The Asian Cup melee escalated, the traditional strong teams fell off the altar, and the new army fought their way out of the encirclement.
The final round of the group stage of the Asian Cup began, and there were big upsets on the field. Saudi Arabia, Japan and other traditional strong teams unexpectedly went out, and Thailand and China teams were eliminated at the bottom, which is shocking. Iraq, Vietnam and other new troops fought their way out to advance to the quarterfinals, highlighting the rise of new forces in Asian football.
The dust has finally settled on the top eight lineup, and the lineup can be described as the replacement of the old and the new, strong and weak. South Korea, Japan, and Qatar have successfully advanced as traditional powerhouses, while Indonesia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam are the upstarts. Such a lineup will undoubtedly add more excitement and suspense to the quarterfinals.
First, let's take a look at these traditional powerhouses. South Korea, as the host of this Asian Cup, will be aiming to win the championship in their hometown by virtue of their home advantage and strong strength to reach the quarterfinals. Although Japan lost in the final round of the group stage, they are still strong overall, and as the defending champions, they are aiming to defend their title. Qatar have also been a regular in Asian football in recent years, and they will be strong contenders for the title in the quarter-finals.
Let's take a look at these dark horse upstarts. Indonesia is back in the Asian Cup after 64 years, and this quarter-finals are a great encouragement for them. Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan are slightly inferior, but their outstanding performances in the group stage are definitely worthy of the quarter-finals. Vietnam will be the biggest dark horse of the tournament, as they will face Uzbekistan for the top spot in Group D, and this energetic young team will add a lot of excitement to the quarter-finals.
In addition to the anticipation of the quarterfinals, the other matches in the group stage are also exciting. The Chinese national team won its first game against the United Arab Emirates 2-1 in the final round, and although it missed out on the quarterfinals, it was a great encouragement for the rebuilding national football team. In the other group, Uzbekistan and Vietnam will battle it out for the top spot in Group D in the quarter-finals, and the battle between the two dark upstarts is set to be fierce.
The total prize money of this Asian Cup is as high as US$14.8 million, and the winning team will receive a hefty prize of US$5 million. For professional footballers, this is undoubtedly a great motivator. The combination of high prize money and a brutal knockout format will surely make the competition in the quarterfinals even more intense.
The quarter-finals are just around the corner, so let's predict the likely matchups. Based on the current standings, South Korea are likely to face defending champions Japan, and the decision between the two traditional Asian powerhouses will be a key battle. Qatar and Indonesia are evenly matched, and their matchup will be a battle in the neck. The four upstart teams of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are even more confusing, and either side has any hope of qualifying.
Whether it is a traditional powerhouse or a dark upstart, they will go all out in the quarterfinals. Traditional powerhouses are looking to defend or regain their titles, while upstarts are eager to write new glories. Therefore, the quarterfinals will be staged one after another, and the suspense of the championship will be held until the end.
A profound reshuffle is undergoing in the Asian football landscape, and the trend of replacing the old with the new has begun to emerge. The rise of the new team is a sign of the future of Asian football, while the fall of traditional powerhouses means that they must rethink and start anew. In any case, I believe that this Asian Cup will bring a unique visual experience to fans.