Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Matchday Three of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 more than lived up to expectations with no shortage of excitement.
With fans still catching their breath after Thursday's stellar action, Matchday Four beckons on Tuesday and the-AFC.com has selected five things to look out for as the teams take another step in their bid to qualify for the two showpiece events.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/karim_ali_kim.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: On a night which produced 74 goals across 16 matches, Asia’s top marksmen found their range on Matchday Three of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.
Seven players netted hat-tricks on Thursday, as the Continent’s heavyweights, and some rising powers, flexed their muscles in a series of emphatic home wins.
Here, the-AFC.com looks at some of the most effective front men on Matchday Three.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: Head coach Bert van Marwijk said United Arab Emirates, despite winning 5-0, should have have scored more goals in their Asian Qualifiers Group G tie against Indonesia on Thursday.
Ali Mabkhout - as was the case against Malaysia last month - was the star of the night with a hat-trick as he became the UAE's all-time topscorer with 54 goals. Khalil Ibrahim and Tareq Ahmed were the other scorers at Al Maktoum Stadium as the West Asians moved to the top of the standings.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tashkent: Uzbekistan head coach Vadim Abramov remained cautious after his side marked his return to the job with an impressive 5-0 Asian Qualifiers win over Yemen on Thursday, insisting his side will need to improve against stronger opponents.
Back in the nation’s top job after a seven-year absence, Abramov watched on as his side proved far too strong for their West Asian opponents, with five different players getting on the scoresheet to delight the 28,000 fans at Pakhtakor Stadium.
The White Wolves’ win was in stark contrast to last month’s disastrous 2-0 loss to Palestine in their opening Group D tie, which cost former boss Hector Cuper his job, but the new man in charge refused to be carried away by the one-sided score line.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: High scoring matches, teams bouncing back and history being made were all part of Matchday Three of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023.
The Continent's 40 teams will only have a few days to recover before Matchday Four comes along on Tuesday, with another 16 matches scheduled.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: As national teams across the Continent prepare to assume the limelight during the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, a number of players still vying for AFC Champions League glory will turn their attention to the international scene.
With the first leg of the 2019 AFC Champions League semi-finals already concluded, club football takes a short break as all eyes turn towards the Matchday Three and Four fixtures of the Asian Qualifiers, which take place on Thursday and Tuesday.
A total of 25 players, from three of the four remaining club teams, will don the shirts of their respective countries as their journeys to reach Qatar in 2022 and China PR a year later continue in what promises to be a fascinating double-header of matches.