History:
From its humble beginnings in 1956, the AFC Asian Cup has developed into the continent’s premier football tournament, bringing together the top national teams from the length and breadth of Asia to compete for one of international football’s most sought-after prizes every four years.
The tournament had it roots in the formation of the Asian Football Confederation in Manila in 1954. The 12 founder members of the AFC sought to shape the development of the game in Asia and one of the keys to achieving that aim was the organisation of a regional competition for the continent's international teams.
Just two years later, the first ever Asian Cup was staged in Hong Kong with seven of the 12 affiliated national associations vying for the title of Asia's best football team.
Over half a century later, the Asian Cup has grown to encompass teams from throughout the continent and has become the barometer by which the continually changing balance of power in Asian football is measured.
From the dominance of Korea Republic in the early years of the competition, the Asian Cup became the providence of the mighty Iranians who won three consecutive tournaments from 1968 to 1976.
During the 1980s, the Gulf states asserted themselves with Kuwait becoming the first Arab side to win the competition in 1980 before Saudi Arabia claimed three of the next four championships, reaching the final five times in a row.
Japan's Asian Cup victories in 1992, 2000 and 2004 signaled a shift in power back to East Asia at the turn of the Millennium although the highly competitive nature of the most recent tournament in China is a clear indication that competition remains keen among the sides looking to be crowned Asia’s top national team.
Year Hosts Winners Runners-up Result
1956 Hong Kong Korea Rep Israel Round-robin
1960 Korea Rep Korea Rep Israel Round-robin
1964 Israel Israel India Round-robin
1968 Iran Iran Burma Round-robin
1972 Thailand Iran Korea Rep 2-1 (aet)
1976 Iran Iran Kuwait 1-0
1980 Kuwait Kuwait Korea Rep 3-0
1984 Singapore Saudi Arabia China 2-0
1988 Qatar Saudi Arabia Korea Rep 0-0 (4-3 pens)
1992 Japan Japan Saudi Arabia 1-0
1996 UAE Saudi Arabia UAE 0-0 (4-2 pens)
2000 Lebanon Japan Saudi Arabia 1-0
2004 China Japan China 3-1
For the first time in History, 4 nations are hosting this tournament. Thailand Group A, Vietnam Group B, Malaysia Group C and Indonesia Group D.
Groupings:
Group A
Australia
Iraq
Oman
Thailand
Group B
Japan
Qatar
UAE
Vietnam
Group C
China
Iran
Malaysia
Uzbekistan
Group D
Bahrain
Indonesia
Korea Republic
Saudi Arabia
There have been 3 games played so far and all 3 have gone under 2.5 goals. Australia 1- Oman 1, Vietnam 2- UAE 0 and Japan 1- Quatar 1. It has been raining daily in the region, so look for the under trend to continue....
There will be 2 to 4 games each day and start times are 5:20 CST and 7:30 CST each day until 07/18, at that point the round robin round is over and the top 2 teams from each group advance to the second round.
My predictions to win each group.
Group A: Australia
Group B: Japan
Group C: Iran
Group D: S. Korea
