Asian Cup 2023 – Inside World Football

Malaysian league agrees wide randing deal with digital disruptor Ryt Bank

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 09:13:16 +0000

October 27 – The Malaysian Football League (MFL) has announced a partnership with Ryt Bank in a deal that positions the fintech firm as both the Official Digital Banking Partner and Official VAR Technology Partner of the Malaysian League.

The agreement marks a bold step for Malaysian football, pairing the country’s top professional competition with one of the most disruptive forces in the financial technology sector. It’s also the first time a digital bank has taken on a dual role supporting both the league’s commercial and technological operations.

Jhon Duran heads to Saudi to join Ronaldo, Benrahma loaned to Neom

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 09:56:18 +0000

February 3 – Colombia and Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran has departed the English Premier League for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr in a reported £64 million deal.

The Colombian becomes the latest high-profile player to be lured to the Arab Kingdom that went on a spending spree in 2023 to lift the profile of its domestic competition, the Saudi Pro League. Duran will join Cristiano Ronaldo’s team in the Saudi capital Riyad. Two years ago,

Neymar back at Al-Hilal and in line for return to Asian Champions League action next week

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 04:45:13 +0000

October 15 – After a year on the sidelines, one of the Saudi Pro League superstar players could finally be back on the pitch. Brazilian international, Neymar, who has been out injured since sustaining a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee while on international duty has returned to training with Al-Hilal.

Neymar resumed official training with Al-Hilal in late September after a lengthy rehabilitation process in his native Brazil. In his few weeks back in Saudi Arabia,

China jails two more former football officials for 11 years for corruption

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 10:16:21 +0000

August 19 – China has jailed yet another leading official for bribery as the crackdown into football corruption shows no sign of abating.

Li Yuyi (pictured), former vice president of the Chinese Football Association, has been sentenced to 11 years and fined 1 million yuan ($139,579.03), according to state news agency Xinhua, citing a court ruling.

On the same day Fu Xiang, formerly executive vice president and secretary-general of the Wuhan Football Association,

Asian Cup 2023 smashes records across the board for Qatar edition

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 13 Mar 2024 14:21:17 +0000

March 13 – The 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar that was played January 12 to February 11 this year broke just about every AFC record in the book, from attendances to broadcast coverage.

A total of 86,492 spectators made the trip to the Lusail Stadium for the Asian Cup final, which saw the hosts lift their second consecutive Asian Cup trophy after triumphing in the UAE in 2019.

A record-breaking attendance of 1,509,496 fans went to matches,

AFC Asian Cup hits close to 8bn digital impressions

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 14:04:26 +0000

March 12 – The 2023 Asian Cup in Qatar, played in Jan-Feb this year, generated nearly eight billion digital impressions across all of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s digital channels.

The 7.9 billion figure obliterates the previous record of 890 million impressions that was set during the 2019 tournament in the United Arab Emirates by almost nine times.

The record was achieved via a digital strategy by the AFC, developed to serve the different regions across the Continent by offering its content in 13 different languages across 12 platforms for the first time in Asian Cup history.

Korean bust-up fingers Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in team dispute

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:48:15 +0000

February 14 – Son Heung-Min reportedly injured his finger in a South Korean bust-up at the recent Asian Cup in Qatar where the Taegeuk Warriors crashed out in the last four against tournament revelation Jordan.

The Tottenham star dislocated a finger in an altercation with teammates about table tennis and dining etiquette on the eve of their crunch match with the Jordanians, according to reports in The Sun and Yonhap. Some younger players on the team –

Afif’s penalty hattrick drives Qatar to 3-1 win over battling Jordan and retention of Asian Cup title

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 10 Feb 2024 17:57:37 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Lusail Stadium

February 10 – Qatar retained their Asian Cup title with an Akram Afif hattrick of penalties in front of 86,465 mainly Qatari fans in the Lusail Stadium.

It was an astonishing night of celebration for the Qataris who so desperately wanted a tournament win on home soil after the disappointment of the 2022 World Cup performance.

In Afif they had the player to deliver it and in VAR they had technology to confirm.

Brotherly love kissed goodbye as Qatar and Jordan line-up for Asian Cup final

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 10:17:53 +0000

February 9 – Qatar coach Marquez Lopez wants his team to cast Arab affinity to one side for 90 minutes as the defending champions and tournament hosts look to see off the Asian Cup’s surprise package Jordan on Saturday to retain the continental title.

The final at Lusail Stadium, only the second time the World Cup final stadium will have been used during the four-week event, will be the first to pit Arab nations against one another since 2007,

Iran left dumbstruck as brilliant Afif steers Qatar into Asian Cup final

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 20:14:09 +0000

By Paul Nicholson in Doha

February 7 – Qatar overcame Iran 3-2 at the Al Thumama stadium in Doha in another pulsating semi-final in an Asian Cup that has provided drama after drama.

A match that at times was lacking in finesse was more than made up for by commitment at both ends of the pitch.

Inevitably it was a goal and two assists from the mercurial Akram Afif that drove Qatar to what in the end looked like being an unlikely victory as they weathered wave after wave of Iranian attack.

Ready to rock, Arabian style. Qatar and Iran take centrestage at Al Thumama

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 05:33:43 +0000

February 2 – After a big night of passion and a giant killing result that saw Jordan overcome South Korea to take their place in the Asian Cup final this weekend, it is the turn of hosts Qatar and Iran to battle for the right to play them.

The Qataris are – in name – pretty much the same team that played so disappointingly at the FIFA World Cup, but for the past month they looked to have recaptured the kind of form that drove them to the 2019 Asian Cup title in the UAE.

Jordan stun South Korea on a pulsating Asian Cup night of giant killing

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 20:11:56 +0000

February 6 – On an astonishing night of giant killing Jordan knocked out South Korea 2-0 in the Asian Cup to secure a place in the final this weekend.

It was a stunning achievement for a team that only qualified for the knockout rounds as one of the best third placed group finishers.

Jordan will sail deeper into uncharted territory. They had never made it to the quarter finals before and now they have gone all the way to the final.

Asian Cup semi-finals: Jordan look to upset late-running Koreans

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 17:34:40 +0000

February 6 – The semi-finals of the Asian Cup kick off today with Jordan playing South Korea in the Ahmad bin Ali stadium in Doha. Tomorrow Qatar play Iran.

Jordan are making their debut in the semi-finals while South Korea have won the title twice before but not since 1960.

The Koreans start as firm favourites but they will need to start faster than they have in their other games. In the quarter finals they levelled against Australia in the last breath of added time,

Iran’s Ghalenoei hits back at media critics after Japan win

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 04:24:41 +0000

February 5 – Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei has denounced sections of the country’s media for having previously criticised the team after guiding them to the semi-finals of the Asian Cup.

Ghalenoei took charge 10 months ago for a second stint having led the Iranians to the quarter-finals of the competition in 2007.

This time they have gone one step further after they beat Asia’s top-ranked side, Japan, on Saturday.

The 60-year-old,

Qatar keep Asian Cup dream alive with penalty shoot-out win over Uzbekistan

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 19:16:07 +0000

February 3 – In a tight match that was all square at 1-1 after extra time, Qatar beat Uzbekistan 3-2 in the penalty shoot out to keep their dream of retaining the Asian Cup title they won in 2019 alive.

They next face South Korea in the semi-finals who will be their toughest opposition of the Asian Cup so far.

The Qataris Asian Cup winning streak has now stretched to 12 games,

Iran score from the penalty spot in added time to end Japan’s push for 5th title

Paul Nicholson — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 10:20:45 +0000

February 3 – Another goal in added time in this tournament of late match winners, saw Iran overcome Japan in what was very much a game of two halves and grew into a pulsating quarter final.

After a first half of missed chances for both teams, the score at 1-1 and with the clock having clicked past 90 minutes towards extra time, Iran’s Hossein Kanani was brought down in the box. Alireza Jahanbakhsh stepped up to hammer the spot kick home,

Korea’s added time goal and Son Heung-min’s masterclass send Aussies down under

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 19:35:14 +0000

February 2 – South Korea dumped Australia out of the Asian Cup 2-1 at the Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah in a match that looked as though it had gone Australia’s way at the 90-minute mark.

Going into added time at the end of the second half Australia, if not cruising, looked as though they had done enough to defend a 1-0 lead against the brilliance of Son Heung-min and a Korea hungry for Asian Cup success.

Jordan end Tajikistan’s dream with 1-0 win to secure semi-final slot

Paul Nicholson — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 10:48:45 +0000

February 2 – Jordan became the first team to claim a semi-final berth at the Asian Cup after they bundled debutants Tajikistan out in the quarter finals with a 1-0 win, courtesy of an Abdallah Nasib headed goal.

In front of their massed and vocal support in the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, Jordan continue their campaign into the semifinals, the first time they reached this stage of the competition.

If their win over Iraq with two goals in added time had a controversial element of luck involved following the sending off of Iraq’s star striker,

TV viewers switch on to Asian Cup, smashing all previous records

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 11:32:25 +0000

February 1 – Having already announced record breaking social media and attendance for the Asian Cup Qatar 2023 that enters the quarter final stage today, the AFC is reporting that the finals tournament is also smashing TV viewership records.

The AFC has a broadcast footprint of more than 160 territories worldwide via 60 media partners and more than 120 channels.

Those partners have recorded a number of broadcast firsts for the Asian Cup including the first time that all Group Stage matches have been transmitted live in markets beyond AFC territories including the USA,

No Taremi but Iranians promise 26 like him for Japan quarter final

Paul Nicholson — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 10:36:36 +0000

February 1 – Saeid Ezatolahi, has promised that Iran will play with “26 Taremis” against Japan after the star striker from Porto was sent off in his side’s penalty drama victory against a stubborn Syria in the round of 16 of the Asian Cup.

Speaking after Iran’s progress to the last eight of the competition, Ezatolahi, a key player in Iran’s midfield, said: “Mehdi was the saddest player after he was sent off.

