Inside a span of a fortnight, the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup has whittled right down to its remaining 4.
The title contenders are actually right down to standard suspects Japan, perennial darkish horses Uzbekistan and Iraq, in addition to shock bundle Indonesia.
Given the U-23 Asian Cup additionally double because the qualifiers for the boys’s soccer match on the Olympic Video games later this yr, the quartet are actually tantalisingly near reserving an in-demand ticket to Paris.
The highest three groups will progress mechanically, whereas the loser of Thursday’s third-place match will nonetheless have a shot within the type of an intercontinental playoff towards African outfit Guinea.
With the semifinals to happen on Monday night, we take a more in-depth have a look at every crew’s prospects of going all the best way.
JAPAN
Whereas they’re conventional powerhouses of the continent, Japan have solely received the match as soon as earlier than — in 2016 — and are, on paper a minimum of, the present favourites.
They haven’t precisely blown groups away having tasted defeat towards South Korea within the group stage, whereas additionally making an actual meal of overcoming ten-man Qatar within the quarterfinals, but their expertise is simple.
Whereas it seems that coach Go Oiwa is but to choose his strongest XI, this may also be considered as a constructive given the Samurai Blue haven’t precisely been affected by his common squad rotation.
Regardless of being one of many two gamers within the squad which have received senior caps, ahead Mao Hosoya has been wasteful in entrance of purpose — that means Japan’s major risk has really come from the deeper attackers reminiscent of Kuryu Matsuki and Fuki Yamada, whereas centre-back Seiji Kimura is curiously their present high scorer with two objectives.
Nonetheless, the defence and midfield look extraordinarily steady, particularly with Joel Chima Fujita and Rihito Yamamoto usually dictating possession within the engine room, with Japan each bit an opportunity of turning into the U-23 Asian Cup’s first two-time champions.
UZBEKISTAN
Undoubtedly the match’s in-form crew, Uzbekistan have racked up 4 straight wins en path to the semis, with an outstanding document of 12 objectives scored and none conceded.
The power in depth at coach Timur Kapadze’s disposal could have left lots of his counterparts envious, with the Uzbeks even with the ability to go their first two matches with out the providers of Europe-based star duo Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Uzbekistan are hardly pushovers in Asian soccer however, for some time now, they’ve simply been capable of make the breakthrough into the continental’s higher echelon of groups like Japan, South Korea and Iran.
They do nevertheless have an excellent monitor document at producing high quality expertise and, aside from their U-23 Asian Cup triumph in 2018, additionally completed fourth two years later whereas being runners-up on the final version after shedding to Saudi Arabia within the remaining.
The Uzbeks have clearly benefitted from a concentrate on youth with 12 members of the present U-23 squad already uncovered to senior worldwide soccer, and so they have confirmed nearly inconceivable to comprise given their 12 objectives have come by a ramification of ten completely different scorers.
IRAQ
Simply because the senior aspect did on the AFC Asian Cup at first of the yr earlier than a controversial loss to Jordan within the spherical of 16, Iraq have slowly however certainly emerged as contenders on the U-23 Asian Cup.
They did have to beat their fair proportion of obstacles after shedding their opening match to Thailand after which needing a win of their remaining group-stage tie towards heavyweights Saudi Arabia to face any likelihood of reaching the knockout spherical.
But, they duly did so to cap off an increase from the underside to the highest of Group C, earlier than seeing off Vietnam — albeit by way of a contentious penalty — to advance from the quarterfinals.
Iraq could not have as many notable names as a number of the different groups on the match however they do boast just a few with abroad expertise, plying their commerce in varied nations reminiscent of Sweden, Netherlands, Germany and Iran.
And in star man Ali Jassim, they’ve a livewire within the attacking third that’s able to successful any recreation of his personal boot — which is a wonderful asset to have within the latter levels of match soccer.
INDONESIA
Of their match debut, Indonesia haven’t solely achieved brilliantly to achieve the semifinals – however are actually only one win away from taking part in Olympic soccer for the primary time sine 1938, after they had been nonetheless know because the Dutch East Indies and the Video games remained a senior match.
A key issue behind Indonesia’s run has been their fearless strategy, which has seen them declare almight upsets over Australia, Jordan and even South Korea within the quarterfinals, but it surely has not simply been right down to their endeavour.
A number of the soccer they’ve produced, particularly towards Jordan and South Korea, was nothing in need of excellent particularly given their standing as enormous underdogs, with the likes of Marselino Ferdinan, Witan Sulaeman and Rafael Struick combining brilliantly in assault.
Indonesia coach Shin Tae-Yong deserves loads of credit score given Indonesian soccer was within the doldrums when he took over on the helm 4 years in the past.
Nonetheless, contemplating the emphasis that has been positioned in nurturing the younger expertise at Indonesia’s disposal, it’s maybe unsurprising that they’ve thrived given they boast a tournament-high 14 gamers within the squad which have been capped at full worldwide degree, together with some which might be already senior stalwarts like Marselino, Witan and captain Rizky Ridho.
