What Asian Cup games can I watch on Tuesday? South Korea, China and Iran in action
- Three debutants face toughest of tasks in their opening games in the UAE
- Group C seen as ‘group of death’ with odds stacked against Azkals and Akshumkar
Shocks for the hosts and the holders have given hope to the so-called
lesser lights of Asian football and that will inspire confidence in
group C on Monday when two debutants make their bow.
Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Philippines and Kyrgyzstan are the new faces at the 2019 Asian Cup and they have nothing to fear despite being in a group with two of the biggest names on the continent.
China and South Korea are the teams in question
but the Koreans have not won the competition since 1960, while China
have never gone better than when they were runners-up on home soil in
2004.
There remains little doubt that this is the “group of death” in the UAE and all four teams will want to get off to a good start.
Kyrgyzstan’s Anton Zemlianukhin is the country’s
record scorer with half of his 12 international goals coming in the
last round of qualification. The 28-year-old will be the one to watch
for the debutants at the Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain.
Marcello Lippi’s China are continental
heavyweights but they have been punching well below what is expected of
them for far too long.
This time out they have the oldest squad at the
tournament but going for experience did not harm Lippi’s Italy back at
the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
Wu Lei is the player the nation expects to
deliver, especially after hitting 27 goals in 29 games to finish with
the Chinese Super League golden boot last season.
China and Kyrgyzstan get the chance to make an early statement in the early kick-off.
Lippi’s side are clear favourites at $1.4 to win, with a draw at $4.4. The shock is priced at $9.6.
That game kicks off at 7pm and is live on Fox Sport (channel 670).
This is followed up by South Korea taking on the Philippines.
The Azkals make their debut but without their biggest name in Neil
Etheridge the Cardiff City goalkeeper. That means the burden of
responsibility is at the other end of the pitch and on the shoulders of
Phil Younghusband, the Azkals’ long-time go-to man and record scorer.
South Korea are among the favourites to go all the way in the UAE but they need to start without their talisman.
Paulo Bento’s young squad led by experienced
Newcastle United midfielder Ki Sung-yueng until Tottenham Hotspur’s Son
Heung-min arrives in the UAE next week.
No matter, the Koreans are the favourites. A win
for them is just $1.1 while it is a massive $81 for the new boys. The
draw is priced at $13.
The match kicks off at 9.30pm from the Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai and it is live on Fox Sports (channel 670).
Another one of the favourites, Carlos Queiroz’s Iran, finish the night’s matches when they take on Yemen in group D at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
They will be expected to win but they have to do
that without star striker Alireza Jahanbakhsh after the Brighton player
was ruled out of their opener through injury.
He is not the only player they will miss, with Saeid Ezatolahi, Ali Golizadeh and Sadegh Moharrami all out.
Ali Al Sasi is the Yemeni star man of a squad
that draws from players plying their trade across the region. The
captain will look to add to his 14 international goals.
While Iran look to end a 43-year wait to be Asian champions, Yemen are the other debutants in the UAE.
Again, this experience or lack thereof is
reflected in the odds. Iran are $1.11 to win and Yemen are $46. A draw
in this is $9.8.
Kick off is midnight and once again the action comes live on Fox Sports (channel 670).
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