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Jonathan White

The AFC Asian Cup begins in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to kick off a month-long tournament to find the best team on the continent.
This is the 17th edition of the tournament that Japan has won a record four times. Australia are the defending champions while Saudi Arabia and Iran have won it three times each. The action comes from the UAE and takes place from January 5 to February 1.

What is new for 2019?
This year there are 24 teams competing, up from 16 at the last edition in 2015.
The rule change means more chance for teams to qualify for the knockout stage as third-placed teams can still go through. That’s good news for some of the weaker teams who might make the round of 16.
Who are the favourites?
Iran, Japan (both $4.35) and South Korea ($4.45) are the bookmakers favourites. Australia are the best of the rest ($5.65) ahead of Saudi Arabia and the hosts UAE (both $9).
India, Turkmenistan, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan and Yemen are all priced at $1,000. The latter three nations are playing their first ever Asian Cup.
Son takes best footballer in Asia crown for third time as coach says World Cup-bound star wants to play at Asian Games

China arrive in UAE ahead of the #AsianCup2019 challenge! pic.twitter.com/xsXlqjiIMP
— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) 29 December 2018

Group games to watch
The fixture schedulers have thrown up some guaranteed crackers for the final group games, no matter what results in the first two games deliver.
Australia and Syria meet again (January 15) after a World Cup play-off to see who went on to the final game against Honduras.
Frank Soo Street hopes to put England’s pioneering Asian footballer on the map on site of former Stoke City stadium

Australia won that but only after going behind in seven minutes of the second leg in Sydney. The Syrians should not need motivation.
South Korea vs China (January 16) offers China a chance to see where their football project is against a team that knocked world champions Germany out of the World Cup in Russia last summer.
Finally, Iran vs Iraq (January 17) is the derby game of the Asian Cup, and in Iran features the continent’s highest-rated side on the Fifa list. Iran also troubled some of the world’s best in Russia.

8 - Son Heung-Min has been directly involved in 11 goals in his last eight starts in the Premier League for Spurs, scoring eight and assisting another three. Decisive. pic.twitter.com/kav0bJC4Id
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) 1 January 2019

Players to watch
Son Heung-min needs no introduction. He is the best player in Asia and the South Korea forward has been in fine form for English Premier League side Spurs this season. He has six goals and three assists in his last five games for the club and will get a chance to maintain that as he only leaves for the UAE after they play Manchester United on January 13, a deal reached with the club after his Asian Games duty last August.


That means his first game will be against Wu Lei, China’s best player and one that has been linked with his own move to Europe. Wu was a major factor in Shanghai SIPG winning the Chinese Super League last season and the hope is he can bring his scoring boots to the Asia Cup.
There are a number of other players who will be known to those that do not watch Asian football.
Australia’s squad is the one with the most players from outside of its national league. Made up of players from the UK leagues and European top flights, it is led by Brighton goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.
Perugia’s Han Kwang-song might be the best known of the North Korea squad but South Korea’s contains familiar names from European football, as does Japan’s.
Former Celtic and English Premier League star Zheng Zhi wins Asia’s best No 10 fan vote by landslide


What happens when Qatar’s Yousuf Hassan takes off his goal keeping gloves and puts on his shooting boots pic.twitter.com/ZIoZPPmrwt
— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) 31 December 2018

Who might have a breakout tournament?
The tournament, like any other continental championship, is a shop window and the scouts will be in attendance.
Plenty of players will attract attention with a decent showing in the UAE but here are three to keep an eye on.
China’s Wei Shihao at 22 is responsible for dragging down the average age of the oldest squad (28.74 years) at the tournament. The Beijing Guoan winger impressed last season, as he had done with Shanghai SIPG the season before.
Wolves signing David Wang set to follow English Premier League’s Chinese pioneers at Manchester City and Everton

How unlucky!
Wei Shihao with a terrific run as he skips past three players. His resulting shot ,however, cannons off the post!#AFCU23 #UZBvCHN pic.twitter.com/MjhNcLM3v2
— FOX Sports LIVE! (@FSAsiaLive) 12 January 2018

Vietnam’s Nguyen Quang Hai, 21, was key to Vietnam’s AFC Under-23 runner-up spot a year ago and he has grown into his midfield role, winning the MVP at the recent AFF Suzuki Cup.
An even bigger star of Southeast Asian football is Thailand’s Chanathip Songkrasin, who plays his club football for J.League 1 side Consadole Sapporo. At 25, many believe he still has the potential to be world class.

Time-lapsed video of the #AsianCup2019 bus wrap! pic.twitter.com/FL5Gfw8PXe
— #AsianCup2019 (@afcasiancup) 1 January 2019

Important dates
Group stage: January 5-17
Round of 16: January 20-21
Quarter-finals: January 24-25
Semi-finals: January 28-29
Final: February 1
Spurs to ban fans for racially abusing Asian supporter after video shared on social media, ‘superfan’ apologises on Facebook
What are the groups?
Group A – Bahrain, Thailand, India, UAE
Group B – Australia, Jordan, Palestine, Syria
Group C – China, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines
Group D – Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Yemen
Group E – North Korea, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia
Group F – Japan, Oman, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan


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AFC Asian Cup 2019

AFC Asian Cup 2019: when does it start, who are the favourites and can anyone stop Son Heung-min’s South Korea in the UAE?

South Korea’s Son Heung-min celebrates after winning the gold medal soccer match at the Asian Games 2018. Photo: EPA

Portugal's forward Cristiano Ronaldo (R) runs with the ball during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group B football match between Iran and Portugal at the Mordovia Arena in Saransk on June 25, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS

(FILES) In this file photo taken on June 27, 2018, South Korea's forward Son Heung-min scores during the Russia 2018 World Cup Group F football match between South Korea and Germany at the Kazan Arena in Kazan. - Son Heung-min has lit up the World Cup and the Premier League but unnervingly it is the Asian Games in Indonesia, which starts on August 18, 2018, that could make or break the career of the prolific South Korean forward. Anything less than gold and Son, 26, faces a compulsory stint of nearly two years' military service -- a severe blow to the player, his national team and his club, Tottenham Hotspur. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO MOBILE PUSH ALERTS/DOWNLOADS

Sport

Football

Japan arrive at 17th tournament looking for a fourth continental crown
Month of football will be a shop window for Asia’s best players


Japan arrive at 17th tournament looking for a fourth continental crown with all eyes on Asia’s best players as they are in the shop window


Asian Football Confederation (AFC)

AFC Asian Cup 2019: when does it start, who are the favourites and can anyone stop Son Heung-min’s South Korea in the UAE?

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Japan arrive at 17th tournament looking for a fourth continental crown Month of football will be a shop window for Asia’s best players

Japan arrive at 17th tournament looking for a fourth continental crown

Month of football will be a shop window for Asia’s best players