Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Yokohama: Ghana spoilt Japan's farewell game before the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - head coach Akira Nishino's first in charge of the Blue Samurai - with a 2-0 win on Wednesday.
Thomas Partey put the visitors in front after just nine minutes in rain-lashed Yokohama before an Emmanuel Boateng penalty early in the second further dented Japan's hopes.
Thomas, who plays in Spain at Atletico Madrid, blasted a free-kick into the bottom corner after a foul by Tomoaki Makino on the edge of the box.
Japan's talisman Keisuke Honda twice went close at the other end, but Boateng stunned the home side by doubling Ghana's lead from the spot six minutes after halftime.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: Aaron Mooy will provide the midfield spark for Australia as the Socceroos once again attempt to punch above their weight at their fourth straight FIFA World Cup.
The tenacious 27-year-old played a significant role as Huddersfield Town dodged relegation from the English Premier League, most notably in attack but also with his defensive qualities.
Relatively small and slightly built, Mooy's game is based around incisive passing and using a sharp footballing brain to be in the right place at the right time, scoring four league goals this season.
"He has the tenacity of a young boy who just won't quit," said Erik Paartalu, a former teammate of Mooy's at Melbourne City.
"He just wants to win at any cost and if things don't go well he'll push and push and push."
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Daegu: Left-back Kim Min-woo hopes Korea Republic can carry on their winning form into the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, following their sweet 2-0 friendly match win over Honduras.
Kim featured in Korea Republic's victory on Monday, as a second substitute in the match, replacing Sangju Sangmu teammate Hong Chul in the 56th minute.
"Through the Honduras match, we earned big confidence," Kim said at the team's base in Daegu.
"It's also positive that we had a clean sheet. Through the victory (against Honduras), we will try to play football that we have planned for the World Cup."
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: With the best record of any Asian nation at the FIFA World Cup, Korea Republic will be expected to make waves in Russia this summer. Nine World Cup participations have thrown up many a memorable moment, and the-AFC.com recalls some of their best ones over the decades.
Making their FIFA World Cup debut as far back as 1954, when they finished bottom of Group 2, Korea Republic have qualified for a record 10 tournaments, including the upcoming edition in Russia. Here are their best moments in the World Cup so far:
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Having been drawn into Group A alongside hosts Russia, Uruguay and Egypt, Saudi Arabia will be looking to impress at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. the-AFC.com looks back at the Green Falcons' greatest moments on the world’s grandest stage.
Saudi Arabia made their World Cup bow in 1994 in the United States, and have only missed out on two editions since then, namely South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014. Here are the top three highlights of their four World Cup campaigns.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: As the countdown to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia starts to heat up, we take a look at five Asian players that could make a name for themselves next month.
The FIFA World Cup is without a doubt the grandest stage in world football, and it comes as no surprise that a strong showing at just one tournament could massively shape a player's career in the years to come. As such, here are a number of players that could possibly propel themselves into the spotlight when the tournament kicks off in just over two weeks' time.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
The FIFA World Cup always produces a collection of sensational and memorable goals, and over the years a number of Asian players have contributed to this rich collection of historic FIFA World Cup moments.
With the 2018 FIFA World Cup just weeks away from kicking off in Russia, with Saudi Arabia playing the host nation in the opening match in Moscow on 14 June, we take a look at five iconic goals scored by Asian players in FIFA World Cup history.