Competitions – Inside World Football

AFC draws groups from U27 Asian Cup Thailand 2023

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 04:01:37 +0000

April 3 – The Asian Football Confederation has completed the draw for the finals of AFC U17 Asian Cup 2023 to be played in Thailand.

The top four sides will qualify for the U-17 World Cup Peru 2023 in November.

The 16 teams were divided into four groups for the AFC’s June 15-July 2 tournament.

Hosts Thailand, champions in 1998, will have Malaysia, Laos and Yemen for company.

Two-time champions Korea Republic were drawn with Islamic Republic of Iran,

Israeli forces storm Palestine’s Faisal Al Husseini stadium in unprovoked tear gas attack on players and fans

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 03:34:36 +0000

By Paul Nicholson

March 31 – Israeli forces broke into the Faisal Al Husseini international stadium last night and fired tear gas on to the pitch and into the stands, halting the final of the Abu Ammar Cup for an hour while players and fans were treated.

The Israeli attack appears to be unprovoked and the Israeli authorities have not issued a statement regarding the incident or who ordered the troops to attack players and fans in the stadium.

AFC turns attention to U20 women with second round group draw

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 10:12:18 +0000

March 20 – With the men’s AFC U20 Asian Cup compleed at the the weekend the confederation is now turning its attention to the U20 women who are in the final stages of qualifying for finals in 2024 that will be played, liked the men’s, in Uzbekistan.

This week the AFC will hold the group draw for the eight remaining teams in qualifying. Two groups will be played at yet to be named centralised venues with the top two teams in each group qualifying directly to the finals next year.

Uzbekistan beat Iraq to win the AFC U20 Asian Cup. Indonesian World Cup beckons

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 09:19:06 +0000

March 20 – Host nation Uzbekistan have won their first AFC U20 Asian Cup, beating five times champions Iraq 1-0 in the final in Tashkent.

In front of a capacity crowd of 33,834 in the Bunyodkor Stadium, the Uzbeks were roared on to a fast start, dominating the first half hour and missing three good chances to take the lead.

Uzbekistan thought they had taken the lead when Abbosbek Fayzullaev finally found a way past Hussein Hasan ion the Iraq goal,

Uzbekistan and Iraq win penalty shoot outs to set up AFC U20 Asian Cup final

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 09:04:29 +0000

March 16 – It took penalty shoot-outs for both hosts Uzbekistan and Iraq to overcome South Korea and Japan to qualify for the finals of then AFC U20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan.

In front of a capacity crowd at Bunyodkor Stadium, Uzbekistan played out a goalless 120 goalless minutes against a strong South Korean defence, as they bid to make the final for only the second time in their history.

In the shoot-out Otabek Boymurodov was Uzbekistan’s hero,

Uzbeks and Iraqis make history as AFC U20 Asian Cup reaches semi-final stage

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 13 Mar 2023 08:00:38 +0000

March 13 – Iraq, Japan, South Korea and Uzbekistan sealed their places at the U20 World Cup in Indonesia later this year, all coming through a dramatic set of quarter finals at the AFC U20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan on Sunday.

It was non-stop tension across the board in the quarter finals with Uzbekistan needing a penalty shoot-out and South Korea needing extra time to win their ties. Iraq secured their progression with a goal in added time.

AFC U20 Asian Cup: Japan keep Saudi out of quarter finals, Jordan squeeze through

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 09:27:59 +0000

March 10 – Japan qualified for the quarter finals of the AFC U20 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan with a 2-1 win over reigning champions Saudi Arabia who finished third in Group D and out of the knockout rounds.

Two goals from Kuryu Matsuki helped Japan maintain their 100% record, the only country in the 16-team finals to do so.

Saudi Arabia needed a win to qualify but instead China, with a 1-1 draw with the Kyrgyz Republic at the JAR Stadium in Tashkent,

AFC U20 Asian Cup: Vietnam out as Iran and Aussie win big; Uzbeks and Iraq through

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:11:51 +0000

March 7 – It was heartbreak for Vietnam as they went from top of their group after two matches at the AFC U20 Asian Cup to third place after losing to Iran, missing out on qualification to the knockout rounds on goal difference.

On an evening that decided the first four teams into the quarter finals of the competition, Australia clinched their spot with a 9-1 dismantling of Qatar, despite having gone a goal behind early on.

AFC U20 Asian Cup: China surprise Saudi to take group qualification to the wire

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 10:05:30 +0000

March 7 – China turned the form book and Group D of the AFC U20 Asian Cup upside down with a 2-0 win over reigning champions Saudi Arabia to keep themselves in with a chance of qualifying for the quarter finals going into the last group game later this week.

China have to overcome the Kyrgyz Republic who are bottom of the group, to go to six points while Saudi Arabia have to be beat group leaders Japan by a good margin if they are to secure six points and guarantee qualification on goal difference.

AFC U20 Asian Cup: Vietnam continue to impress as group stages reach crucial point

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 10:10:26 +0000

March 6 – Hosts Uzbekistan, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan all took big steps towards to the quarter finals of the AFC U20 Asian Cup this weekend as they topped their groups unbeaten after two rounds.

Vietnam continued their impressive progress towards establishing themselves as one Asia’s elite nations with a 2-1 win over Qatar in Group B. It was their second successive win at the Istiqlol Stadium having beaten Australia in the first round.