The group stage has flown by with 24 matches passing with not one single draw to pick from. While China PR provide the surprise package in Group A, the remaining groups ran to script with the “big four” of Korea Republic, Australia, Iran and Japan all clinching qualification to the quarter finals. Joining them in the knockout phases will be Uzbekistan, UAE and Iraq. A lot more fun is still to come as we narrow down to the last eight, but first a look back at the winners and losers of the final group stage encounters.
The Player
Korea Republic’s progression through to the quarter finals of the Asian Cup has took no one by surprise, however the manner in which they’ve performed has. Each of their victories have come by the margin of only one goal, and in defence they’ve kept three successive clean sheets. Against hosts Australia, one man barrier Kim Jin-Hyeon kept up that stat with a compressively solid display, from a keeper who had only just made his competitive debut for Korea a week before.
It had been a widely held view that since the retirement of legendary keeper Lee Won-Jae, there was no better replacement than his eventual Suwon Bluewings replacement Jung Sung-Ryong. Despite a drastic dip in form, and experimentation ahead of the World Cup, Hong Myung-Bo remained stubborn about changing from his experienced number one, and it’s only been seen now under Uli Stielike that a change in net has been present in a competitive tournament.
Kim performed solidly in the opener against Oman, before falling foul of illness for the Kuwait match, however it was in the Australia encounter where he came into his own. Commanding in the first half, his shot stopping was called upon in the second. First denying Nathan Burns as he waltzed through the Korean defence, before somehow clawing away a late Robbie Kruse effort to assure the win and top spot for his nation. Korea’s defensive solidity has been one of the highlights of the tournament, this alongside Kim’s heroics will need to be on top form once again against a revitalised Uzbekistan side in the quarter finals.
The Team
The way they celebrated, you would’ve thought they’d won the whole competition, however Iran who had previously guaranteed a quarter final place in round two had claimed top spot in the most dramatic of circumstances. Struggling for control of possession throughout the 90, options and chances were at a premium until substitute Reza Ghoochannejhad broke the offside trap to clip home and send through the Iranians as group winners.
The outpouring of emotion that greeted the winning goal, both on the pitch and in the dugout illustrated the strong team spirit Carlos Queiroz had instilled in his squad. It’s a recognised technique for a side to bond around the idea of “us vs. them”, them being the outside world and any competitor they come up against, however in this case Iran are battling tooth and nail against their very own Football Federation. Yet again, a lack of preparation has been expertly whitewashed by Queiroz and his men, making it through to the quarters after three back to back victories.
The solidity of their defence is as usual their key starting point, despite being ravaged by crucial injuries to Pejman Montazeri and ongoing military service issues involving many of their key defensive cogs. However, it’s in attack where they’re starting to up their game. Throughout World Cup qualification and the tournament itself, Iran ground out results on the back of defensive counter attacking tactics which didn’t ever look sparkling but did attribute tactical admiration. While the results remain steady, the extra attacking dimension through the likes of youngsters Sardar Azmoun and Alireza Jahanbakhsh has shown that Iran can now threaten as much through an instinctive approach rather than their default reactive attacking tactics. It’s argued that Iran have drawn the most favourable draw in the quarters pitching them against arch rivals Iraq later this week. While lesser sides could struggle with the passion on display, Iran continue to embrace the emotion behind the game, which should yet again see them pass through with little trouble.
The Talking Point
Seemingly back from the brink after an initial stumble against China PR, in which they could and probably should’ve got something from the game, Saudi Arabia returned to form with a comprehensive victory over lowly Korea DPR setting up a last chance saloon to qualify against Uzbekistan in the final group match. While they picked up some nice interplay, and carved out some decent openings, disappointment was again visible on the Green Falcons’ fans’ faces as they went down 3-1 to the Central Asians.
Some haphazard defending let in Uzbekistan too often to create a one goal advantage going into the final minutes, something that was further exposed as the Uzbeks countered for a third to put the game to bed. The blame game has started and one direction has been pelted more than most, that being the coaching change which occurred on the eve of the tournament. The appointment, on a temporary contact of Costil Olariou seemed a reactionary ill-judged decision on the back of a disappointing but far from disastrous Gulf Cup campaign, which for my opinion they remained the most consistent performers. The squad is in need of confidence and stability, so despite the initial outcry for Olariou’s head, the Saudi FA might be best placed to ensure a longer contract for the Romanian if he isn’t to return to the Emirates as was once thought.
Talent in the squad is high, depth in the squad also makes for great competition for places, but as has been the missing piece for the last year, Saudi Arabia fail to click together as a team unit when needed. Excuses will range from lack of preparation under the new coach to the knockout injury of talisman Nasser Al-Shamrani, while the real issue of lack of chemistry remains unaddressed. On their day, there is no question that Saudi Arabia have the talent to mix it with the top four or five in Asia, something that needs to be keenly enhanced as they prepare for World Cup qualification later in the year.
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