Doha (AFP) – The Asian Cup, memorable for its stunning and dramatic ending, proved the area’s potential and raised hopes that groups can attain new heights on the 2026 World Cup.
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Asian Football Confederation groups can earn eight direct spots and one intercontinental play-off spot within the expanded 48-team World Cup to be held within the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Asia Cup in Qatar concludes with Saturday’s last between the hosts and Jordan, suggesting critical competitors between the area’s conventional powerhouses.
South Korean coach Jurgen Klinsmann stated in Doha that “Asian soccer has improved significantly.”
“Quality has improved dramatically during the last 10 to fifteen years.”
His enthusiastic staff then misplaced 2-0 to Jordan within the semi-finals, Japan, the pre-tournament favorites, misplaced within the quarter-finals to Iran, who misplaced to Qatar.
“All the groups within the Asia Cup have prime quality and the groups are getting higher, so we performed tough video games,” stated Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, whose staff conceded no less than one aim in each sport.
shut encounter
The staff has primarily achieved success by enjoying aggressive, attacking soccer, however the video games have usually been shut.
The largest distinction within the match was Australia and Jordan’s 4-0 wins over Indonesia and Malaysia respectively.
Notable successes embody Jordan, whose high-tempo attacking model makes a mockery of world No. 87, and debutant Tajikistan, who reached the quarterfinals.
The bottom-placed Hong Kong staff confirmed their competitiveness regardless of dropping all three video games and gave Iran an actual scare earlier than dropping 1-0.
Malaysia, one other so-called regional powerhouse, performed out a well-known 3-3 draw with South Korea.
South Korean captain Son Heung-min thought he had scored the profitable aim with a penalty within the 94th minute, however Malaysia equalized within the one hundred and fifth minute.
“They fought to the top,” Song stated. “I’m very completely satisfied that this has unfold to the Asian soccer world.”
Despite all of the progress, some groups appear to be treading water or regressing.
India and China returned dwelling with out scoring in three matches every.
Some of the goalkeepers had been additionally inconsistent at instances, with Japan specifically severely missing in dependable stoppers.
funding
Scott McIntyre, a soccer author for the web site Asian Game, believes the growth of the World Cup will give smaller Asian nations a cause to speculate extra within the sport.
“If they’re one of many few Asian international locations that persistently take part within the World Cup, they need to be investing of their home leagues,” he informed AFP.
“For others, it is like, ‘If you are Uzbek or Jordanian, what are your motives?’
“You’d assume we would not be capable to play within the World Cup with 4 spots.”
Asian groups achieved notable success within the group phases of the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Japan defeated Germany and Spain, and Saudi Arabia overwhelmed eventual champion Argentina.
Saudi Arabia is investing in soccer and is about to host the 2034 World Cup.
However, South Korea’s efficiency, which reached the semi-finals as co-hosts in 2002, stays the area’s finest World Cup consequence, and no AFC staff has superior past the final 16 since then.
Teams from different federations exterior of Europe and South America have fared higher, with Morocco serving to Africa attain its first semi-final of the 2022 World Cup.
Jordan’s Moroccan coach Hussein Ammuta believes the important thing to strengthening the nationwide staff is to get gamers to play in Europe’s main leagues.
Montpellier’s Moussa Al Tamari is presently the one member of the Jordanian nationwide staff to take action, however Amouta believes there are sufficient Asian gamers to comply with swimsuit.
“Soccer in Asia is growing very effectively and producing high-quality gamers that the massive groups in Europe are on the lookout for,” he stated on the eve of the ultimate.
© 2024 AFP