Both sides booked their place in the Round of 16 after wins over Yemen and Vietnam, with Iran currently ahead on goal difference.

Iraq have also been impressive, coming back from a goal down twice to beat Vietnam 3-2 in their group opener, before confirming their spot in the knockout phase with an emphatic 3-0 win over Yemen.

The East Asian sides go into the clash with perfect records, having beaten Kyrgyz Republic and Philippines in their earlier matches, and a draw would mean China PR topping the group on goal difference.

Both nations are likely to rotate their teams with the knockout stage looming but the aim, said China PR head coach Marcello Lippi and Paulo Bento - his Korea Republic counterpart - will still be to win.

Chanathip has just completed an impressive first season in the J.League with Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and, with the Thais highlighting their qualities with their performances in the United Arab Emirates, the playmaker believes it is time for others to follow his lead.

“Now I want to thank my coach, Mihailo Petrovic, in Sapporo and the other players,” said the 25-year-old. “I’ve really improved and I’m proud of myself. Now I’m proud of my team and my country and we are going through to the Round of 16.

Bahrain dominated the match from the start but failed to find the net going into the break at the Sharjah Stadium. But a late penalty strike from Jamal Rashed and with the United Arab Emirates-Thailand tie ending 1-1, the outcome was in Soukup’s side’s favour.

Bahrain leap-frogged Stephen Constantine’s India to claim third place on four points, confirming them as one of the best four third-placed teams who will advance to the Round of 16.

India needed just a draw from their Group A encounter to advance to the knockout rounds for the first time and as the game entered its final minutes, they appeared to have done enough, but Pronay Halder then upended Hamed Alshamsen in the penalty area and Rashed made no mistake from the spot to send India crashing out.

The defeat brought an end to a promising campaign which has seen the South Asians claim a hugely impressive 4-1 opening-day win over Thailand and then prove more than a match for the United Arab Emirates.

Ultimately, though, in the most compact group of the competition, they fell just short, finishing two points adrift of table-toppers UAE and just one behind Thailand and Bahrain, who both progressed to the next stage.

Goals from Javokhir Sidikov and Jaloliddin Masharipov, as well as a brace from Eldor Shomurodov in the first half, secured the Central Asians a 4-0 win over Turkmenistan on Sunday to send them to the top of the Group F standings on six points.

Up next for Uzbekistan are four-time champions Japan, also on six points, in a top-of the-table clash on Thursday to decide the group winners.

Genki Haraguchi’s first-half penalty helped the Samurai Blue seal a narrow 1-0 win over Oman on Sunday, a result which – along with Uzbekistan’s subsequent defeat of Turkmenistan – saw Japan go through to the Round of 16.

Although happy with his side’s progress thus far, the former Sanfrecce Hiroshima boss was quick to add that there are other nations emerging who he feels also have the potential to become champions of Asia.