The West Asian nation will have to wait until the third group match against the UAE to enjoy the services of their talismanic winger Al Taamari, who currently plies his trade at Cypriot side APOEL.

To reach Tokyo 2020, Skorza’s men have to better their performances at the two previous appearances in the competition, which both ended at the quarter-finals. In 2013 they were eliminated by Jordan and three years later, it was Iraq that knocked them out at the same stage.

The first obstacle on their way are 2018 runners-up Vietnam. The two sides had faced-off in the group stage of the 2016 edition, with the UAE emerging 3-2 winners to top the group, while Vietnam finished bottom at the time.

Rounding up our detailed profiles of the 16 teams battling for the AFC U23 Championship Thailand 2020, join the-AFC.com as we look at the four sides kicking-off the final group hosted by Buriram starting on Friday.

In addition to the honour and prestige of being crowned continental champions at U23 level, the tournament offers three spots at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, meaning there will be plenty at stake at every stage of the competition.

While Vietnam will start the campaign as favourites, there's plenty to suggest talented Jordan, United Arab Emirates and DPR Korea sides can challenge the Southeast Asians in what looks an intriguing group.

As the four sides chase two knockout round qualification spots, here's the-AFC.com's pick of the players to look out for.

Two disappointing group stage exits in 2013 and 2018 were separated by a run into the final eight that was ended by an extra-time defeat at the hands of 2016 hosts Qatar.

Kim Kum-chul spearheads a new generation of players aiming to take DPR Korea into the Olympics for the first time since Montreal 1976.

Jordan’s best performance at the competition came in 2013 when they navigated a group featuring hosts Oman alongside Korea Republic and Myanmar, before overcoming the United Arab Emirates in the quarter-finals en route to a semi-final defeat to Saudi Arabia and a shoot-out victory over Korea Republic that handed Al Nashama the bronze medal.

Since then, performances have been mixed and results unsatisfactory, but in 2020, and with several players boasting prior experience in the tournament and in other AFC competitions, Jordan are better placed than ever to go far.

One player who can’t wait to make amends is defender Khalifa Al Hammadi. The Al Jazira centre-back was on the receiving end of a red card minutes before Nguyen Tien Linh’s thunderous strike gave Vietnam a first-half lead that would prove to be the difference at the final whistle.

At Buriram Stadium, Al Hammadi will look to muster the experiences gained, not only in that match, but throughout a 2019 which saw him make his senior international debut in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 and go on to establish himself as a key member of the UAE national team at the age of 21.