[ad_1]
DOHA, Qatar — It’s becoming something of a theme throughout most senior international tournaments these days. That means the gap between men and women, the world and the continent, between the haves and have-nots, between heavyweights and lightweights, is narrowing.
As the United States, Canada and Mexico prepare to host an expanded 48-team Men’s World Cup in 2026, the dreams of some of world soccer’s lesser-known powers are coming to the surface. With Asia’s squad effectively doubling in 2026, this month’s Asia Cup proves that competition for a spot in FIFA’s flagship event is fiercer than ever.
– Asia Cup: Home | Bracket | Groups | Team Guide
– Stream on ESPN+: La Liga, Bundesliga and more (US)
Throughout the group stage in Doha, all of the historical powerhouses of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) managed to reach the final tournament, but found themselves in a much more difficult situation than in previous years. South Korea’s draws against Jordan and Malaysia and Japan’s shocking 2-1 loss to Iraq are case in point.
In the modern era of football, even the so-called minnows have access to coaching and sports science that allows them to challenge the footballing powers physically and with tactics designed to frustrate and contain them. became. But there were also examples of the courage of underdogs to stand up to their opponents and not back down.
“What surprised me a little bit was how good a lot of the countries are physically. They’re big boys,” Australia coach Graham Arnold said during the group stage. “One of the first things you have to do is win the physical battle.”
It is clear that this could have ramifications on a global level. Since the World Cup was expanded to 32 teams in 1998, five countries have almost completely dominated Asia’s 4.5 spots. South Korea and Japan have played in all seven World Cups since France in 1998, Saudi Arabia and Iran have played in five each, and Australia has played in every World Cup since joining the AFC in 2006. has earned the right to participate.
However, there are 8.5 spots available for the 2026 World Cup in North America (8 direct spots and 1 spot for inter-federation playoffs), so there is no doubt that we will see some new faces among the familiar players next time. And while other teams may emerge from elsewhere to compete for spots, there are several countries that will do their best in this Asian Cup and prove that they are strong candidates to win in 2026. ing.
Now, putting the obvious aside, yes, Qatar had already qualified for the last World Cup, even though three straight losses and a hasty exit in the group stage meant it was a rather ignominious stint. Even if it becomes. However, their presence in that tournament was brought about by their status as hosts, and it was the first time they stepped foot on football’s greatest stage. When it comes to actually doing it on the pitch, Qatar have never qualified for a World Cup since independence in 1971, although they came close on several occasions, including in France in 1998. , never actually qualified. .
But that should change in 2026, and even if the tournament isn’t expanded to 48, it likely will be. Led by Al Sadd attacker Akram Afif, the Maroons have become one of the strongest teams in Asia in recent years, making them the team of Asia. They were crowned champions in 2019 and are making a strong push to retain their crown as this year’s tournament host.
Tintin Marquez’s side may not have been at their best at this point, but they have reached the knockout stages without conceding a goal in the past two weeks. They defeated China and Tajikistan and defeated Lebanon 3-0 to take first place in Group A. . And as a side note, Hassan Alhaydos’ goal to defeat China is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
Absolute beauty Hassan Al Haydos! 🤩
The Qatari captain came off the bench to score a belter. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/thtlkhfrwX
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) January 22, 2024
They will face Palestine in the round of 16, and will face either Uzbekistan or Thailand in the quarterfinals.
Iraq first participated in the World Cup in Mexico in 1986, when coach Raad Hammoudi led the Mesopotamian Lions to games against Paraguay, Belgium and the hosts, but they lost 1-1 in their first and last games. They lost 0 and lost 2-1. Belgian Ahmed Rady scored Iraq’s only goal so far on soccer’s biggest stage. Canada and Denmark also made their first appearance at the World Cup in 1986, but both countries have since returned, while the Iraqis have been forced to sit on the sidelines every four years, interestingly the last time they returned is closest to. The World Cup was held in America in 1994.
Under coach Jesús Casas, Iraq became one of the talking points at the Asian Cup, picking up nine points from three group stage matches, including a 2-1 victory over tournament favorites Japan.
Boasting a team with several players based in Europe, they have used the diaspora to secure the likes of former Manchester United prospect Zidan Iqbal, now at FC Utrecht, who will be in the round of 16. They will play against Jordan and Tajikistan. Then the United Arab Emirates awaits.
“Soccer is a battle. You have to be competitive. Otherwise it’s impossible to win the match,” Casas said after Japan’s victory. “I pick guys who can be fighters, but also good fighters.
“The difference with the national team at this level is that there needs to be a balance of fight and quality.”
