AFC
Round Two of the Asian Qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 kicked off in spectacular fashion last Thursday with 16 matches across the Continent.
Here is a look at few points which will be in focus on Matchday Two, which takes place tomorrow
Almoez Ali the goalscoring machine
Almoez Ali lit up the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 with his record-breaking nine goals as Qatar powered to the title and the Al Duhail forward has continued from where he left off.
Ali scored a fabulous hat-trick as the West Asians cruised to a 6-0 win over Afghanistan on Matchday One, taking his tally to 13 international goals in 2019, and Qatar will be counting on the 23-year-old to power them against India at Doha’s Jassim bin Hamad Stadium tomorrow.
Elkeson to make China PR debut?
China also kick their campaign on Tuesday and their starting line-up will be one of tomorrow’s most eagerly awaited, with focus on whether Brazil-born Elkeson will start in the Group A clash against Maldives in Malé.
Elkeson, now also known as Ai Kesen, recently received his Chinese citizenship and the Guangzhou Evergrande striker has spoken of his fierce desire to power China PR to only their second FIFA World Cup Finals.
Should Elkeson make his debut, the 30-year-old will be the first footballer without Chinese ancestry to play for China.
New men at the helm
Marc Wilmots and Hervé Renard will make their competitive bows as head coaches of Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia respectively.
Both teams, together with Asia’s three other representatives at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia - Australia, Japan and Korea Republic - did not feature on Matchday One.
Wilmots took charge of Iran in May, while Saudi Arabia appointed Renard in July, and both have been set the same target - qualification for the Qatar 2022 tournament.