A veteran at 36, it is 15 years since Shafi made his continental bow in China, where Jordan excelled to reach the last eight in their first appearance at the Finals, where they fell to eventual winners Japan on penalties.

Just like in 2004, Al-Nashama have flown through the group stage unbeaten and without conceding a goal in the current AFC Asian Cup, and, with a quarter-final place up for grabs once again, their experienced shot-stopper hopes that is not where the similarities will end.

Three-time champions Iran may be the favourites but Oman, said skipper Ahmed Al Mahaijri, are not daunted with the prospect of facing the Continent's top ranked team.

"Iran is a very strong team but so are we. We played Japan and Uzbekistan and we showed that we can hold our own against teams who are ranked much higher than us," said Al Mahaijri.

"We have already created history by making the knockout stage but we are not satisfied with just that. We want to create more history."

The Koreans won the AFC Asian Cup in 1956 and 1960 – the first two editions of the competition – but have failed to add a third title to the pair in the 15 instalments of the tournament since.

But the Newcastle United midfielder believes Paulo Bento and his team have the tools to finally bring that run of disappointment to an end in the United Arab Emirates over the coming weeks.

The line-up was confirmed on Thursday, when Oman and Vietnam claimed the Round of 16's two remaining places, setting the scene for what promises to be an unforgettable climax to the largest ever edition of the competition.

The Al Ain midfielder, who was only called up into the squad as a late replacement for the injured Hidesmasa Morita, gave Japan the lead 13 minutes into the second half of their meeting with the Central Asian side, with the goal earning Hajime Moriyasu’s side top spot in Group F.

That means Japan will meet Saudi Arabia in what promises to be one of the highlights of the Round of 16 as Moriyasu and company attempt to deliver a record-extending fifth title for the Samurai Blue.

Almoez Ali scored twice to take his tally for the tournament to an impressive seven, as the Qataris recorded a third successive victory, a run of form that has yet to see them concede.

However, despite the flying start, Sanchez is adamant that Qatar’s impressive record will count for nothing come the knockout phase.

The 36 matches over the last 13 days saw their fair share of drama and upsets, producing a total of 96 goals - which is an average of 2.67 per match, surpassing the 2015 edition that saw an average of 2.54 goals over 24 matches in Australia.

One of the tournament’s biggest highlights has been its expanded format from 16 to 24 teams, which sees the introduction of the competition’s first-ever Round of 16 stage – a decision that has reaped its rewards – with the Continent’s emerging nations showing their ability to stand proud alongside the traditional powerhouses.