Iran drew 1-1 with Syria in the last 16 of the AFC Asian Cup after 120 minutes of play, winning by 12 yards from each other, but striker Tanimi was sent off after receiving a red card in the match.
Iran took the lead after controlling the game, but failed to score another goal, and then allowed Syria to equalize. Considering that they only have two days to prepare for this Round of 8 match, it will definitely affect the team after a long and hard battle. Against Japan, Iran will have to steal the ball from their opponents' strikers and try to gain an advantage on the sides of the field. Since Tanimi is suspended, I expect Asmon to be the main threat to the team.
Japan defeated Bahrain 3-1 in the Round of 16 to advance to the Round of 8. The Blue Samurai tried to find openings in Bahrain's tight 4-1-4-1 formation, but Yasutoshi Don opened the scoring for his side. Japan's pair of stalwarts, Itakura Hwang and Tomoyasu Kenyo, were solid in defense, while the strikers kept moving around to make sure that the team was able to quickly turn defense into offense, and with Sanfonium Hikaru back from injury, the team seems to be quite strong.
Iran will be focusing on defense, so Japan will have to make a breakthrough in the early part of the game. With only two days of rest between the two matches, I think Japan will probably make some changes, and Takumi Minamino's experience and mobility will come in handy. Considering how both sides progressed to the round of 16, and the fact that Japan seems to have the better bench depth, and with Sanfahrun back, I think the Blue Samurai will win this match and advance to the last 4.
As for the last match, Qatar hosts Uzbekistan. Last year's champions and hosts of this year's AFC Cup Final Week, Qatar, took another step towards defending their title with a 2-1 victory over Palestine in the Round of 16. Qatar has been in great form since the first match of the group stage, scoring goals on raw or dead ball attacks, and being the hosts, the whole team is united. Afif is the core of the team's offense, not only can he score on his own, but he can also try to create scoring opportunities for his teammates in various positions.
Since Uzbekistan will play a 4-5-1 defense, I think Afif's movement between the midfield and backfield of the opponent will be crucial for Qatar to create openings and start their offense. Uzbekistan beat Thailand 2-1 in their last match to make it to the last 8. They were in control of the game right from the start and created a number of chances, but lacked a bit of quality in front of goal. Defensively as well, they allowed Thailand to launch many counter-attacks, so they need to limit the chances between their 3 central players. Uzbekistan will need to be aggressive in their attempts to score in the first half. Uyunluf has the ability to break down the back of the defense, and I believe his movement and twisting skills will pose a problem for the Qatar defense.
