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Ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Finals, Taher Hijjaz has previewed all six groups and provided his predictions on how the action in Qatar will unfold.
Saudi Arabia
Ever since that famous win over Argentina, Saudi Arabia have won three, lost nine and drawn two.
From Roberto Mancini’s perspective, life as Saudi Arabia’s manager there is work to be done but there are signs that the side are beginning to turn a corner following two wins in World Cup qualifying against Jordan and Pakistan by a combined six goals to nil.
Will the Saudi players get used to Mancini’s 3-4-3? I think so. All their players coming from the Saudi League, the best in Asia, which will certainly help as the quality of the Saudi players is better than their respective group members.
Despite the unconvincing results of the national team in friendlies, having a manager like Mancini can make the difference in tight encounters in big competitions. In my opinion, Saudi Arabia are not one of the favorites to lift the title.
I think Japan, South Korea, Iran, and Australia are all a step ahead of the Middle Eastern giants and I’ll be surprised if they prove me wrong. Strong Individual players such as Salem Al Dawsari, Saleh Al-Shehri, Mohamed Kanno, Saud Abdulhamid, and Ali Albulaihi will be the ones that need to step up for a side in transition.
Oman
This Omani team was one point away from the playoff spot in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. They have it in them to provide shocks against the big dogs and I am convinced they will do that against Saudi Arabia in the Group Stage.
All of their players play in Oman with the exception of Faiz Al-Rushaidi and Jameel Al-Yahmadi. Judging by the rankings, the local league is mediocre, languishing in 22nd place in Asia.
I cannot explain how this team does so well- over seven games since June of 2023, they havea record of 4W-1D-2L. A surprising loss to Kyrgyzstan will see them go into the Asian cup with decreased confidence.
Their manager, Branko Ivanković, is a big reason as to why this team overachieves in spite of relying on a league with similar quality as the Kuwaiti League. The head coach brings his experience in managing Dinamo Zagreb, Iran, and Persepolis FC. The Gulf nation however will struggle for goals as their top scorer in international matches only has eight. This is the team’s final chance to prove their worth- eight are over the age of 30 and another seven will be by the time the next Asian Cup rolls around.
Kyrgyzstan
Ever since new coach Stefan Tarkovic took over in the middle of 2023, the team has been looking to find its footing. The Central Asians played six games, winning only one and dropping five with an aggregate score of 5-16. They bottled a 3-1 lead in the 72nd minute against Malaysia in their 2026 World Cup qualification opener but turned around and beat the top team in the group, Oman, 1-0. The team struggles to get results against weaker opponents and might have more joy playing against Saudi Arabia and Oman. If the penny drops for Kyrgyzstan perhaps they can navigate a path to the Round of 16 like they did on their debut.
There are more teenagers (3) than players over the age of 30 (2) in the squad which boasts the tournament’s youngest player- Galatasaray’s Beknaz Almazbekov.
Thailand
In spite of a strong local league which ranks eighth in Asia and a young player showing his skills in Belgium’s topflight. Thailand are a team adrift having fired their manager as a result of their 2-1 loss to China in World Cup qualifying
This is an aging squad in win-now mode. The squad is the oldest in the competition with a whopping eight players over the age of 30 and a further six who will turn 30 later this year.
I think Thailand is in the same category as Hong Kong and Indonesia, they should be proud they made it and will be lucky to end their campaign with a point. Earlier in the year, they played two friendlies against a relatively weak Estonia side where they drew and got battered by a Georgia side ranked 77th, roughly the same rank as China and Oman, 8-0.
Wins against Southeast Asian opposition like Singapore (ranked 156th) should be taken with a grain of salt. This is the Asian Cup. Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kyrgyzstan represent a stern test- and all three will be favored to grab the three points- given the chaos Thailand finds itself in.
Predictions:
