The 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, which will determine the strongest player in Asian soccer, has finally come to an end.
The tournament began its long journey for about a month, starting with the opening match of the first Group A match between Qatar and Lebanon, the host country, held at 1 a.m. on the 13th (Korean time).
Korea, which claims to be the strongest team in Asia, is aiming for the championship for the first time in 64 years at this year’s Asian Cup. Korea won the first Asian Cup championship in 1956 and secured two consecutive Asian Cup titles in 1960.
In response, Son Heung-min (Tottenham) and Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), who are considered the best strikers and defenders in Korean football history, are determined to lift the trophy.
In order to win, they have to overcome their rivals such as Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Uzbekistan.
Team Korea, which belongs to Group E with Bahrain, Jordan, and Malaysia, is expected to rank No. 1 in the group. If the team passes the round of 16, it will likely face off against Iran in the quarterfinals. A showdown with Iran is highly likely to be the first crisis Korea will face.
South Korea is trailing Iran in past matches with 10 wins, 10 draws and 13 losses. South Korea is one of the few Asian countries that is lagging behind Iran in their matches.
In the Asian Cup, Iran has a strong relationship with Iran in the quarterfinals for five consecutive times from the 1996 tournament to the 2011 Qatar tournament.
However, he is not as afraid as before, as he has been undefeated in four matches (1 win and 3 draws) against Iran in the recent A-match. In the most recent showdown, the team won 2-0 in the final Asian qualifying match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with Son Heung-min (Tottenham) scoring the first goal.
If it crosses Iran in the quarterfinals and succeeds in advancing to the long-awaited final through the semifinals, it is likely to clash with Japan, its “forever rival.”
Attention is focusing on whether the two teams, which are currently considered the most likely candidates in foreign media, will meet in the final to compete for self-defense.
Of course, the final match can be made if Japan, which belongs to Group D, also advanced to the round of 16 as the top of the group and cruised in the tournament 헤라카지노.
Korea and Japan have never faced each other in the Asian Cup final so far. The most recent showdown took place in the semifinals of the 2011 tournament, when Korea lost 0-3 in the shootout after losing 2-2 in 120 minutes.
Korea recently lost 0-3 in two consecutive A matches against Japan, losing face. However, Son Heung-min and Kim Min-jae did not play in both matches. If they meet Japan at the Asian Cup, they will have a chance to avenge themselves.
