short in their home FIFA World Cup last year, with only three of the XI that started against Ecuador in the World Cup opener retaining a place in the squad. Two of the World Cup side; Homam Al Amin and Mohammed Muntari were on the scoresheet in Queiroz’s debut, a 2-1 win over Jamaica, but more details on Queiroz’s new-look side remain to be seen when they take on Mexico, Haiti and Honduras in their Gold Cup group later this month.
