As the teams prepare for the next round of fixtures on Tuesday, the-AFC.com summarises five key takeaways from Thursday’s action.
Can Japan be stopped?
Three wins from as many matches, with 14 goals scored and none conceded is where Japan find themselves after a spectacular start to their campaign.
If the opening wins against China PR (7-0) and Bahrain (5-0) were not impressive enough for their detractors, Thursday’s 2-0 defeat of Saudi Arabia would certainly have caught the eye of even the harshest of their critics.
Up next are Australia and if Hajime Moriyasu’s men clinch another three points, it will be a case of not if but when Japan confirm their FIFA World Cup 2026 berth.
Jaber works wonders with Oman
Oman played scintillating football in their 4-0 defeat of Kuwait and it would have come as a surprise to even the most ardent of their fans.
The West Asian side never looked back from the first blow of the whistle as Kuwait were left gasping, with head coach Rashid Jaber attributing his team’s sumptuous football to extensive psychological preparation.
With Oman having suffered defeats in their opening two matches, Jaber inherited a squad low on morale and his move to focus on his players’ mental strength paid huge dividends and the rest of their Group B opponents had better be wary.
No Son, no problem
Such is Son Heung-min’s influence on Korea Republic that many expect them to struggle when the captain does not feature.
Pinpoint accuracy from Seol Young-woo followed by a sharp finish from Lee Jae-sung to seal it! 🇰🇷
Thursday’s 2-0 win over Jordan, however, suggests otherwise as Korea Republic not only coped with Son’s absence but also Hwang Hee-chan’s injury enforced substitution.
With both players approaching the twilight of their respective careers, Korea Republic need the next generation to step and that they did on Thursday.
Qatar on the rise?
Qatar will hope they have turned the corner after Thursday’s 3-1 defeat of Kyrgyz Republic.
The two-time AFC Asian Cup™ champions entered the tie with just a point to their name and another negative result would have had drastic implications on their qualification hopes.
Up next for Akram Afif and his teammates are Islamic Republic of Iran and a win on Tuesday will complete their turnaround and Qatar can then optimistically look forward to the rest of their campaign.
China PR in dire straits
Three defeats in as many matches mean China PR are fast running out of options in their bid to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for a second time.
With the likes of Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia to contend with, head coach Branko Ivankovic believes a realistic target is for China PR to aim for one of the playoff spots.
With five matches remaining, China PR certainly have a chance but victories are a must, starting with Indonesia on Tuesday.
