Holders Uzbekistan will be looking to repeat their feat from China two years ago while Japan are aiming to return to the form that saw them lift the AFC U23 Championship trophy in Qatar in 2016.
But, after initially being scheduled to take place in mid-2013, the inaugural edition of one of the newest competition’s in the AFC calendar came in 2014 when – as the then AFC U-22 Championship – Iraq conquered all before them in a tournament that saw a number of Asia’s modern-day stars play key roles.
Opening-day drama
Tournament hosts Oman got off to a flying start in Muscat as they saw off Myanmar 4-0 in Group A, while Korea Republic’s Lim Chang-woo scored at both ends in a 1-1 draw with Jordan.
DPR Korea’s Jo Kwang scored the first-ever goal in the competition in a 3-1 over Yemen in Group B in a game that also saw the European-based Pak Kwang-ryong get on the scoresheet. Syria and the United Arab Emirates, meanwhile, ended 1-1 in the group’s other game.
Japan v IR Iran: AFC U22 Championship 2014 Group Stage
In Group C, Shoya Nakajima netted in a thrilling 3-3 draw against the Islamic Republic of Iran with Kaveh Rezaei bagging a brace for the Iranians, and Australia picked up all three points following a narrow 1-0 win over Kuwait.
There was drama in the game between Uzbekistan and China as the Uzbeks scored twice in stoppage time to claim a 2-1 victory in Group D, where Iraq began their tournament with a 3-1 win against Saudi Arabia.
Hosts fall, powerhouses advance
Oman’s win over Myanmar was not a sign of things to come for the hosts as the Gulf nation succumbed to defeats to Jordan and Korea Republic, who both progressed to the last eight.
Another opening-day winner, DPR Korea, also exited at the first hurdle after losing to Syria and drawing with the UAE to mean the West Asian duo booked their quarter-final berths.
Australia’s 1-0 victory over Iran in their second game proved crucial as it meant they sealed top spot with a game to spare, before a 4-0 loss to Japan in which Nakajima added another two meant the pair advanced.
Rezaei’s hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Kuwait, meanwhile, meant he would ultimately finish as top scorer despite the Iranians failing to make it beyond the group stage.
Like Oman and DPR Korea, Uzbekistan were not able to build on their initial victory as defeats to Iraq and the Saudis saw them eliminated, while it was the Iraqis who topped the standings with the only perfect record of the first round.
Final four confirmed
The quarter-finals threw up a number of enticing ties, with perhaps the pick of the results being Iraq’s defeat of the Japanese after Amjad Kalaf scored in the final 10 minutes to oust the young Samurai Blue.
Elsewhere, Korea Republic stormed into a 2-0 lead against Syria with current Bordeaux forward Hwang Ui-jo among the scorers before they eventually progressed 2-1.
All the drama happened after the interval in the game between Saudi Arabia and Australia when the young Green Falcons scored quickfire goals either side of the hour which, despite the Olyroos pulling one back from the spot, proved enough to seal a place in the last four.
And Jordan’s excellent run continued as Ibrahim Daldoum scored the only goal of the game with six minutes remaining to secure a 1-0 win over the UAE.
Iraq, Saudis prevail
Wins over Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, China and Japan had shown that Iraq were the real deal but a match-up against fellow undefeated side Korea Republic promised yet another stern test.
It was one they were to pass with flying colours and, like each of their previous two games against East Asian opposition, one goal was enough as Mustafa Nadhim broke the deadlock in the 74th minute to seal a place in the final.
Hamaza Al Dardour’s fourth goal of the campaign cancelled out Abdullah Al Ammar’s opener for Saudi Arabia in the second semi-final, but the Jordanians’ run would come to an end after the interval.
Mohammed Majrashi put Saudi Arabia back in front midway through the half and Abdulfattah Asiri’s late penalty rounded off a 3-1 win to line up a rematch against Iraq.
Jordan’s excellent tournament would end on a high note, though, after they overcame Korea Republic 3-2 on penalties following a scoreless draw in the third-place play-off.
Deserved winners
Two weeks after the pair faced off in their opening AFC U-22 Championship game, Iraq and Saudi Arabia had come full circle as they met again for the right to be crowned the inaugural winners.
Iraq vs Saudi Arabia: AFC U22 Championship 2014 Final
Iraq had won all five of their games en route to the showpiece event while Saudi Arabia had won four from four since going down to the young Lions of Mesopotamia in the group stage.
But there was to be no revenge for the Saudis at Seeb Stadium, with Mohanad Abdulraheem outpacing the Green Falcons’ defence just after the half hour before slotting into the bottom left corner for the only goal of the game.
It meant Hakeem Shaker’s Iraq rounded off a perfect six wins from six to be crowned deserved champions of a tournament that had more than delivered the goods in its inaugural edition.
Several of those that picked up winners’ medals went on to help Iraq reach the semi-finals in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup a year later, while a number of the squad were also part of the all-conquering Air Force Club team that won three successive AFC Cups between 2016 and 2018.
