In the first round of the group stage of the 2024 U23 Asian Cup, the results were four more matches, and the result was that the defending champion Saudi Arabia defeated Tajikistan 4-2 to advance to the top of the group, the first champion Iraq team lost 0-2 to Thailand team to break the biggest upset on the second match day, the championship favorite South Korea team defeated the United Arab Emirates team 1-0, and the Chinese team lost 0-1 to the ten-man Japanese team. As a result, the standings are as follows:
Saudi Arabia - Tajikistan
Defending champions Saudi Arabia came up to dominate as Hamid took the lead with a header from Abu Shamat's cross. Tajikistan strengthened the midfield scramble and quick counterattack, and Kairov received Kamolov's return pass and assisted in volleying the equalizer from the opposite corner. Asiri received Radif from a precise cross and scored to give Saudi Arabia the lead again. Asili counterattacked in the second half, and assisted Yahya to score at the top of the arc. Just six minutes later, Yahya scored twice from outside the penalty area to widen the difference. In the 64th minute, Soyrov grabbed a tackle from the small penalty area to pull one back, and finally the Saudi team won 4-2 and rose to the top of the group.
Iraq-Thailand
Thailand pressed ferociously in the midfield, forced the opponent to make mistakes many times, and played a quick counterattack on the spot, and the defender Rexan made a steal outside the penalty area, and the outside instep shot from a distance shot hit the crossbar and bounced off the bottom line. Iraq quickly gained possession and threatened the ball from behind, with striker Salim cutting in to get on the ball and volleying wide. Right-back Varys flanked at high speed and fired home from a cross from the left to give Thailand a 26th lead. Iraq were eager to equalise with a number of shots from outside the area, but the quality of the shots was not high, and they sent 13 shots in the half and just three on target. Iraq pressed their opponents in the second half, and the striker Jassim created a series of good chances, first breaking through the box and sending a brilliant pass from the two-man but his team-mate shot and kicking it into the goal, and then a direct free-kick was saved by the goalkeeper with one hand. Thailand sent a high-quality corner kick in the 65th minute, and substitute Tilasak scored with a header to extend the score. Iraq's No. 10 Nihad was sent off for a second yellow card for a foul. In the face of Iraq's indiscriminate bombardment, the passive Thai team played an efficient attack and defeated the former Asian Cup champion Iraq 2-0 to reach the second place in the group.
South Korea - United Arab Emirates
Ahn Jae-joon's header in the small penalty area in front of the goal was deflected, Lee Kang-hee's long-range shot from outside the penalty area was saved by Khalid, and the South Korean frontcourt siege made the UAE extremely passive. Huang dribbled inside and shot into the far corner of the far corner, but was ruled offside. Jiang Shangyun received Yoon Ji-sung's cross from the right and shook his head to attack the goal and was saved, Li Kang-hee's corner kick attack was confiscated again, Zhao Xuanze's cross from the side was blocked, and Baek Sang-hoon's long-range shot at the top of the arc was confiscated by the goalkeeper. The UAE team was passive on the field, but the defense was solid and withstood the wave of attacks of the opponent. South Korea continued to press the front in the second half, and in view of the excellent performance of the opponent's defense, they used more of a combination of side-center tactics, and Lee Kang-hee scored a cross from the right side before and after the header was slightly wide. Yan Zhicheng received a cross from the bottom line in the small penalty area and hit the top of the goal with a header. Kang Sang-run's header in the 88th minute was ruled offside. Lee Yongjun scored with a header in the 94th minute. At full-time, South Korea beat the UAE 1-0 to get three points and tie with Japan for top of the group.
China-Japan
Japan started the game with a ferocious and pressing posture, and Matsuki scored twice in a row from the right cross, and the Japanese team got off to a dream start in the opening eight minutes. However, central defender Takaya Nishio received a red card for deliberately elbowing Jia Feifei, allowing Japan to lose possession on the field early. The Chinese team returned the favor with its own way of man, and launched a siege in the front court, Yang Zihao's long pass from a corner almost caused a handball foul in the opponent's penalty area, Tao Qianglong forced a long-range shot in the goal frame and missed the goal, and Zhu Yue's long-range angry shot was saved. The Chinese team played a sharp and fast attack at the beginning of the second half, and Xie Wenneng, who came on as a substitute, was brilliantly blocked by the goalkeeper. The Chinese players' physical fitness declined, the pace of attack and defense slowed down, the offensive threat was far less than in the first half, and the mistakes were also increased, unable to form enough threat to the Japanese team's goal. At the end of the game, the Chinese team played 11 and 10 for 85 minutes but it was difficult to score a goal, losing 0-1 to the Japanese team, losing the first game with 0 points and ranking at the bottom, and the Japanese team rose to the top of the table with 3 points.