Japan start to join the dots as they ease past Bahrain

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:40:46 +0000

January 31 – Four-time Asian Cup champions Japan secured their place in the quarter finals of the competition with a comfortable 3-1 victory over group-topping Bahrain.

Hajime Moriyasu’s side conducted a neat and tidy operation on their outmatched opposition – an otherwise flawless performance if not for Zion Suzuki’s clumsiness to gift Bahrain a brief shred of hope.

Japan entered the match from a surprising second-placed finish in Group D, where the side’s free-flowing attack and goalscoring ability was marred but its leaky defence that conceded five goals in three games.

Taremi pays the penalty but Iran go though with shoot-out win over Syria

Paul Nicholson — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 09:49:32 +0000

January 31 – Ten-man Iran survived a major scare against Syria winning 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw to complete the quarter-final lineup of the Asian Cup. Sent off, Mehdi Taremi will have to sit out the last-eight clash with Japan.

The Iranians join Qatar, Australia, Japan and South Korea as one of five teams who have won the continental crown in the quarter-finals, but they got there the hard way, a victory over against a valiant Syria costing them blood,

Dramatic last gasp equaliser spurs South Korea to penalty shoot out win over Saudi Arabia

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:25:19 +0000

By Harry Ewing at the Education City Stadium

January 30 – It was another night of red-hot passion and nerve jangling football in the last 16 ties of the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar.

An equalising South Korean goal in the ninth minute of added time followed by extra time and a nailbiting 4-2 win in the penalty shoot-out ended Saudi Arabia’s Asian Cup campaign.

In a series of no-holds-barred last 16 contests,

Uzbeks brush past Thailand to set up Qatar quarter final

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:08:58 +0000

January 30 – Uzbekistan secured a spot in the last eight of the Asian Cup following a routine 2-1 victory over Thailand, the last south-east Asian country in competition.

The Uzbeks had few problems in dispatching the Thais, who sat back and offered little attacking threat and never looked like chasing the game despite a flourish in the second half.

For the second time in a row, Thailand exited in the round of 16 and will be left to wonder what could have been if they had applied some more attacking enterprise.

Uzbekistan’s Katanec gets prickly over team’s winning performances

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 08:00:31 +0000

January 30 – Srecko Katanec has defended his reign as Uzbekistan manager and his team’s 2-1 victory against Thailand that ensured passage to the last eight of the Asian Cup after receiving criticism from local media. He called on Uzbeks to “be happy and normal”.

The Uzbeks encountered few problems in their round-of-sixteen clash with Thailand, but quizzed by the Uzbek media at a news conference the Slovenian, who took charge of the Central Asians in 2021,

Syria look to spring another last 16 surprise on Iran

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 05:40:13 +0000

January 30 – Syria will rely on their own strengths and philosophy against Iran in the round of 16, said manager Hector Cuper on the eve of their second-round encounter.

For the first time in history, the Syrians will feature in the last 16 of the tournament after finishing third in Group B behind both Australia and Uzbekistan.

They now take on three-time champions Iran, who were one of just two teams to maintain a perfect record in the group stages.

Bahrain undaunted by ‘life or death’ challenge of Japan

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 04:41:17 +0000

January 30 – Asian Cup hopefuls Bahrain will confront tournament favourites Japan on Wednesday afternoon at the Thumama Stadium in a round of 16 fixture that could completely change the complexion of the tournament.

Speaking ahead of his clash with four-time Asian Cup champions Japan on Wednesday afternoon, Bahrain manager Juan Antonio Pizzi said: “We are very optimistic. It will be a very tough match but we are well prepared, we need to be focused.”

“I have full confidence in my players.

Moriyasu quietly confident ahead of Japan’s clash with Bahrain

Paul Nicholson — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 04:40:31 +0000

January 30 – Entering his press conference with an air of calmness and composure despite being ten minutes late, Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu explained his expectations heading into the round of 16 tie with Bahrain at the Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday evening.

“After the Indonesia game we had some time to rest. We trained well with good intensity and I expect a lot from tomorrow’s match.

“It doesn’t matter who we play in the knockout stage,

Palestine bow out with friends, honour and pride as Afif drives Qatar into last eight

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 21:02:18 +0000

By Samindra Kunti in Al Khor

January 29 – With an assist and a goal, Akram Afif propelled Qatar to the last eight of the Asian Cup with a 2-1 victory over the brave-hearted Palestinians.

The number eleven starred in a victory that did not come easy for the host nation and broke the hearts of Palestine, who can reflect on a historic campaign amid the backdrop of war in Gaza.

Ammouta says mental strength and a wicked counter attack are key to Jordan’s success

Paul Nicholson — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 18:30:46 +0000

January 30 – Jordan crashed their way into the quarter finals on Monday evening, overcoming the odds to score twice in added time against high-flying Iraq.

Manager Hussein Ammouta (pictured), who made one substitution throughout the match, spoke of his team’s performance after an incredible closing to the game.

“The match was a very difficult one. They also deserved to qualify for the next stage,” he said.

“We played our game,