After narrowing down from 24 teams to 16, it's difficult to predict who will ultimately lift the trophy on February 10. Japan, the favorites coming into the tournament, finished as runners-up in their group behind Iraq and will face Bahrain in their last-16 match. On the other hand, Iraq impressed with a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Japan and other teams undefeated in the group stages include Iran and Qatar, who will face Syria and Jordan, respectively.
South Korea, led by manager Jurgen Klinsmann, had they topped their group, would have faced Japan in the last 16. However, they were held to a 3-3 draw by Malaysia in their final group match. They are now set to clash with Saudi Arabia in a highly-anticipated match on Tuesday. Klinsmann acknowledges the challenges his team will face and emphasizes the need to not underestimate any opponent, as every team poses a tactical threat.
South Korea, aiming to win the Asian Cup for the first time in 64 years, has seen captain Son Heung-min shine with two penalty goals in the tournament. Son referred to their exciting draw with Malaysia as a "big wake-up call."
Their opponents, Saudi Arabia, topped their group with two wins and a draw. However, their attack has not been particularly potent, and they struggled to secure a 2-0 victory over nine-man Kyrgyzstan. Ahead of their clash with South Korea, Saudi manager Roberto Mancini expects a challenging match for both sides.
Other matches in the last 16 include Japan against Bahrain and Australia taking on Indonesia. Japan, like South Korea, has not lived up to high expectations thus far, with key player Kaoru Mitoma yet to feature due to injury. Japan's coach Hajime Moriyasu has unresolved concerns about Mitoma's return and goalkeeper Zion Suzuki's performance.
Defending champions Qatar, who impressed by dominating Group A, will face Palestine. Palestine's historic 3-0 victory over Hong Kong propelled them into the knockout stages for the first time in the tournament's history. Despite the backdrop of the war in Gaza, the team has fulfilled a promise to the Palestinian people, according to captain Musab Al-Battat.
The knockout phase commences on Sunday with Australia against Indonesia, followed by the United Arab Emirates taking on tournament debutants Tajikistan. Indonesia, ranked 146th in the world, qualified for the knockout stages with one win and two defeats in the group stage, making them the lowest-ranked team remaining in the competition.
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