On February 1, Beijing time, the dust settled on the 1/8 finals of the Asian Cup, and the quarterfinals were all released. The 1/4 finals are also produced, which are Tajikistan vs Jordan and Australia vs South Korea in the first half, and Qatar vs Uzbekistan and Iran vs Japan in the second half.
Tajikistan VS Jordan
In the 1/8 finals, Tajikistan and Jordan were able to eliminate their respective opponents to advance, which was quite unexpected. Tajikistan is a newcomer to the Asian Cup, reaching the quarterfinals in its first appearance, and becoming the biggest dark horse of the tournament. Jordan is not a strong team in West Asia, having reached the quarterfinals twice in the past. This time, the two teams meet in a narrow way, and whoever can win will enter the semi-finals for the first time, setting a new record for the best record in team history.
Australia VS South Korea
The Australian team has a very smooth journey in this Asian Cup, winning the group stage with 2 wins and 1 draw, and defeating Indonesia 4-0 in the 1/8 finals. The South Korean team was tested in the group stage, winning the second place in the group with 1 win and 2 draws, and the 1/8 final match with Saudi Arabia was passed after 120 minutes of hard work + penalty shootout. In terms of lineup, South Korea has the advantage, but Australia has a physical advantage.
Qatar vs Uzbekistan
Qatar, which is also the host + defending champion, is in the most comfortable zone. In the group stage, the team easily won the first place with 3 wins, and when facing Palestine in the 1/8 finals, it also reversed the opponent 2-1 to advance. Uzbekistan has always been the leader of Central Asian football, and the journey of this Asian Cup has also been relatively smooth, with 1 win, 2 draws and 5 points in the group stage, and Thailand eliminated 2-1 in the 1/8 finals. Uzbekistan's encounter with the host in the knockout round will also be the biggest test for the team so far in this Asian Cup.
Japan VS Iro
In the group stage, the Japanese team was upset and lost 1-2 to Iraq, but the team quickly adjusted its form, and successfully qualified for the second place in the group with 2 wins and 1 loss and 6 points, and eliminated Bahrain in the 1/8 finals. With a squad-rich lineup, Japan are the undisputed favourites to win the title. Iran, as a traditional powerhouse in West Asia, also has a good performance in this Asian Cup, winning all three games and accumulating 9 points in the group stage to win the first place, and defeated Syria in the 1/8 final in the duel between the West Asian brothers. The showdown between Japan and Iran will also become the most eye-catching contest in the 1/4 finals.