AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Preview: Lebanon v Iraq

Mon, 31 Jan, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Preview: Lebanon v Iraq

Saida: Lebanon and Iraq know any hopes of clinching the playoff qualifying third place in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar will hinge on getting all three points when they face off at the Saida Municipal Stadium on Tuesday.

The two sides are separated by one point and one place on the table, with Lebanon placed fourth with five points and Iraq just behind them in fifth. Both teams, however, trail the UAE who are in pole position to finish third with nine points.

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Preview: Vietnam v China PR

Tue, 01 Feb, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Preview: Vietnam v China PR

Hanoi: Neighbours Vietnam and China PR will face off on Matchday Eight of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar at My Dinh Stadium on Tuesday with both sides hoping for an upturn in fortunes on the back of defeats four days ago. 

Park Hang-seo’s Vietnam are still seeking their first points in Group B after a campaign that offered hope in the early stages but has faded since, while, nine points off third place with three games to go, China are all but out of the running for a playoff spot. 

Hosts Vietnam go into the match on the back of a heavy 4-0 loss in Australia last Thursday, while China PR’s 2-0 defeat in Japan meant new head coach Li Xiaopeng saw his reign get off to a losing start. 

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Preview: Japan v Saudi Arabia

Tue, 01 Feb, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Preview: Japan v Saudi Arabia

Saitama: Saleh Al Shehri will miss Saudi Arabia’s clash with Japan in Group B of the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar at Saitama Stadium on Tuesday after the Al Hilal striker was left out of the travelling party due to a thigh injury.

The two-time AFC Champions League winner featured as a substitute in Thursday’s 1-0 win over Oman in Jeddah but was not deemed fit enough to travel for the crucial top-of-the-table clash by coach Herve Renard.

AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar: Five Takeaways from Matchday Seven

Sat, 29 Jan, 2022

AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar: Five Takeaways from Matchday Seven

Dubai: The AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar resumed on Thursday with the first matches of 2022 confirming Islamic Republic of Iran’s qualification to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the race for the remaining spots starting to take shape across the two groups.

With Matchday Eight fast approaching, the-AFC.com looks at five key takeaways from Matchday Seven which saw all home teams win and secure a clean sheet with the exception of Lebanon who fell to Korea Republic.