AFC Asian Cup 2023, Group E preview: Teams, squads; Son leads South Korea into Qatar 2024

Here is the preview for the Group E consisting of South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan and Bahrain in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup, set to be hosted by Qatar.

Published : Jan 09, 2024 07:31 IST - 2 MINS READ

South Korea’s attack will be spearheaded by Son Heung-min.
South Korea’s attack will be spearheaded by Son Heung-min. | Photo Credit: AFP
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South Korea’s attack will be spearheaded by Son Heung-min. | Photo Credit: AFP

Asian’s premier football tournament, the AFC Asian Cup will kickstart on January 12, with host Qatar taking on Lebanon.

Here is the preview for Group E in the tournament.

South Korea

FIFA Ranking: 23

Best finish: Champions (1956, 1960)

Coach: Juergen Klinsmann (Germany)

Prospects: Perennial Asian representatives at World Cups, it is among the favourites with two Premier League calibre goal scorers leading the line -- skipper Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan -- who have 22 league goals between them this season.

Combined with Paris St Germain playmaker Lee Kang-in and Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae, South Korea have European football pedigree and arrive in Qatar having not conceded a goal in its last six matches while scoring 20.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Kim Seung-gyu (Al Shabab/KSA), Jo Hyeon-woo (Ulsan), Song Bum-keun (Shonan Bellmare/JPN)
Defenders: Kim Young-gwon (Ulsan), Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich/GER), Jung Seung-hyun (Ulsan), Kim Ju-sung (FC Seoul), Kim Ji-soo (Brentford/ENG), Seol Young-woo (Ulsan), Kim Tae-hwan (Ulsan), Lee Ki-je (Suwon), Kim Jin-su (Jeonbuk)
Midfielders: Park Yong-woo (Al Ain/UAE), Hwang In-beom (Red Star Belgrade/SRB), Hong Hyun-seok (Gent/BEL), Lee Soon-min (Gwangju), Lee Jae-sung (Mainz/GER), Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA), Son Heung-min (Tottenham/ENG), Jeong Woo-yeong (Stuttgart/GER), Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves/ENG), Moon Seon-min (Jeonbuk), Park Jin-seob (Jeonbuk), Yang Hyun-jun (Celtic/SCO)
Strikers: Cho Gue-sung (Midtjylland/DEN), Oh Hyeon-gyu (Celtic/SCO)

Bahrain

FIFA Ranking: 86

Best finish: Fourth place (2004)

Coach: Juan Antonio Pizzi (Spain)

Prospects: Bahrain’s ‘golden generation’ took the country to the Asian Cup semifinal in 2004 but since then it has failed to recapture that same form in major tournaments.

The team improved under former coaches Miroslav Soukup, who nurtured emerging talent, and Helio Sousa, who oversaw a first Gulf Cup victory in 2019. Another trip to the knockout rounds is a distinct possibility for the improving Gulf nation.

Squad
Goalkeepers: Sayed Mohammed Jaffer, Ibrahim Lutfalla, Abdulkarim Fardan
Defenders: Waleed Al Hayam, Mohamed Adel, Ahmed Bughammar, Sayed Baqer, Amine Benadi, Hazza Ali, Abdullah Al-Khalasi, Hussain Al-Eker
Midfielders: Kamil Al-Aswad, Jasim Al-Shaikh, Mohamed Marhoon, Mohamed Al-Hardan, Mohamed Abdulwahab, Jasim Khelaif, Moses Atede, Ibrahim Al-Wali, Mohammed Abdul Qayoom
Forwards: Ali Madan, Abduall Yusuf Helal, Mahdi Al-Humaidan, Ibrahim Al-Khatal, Abdullah Al-Hashsah, Ali Hassan Isa

Jordan

FIFA Ranking: 87

Best finish: Quarter-finals (2004, 2011)

Coach: Hussein Ammouta (Morocco)

Prospects: In coach Ammouta, Jordan have someone with vast experience of playing and coaching in Qatar’s top flight, but its results in the past few months do not inspire confidence.

It ended 2023 without winning in seven games, suffering six losses. However, it will be buoyed by a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over host and defending champions Qatar in a friendly last week - Ammouta’s first win as Jordan’s coach.

Squad
Baraa Marei, Salim Obaid, Yazeed Abu Iayla, Mohammed Abu Hasheesh, Mohammed Abu Zuraiq, Mohannad Abu Taha, Anas Al Awadat, Abdullah Al Zoubi, Moussa Al Tamari, Ehsan Hadad, Ali Olwan, Abdullah Al Fakhori, Youssef Abu Jalboush, Firas Shelbaya, Saleh Rateb, Ahmad Al Jouaidi, Mahmoud Shawkat, Fadi Awad, Rezeq Bani Hani, Noor Al Rawabdeh, Abdullah Nasib, Yazan Al Arab, Hamzah Al Dardour, Rajaee Ayed, Salem Al Ajaleen, Nezar Al Rashdan, Mahmoud Mardi, Anas Bani Yasin, Ibrahim Saadah.

Malaysia

FIFA Ranking: 130

Best finish: Group stage (1976, 1980, 2007)

Coach: Kim Pan-gon (South Korea)

Prospects: Although Malaysia played in the 2007 Asian Cup as co-hosts, it has waited 44 years to actually qualify for the tournament and will be rank outsiders to progress to the knockouts.

But in coach Kim, it has the man who reshaped the South Korean team when he was the KFA’s vice-president. It will play with nothing to lose while it comes into the tournament on the back of three wins in their last four games in 2023. 

Squad
Goalkeepers: Azri Ghani, Syihan Hazmi, Sikh Izhan Nazrel
Defenders: Matthew Davies, Shahrul Saad, Daniel Ting, Syahmi Safari, Dominic Tan, Junior Eldsta, Dion Cools, Corbin Ong, Ahmad Khuzaimi Piee
Midfielders: Stuart Wilkin, Endrick Dos Santos, Syamer Kutty Abba, Brendan Gan, Afiq Fazail, Natxo Insa
Forwards: Faisal Halim, Darren Lok, Safawi Rasid, Arif Aiman Hanapi, Mohamadou Sumareh, Paulo Josue, Akhyar Rashid, Romel Morales

From Reuters

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