AFC International Week Focus (November)

For many, November’s international window hosted their final preparation matches before January’s Asian Cup in Australia. With no official break scheduled for December, the established nations of Asian football will only return at the turn of the year for their pre-tournament training camps, while other nations (mainly West Asian sides) have organised unofficial preparation outside the FIFA calendar for the end of the year. This month also saw the participation of the final regional tournaments of the year with West Asia’s Gulf Cup and the EAFF East Asian Cup qualifiers taking place.

 

Good Week

 

The period’s biggest winners were undoubtedly Japan, with the Samurai Blue recording back to back home victories ahead of their Asian Cup crown pursuit. Javier Aguirre reverted back to much of the World Cup squad that had failed under Zaccheroni, and they repaid the faith, starting with an impressive 6-0 victory over Honduras before comfortably beating Asian Cup host’s Australia 2-1. Returning veterans Yasuhito Endo and Yasuyuki Konno claimed goals to push forward their squad contention hopes, while diminutive winger Takashi Inui grabbed a brace against the Central Americans.

 

Iran took to the international stage for the first time officially since the World Cup and impressed with a solid 1-0 home victory over Korea Republic. A late Sardar Azmoun goal sank the Korean’s after a bad tempered affair in Tehran. Carlos Queiroz, who signed a contract extension last month tinkered with the shape of the side and promised a more attacking outlook when they travel to Australia. The approach is likely to take time to embed but the introduction of Alireza Jahanbakhsh from the start and Rubin Kazan’s Azmoun off the bench points in the right direction.

 

Seven West Asian qualified nations kicked off their Gulf Cup campaigns this week, and prior to the competition were broadly successful in their preparation matches. Hosts Saudi Arabia overcame Palestine 2-0, while fellow Group A nations Qatar and Bahrain eased past Korea DPR and Singapore in their respective friendlies. Reigning Gulf Cup champions UAE also went into the tournament on a high with a narrow 3-2 win over Lebanon while Oman beat Yemen 2-0 in Muscat.

 

Average Week

 

Only in his second month in charge, Uli Stielike took his Korea Republic side to West Asia to face Jordan and Iran. Despite a narrow victory over the Jordanians, Korea went down 1-0 to a late winner in Iran. Complaints over the officiating of the match and the winning goal in particular riled the German coach after the match. Stielike suggested that Iran’s over-physical tactics weren’t punished sufficiently over the 90 minutes but reflected that the trip had been an overall success despite the defeat with a number of returning internationals such as Kwak Tae-Hwi and Yoon Sun-Young bringing themselves back into January’s squad contention.

 

After a couple of promising months China PR were frustrated in November picking up two home draws over the week. Letting slip a late equaliser to New Zealand after Wu Lei put them in front was disappointing after the Chinese equipped themselves well, while the second encounter against Honduras was a stiffer contest against a side on the bounce back of a hammering to Japan, the game eventually ended in a stalemate. It was similarly bitter sweet for Palestine, who despite defeat to Saudi Arabia recovered to ease past Vietnam 3-1 courtesy of a debut goal for centre forward Mahmoud Eid.  Both sides have time to finely tune their squads, and will face each other in mid-December to further cement their Asian Cup starting line-ups.

 

Elsewhere, Kuwait’s preparation for their Gulf Cup campaign ended in anti-climax after being held to a 1-1 draw with Yemen. A result that previously would have been considered a disappointment, has looked better in hindsight after both sides started promisingly in Saudi Arabia. Similar fortunes for Korea DPR who were defeated by Qatar 3-1, before going on to record two victories and a draw as they ensured qualification for next year’s EAFF East Asian Cup.

 

Bad Week

 

Asian Cup hosts Australia continue to struggle to pick up results in the run up to the competition after they lost for the 8th time in 11 matches against rivals for the crown Japan in Osaka. Manager Ange Postecoglou ringed the changes after a disappointing camp in West Asia last month but were again thankful of their usual talisman Tim Cahill rescuing some pride from the bench in the 2-1 reverse. A handful of areas remain a concern, but what Postecoglou’s side needs is confidence, something the Socceroos will have to develop on the training pitch ahead of January.

 

Similar struggles are being felt by Jordan at the moment, who have failed register a win since qualification for the Asian Cup, some 7 months ago. Little tangible change has been felt since Ray Wilkins took the helm last month, and with back-to-back defeats to Korea Republic and Estonia, Jordan can expect another drop in the FIFA’s world rankings. They do however have time to improve ahead of the Asian Cup with friendlies scheduled in December and early January, as will Uzbekistan and Iraq who sat out this month’s friendly window, the latter have subsequently begun slowly in their Gulf Cup campaign.