One of Asia’s fastest growing teams, Uzbekistan’s continued investment in their junior national team program has paid off consistently at underage level in recent years, with Uzbekistan winning last year’s Asian U-17 Worlds. In the Cup, they defeated England and advanced to the quarter-finals. They won 20 championships in the same year and were Asian runners-up at Under-23 level in 2022 – and the White Wolves are increasingly showing signs that they are ready to translate that into success at senior international level.
– Lynch: Why Uzbekistan could be a breakout star at the 2026 World Cup
Despite the absence of Cagliari attacker Eldor Shomrodov (on loan from AS Roma) and the loss of players such as Igor Sergeyev and Sherzod Nasrulayev during the tournament, Uzbekistan remains in second place behind Australia. We were able to advance from Group B. Doha. Lens defender Abdukkodir Kusanov and CSKA Moscow midfielder Avosbek Faizulaev are also still on the roster.
Uzbekistan has never participated in a World Cup since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In the 2005 play-off against Bahrain, the first leg was annulled due to a refereeing error and a rematch was played, with the team losing on away goals and ending in a close second. The White Wolves currently sit second in their World Cup qualifying group, and after a comfortable win against Turkmenistan in their opening game, they returned to Tashkent and fought back in the second half to earn a 2-2 draw with Iran, with Sergeyev scoring in the 83rd minute. He scored the tying goal. .
Syria had to deal with some blows before the tournament, with Mohamed Osman, Mardik Mardikian and Mohammad Al Khalaq forced to leave the squad with injuries. Despite this, veteran Argentine coach Hector Cuper was able to lead the Kassiun Eagles to the last 16, conceding just one goal, drawing with Uzbekistan and losing 1-0 to Australia, leaving the Socceroos with a one-goal lead. It was suppressed. He scored a shot on target and won 1-0 against India. It was the first time Syria had reached the finals of the Asian Cup, and emotions were running high after the match.
🇸🇾 A Syrian interpreter and interviewer could not hold back tears after their country secured a place in the Round of 16 of the Asian Cup.
Director Hector Couper was less emotional.pic.twitter.com/isREKgV1pT
— Copa90 (@Copa90) January 23, 2024
The defensive prowess of Kuper’s squad will be put to a tough test when they face Iran in Wednesday’s final, but they will find a way to hold on and beat Alireza Beiranvand in goal for Team Melli Ability will also be questioned.
Syria first attempted it in 1950, but to date it has not had much success at the global level. Having never played in a World Cup in its history, he came close to missing the playoffs against Honduras for a spot in Russia 2018, but in the AFC qualifying playoffs against Australia, Omar Al-Somar’s final The post simply denied the free kick with two seconds left. , with a few inches of wood between them, advanced on the away goal and sent them home.
Of course, there are positive signs for Syrian soccer, but there is still work to be done in preparation for the North American round in 2026. Syria, who entered Group B in the second stage of the AFC qualifying round, got off to a good start by defeating North Korea. South Korea opened 1-0 in Jeddah, but were handled well by Japan in their next match, losing 5-0 against Samurai Blue.
North Korea, their main rivals to progress to the next stage, defeated Myanmar 6-1 in the day’s other match, dropping Syria to third in the group after the first international slot on goal difference. This increased the pressure to win. He achieved good results during his trip to Yangon in March.
The UAE is also a country that has only appeared once on football’s biggest stage. After qualifying for the 1990 tournament, they lost to Colombia, eventual champion West Germany, and Yugoslavia. Ismail Mubarak and Thani Jumaa became the first two to score for the United Arab Emirates in this tournament, but unfortunately for them they came against a trend of 11 goals heading in the opposite direction. I scored a goal. Since then, they have come close several times, most notably losing to Australia in a one-legged play-off for the right to play Peru for a spot in Qatar in 2022. I’ve missed it so far.
However, under coach Paulo Bento, who led South Korea to the final tournament of the 2022 World Cup, Al Abyad It was a good start to both the Asian Cup campaign and World Cup qualifiers. On the road to North America in 2026, they won against Nepal and Bahrain, and took the sole lead in Group H after two games. After winning against Hong Kong, they drew with Palestine in the final round and lost to Iran 2-1. In the group stage, they finished second in Group C of the Asian Cup on goal difference.
Featuring a team made up entirely of players active in the UAE Pro League, they will face fellow second-placed Tajikistan in the round of 16, a match they are expected to win, before facing either Iraq or Jordan. . Quarter finals. If they advance, they will most likely face a powerhouse team from South Korea, Saudi Arabia, or Australia in the semifinals.
[ad_2]
Source link
