Epic openers dominate 2nd round of Asian qualifiers

Kuala Lumpur: The attention of world football will be on the Asian qualifiers on Thursday when the Continent’s top sides aim to gain the early momentum in their FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 second round qualifying campaigns.

Qatar, the FIFA World Cup 2022 host and AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 defending champions, will face their first test against Afghanistan who will be eager to create their own fairy-tale in the first showdown between the two sides for more than three decades at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.

Kicking off the action in Group A are UAE 2019 debutants Philippines, who will be banking on home advantage when they face-off against a determined Syria side looking to rebound from their early exit in the UAE in a classic opening contest at the Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City.

Another intriguing encounter awaits in Group B as Kuwait host a Nepal side, who return to this stage of the qualifiers after more than eight years, at the Stadium of Kuwait SC in the country’s capital.

Group C also promises a thrilling opener between two West Asian rivals as Bahrain host Iraq. In Group D, Hector Cuper’s Uzbekistan will be on a mission to replicate their last qualification campaign which saw them sail into the final stages, as they travel to Palestine, who will be just as eager to build on their best-ever AFC Asian Cup performance in front of their home fans.

India will look to new head coach, Igor Stimac, to guide them to their first victory in five meetings with Group E opponents, Oman, in an intense face-off at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.

The ‘Korean Derby’ may be the most eagerly-awaited game in the second stage but before that October meeting, North Korea must first navigate a potentially tricky opening fixture against Lebanon in Pyongyang on Thursday.

Forty teams are still active on the road to Qatar but only the eight group winners and four best-placed teams progress to the next stage where Asia’s four automatic places in Qatar 2022 are up for grabs.

With South Korea, scheduled to visit Pyongyang on Oct.15 in a historic meeting between two countries technically at war, very much the favorite to finish first in Group H, every point is important for the other teams.

Agence France-Presse