AFC Asian Cup 2019 Preview
There is some international tournament football betting action to look in early January. The new calendar year starts with a bang out in the east as the 2019 AFC Asian Cup starts on January 5th. The Tournament runs through to the conclusion on February 1st, so it’s a big event. It is bigger than ever actually as it has been expanded to 24 teams for the first time.
The United Arab Emirates will be playing hosts for the second time and this is the 17th edition of the AFC Asian Cup. The AFC Asian Cup is held every four years. It is the Blue Samurai of Japan who are the outright favourites at 9/2 odds* (betting odds taken from January 2nd, 2019 at 1:59 pm)
AFC Asian Cup 2019 Odds*
Japan 9/2
South Korea 4/1
Iran 4/1
Australia 6/1
Saudi Arabia 10/1
United Arab Emirates 12/1
Iraq 14/1
Uzbekistan 25/1
Qatar 40/1
China 40/1
50/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from January 2nd, 2019 at 1:59 pm)
Table of Contents
AFC Asian Cup Preview 2019
The reigning champions are Australia who are 6/1 odds to return to the title* (betting odds taken from January 2nd, 2019 at 1:59 pm). That was the first title at the tournament for the Socceroos. Leading the way as the favourites are Japan. They have won the tournament on more occasions than any other nation, with four successes under their belt. Their most recent won was in 2011. Behind them, it is Saudi Arabia and Iran who have both won it three times each. South Korea are the only other nation to have won the tournament on more than one occasion
Qualification for the Knockout Phase
The top two in each group automatically get a berth in the first knockout stage. Extra time and a penalty shootout will be used to determine winners there if they are needed. Also for the first time, teams get to use a fourth sub if the game does go to extra time. VAR will be in full use for the tournament as well. Joining the two automatic qualifiers from each group in the knockout stage will be the four best Third Place Finishers from the six groups.
Recent winners
1996 – Saudi Arabia
2000 – Japan
2004 – Japan
2007 – Iraq
2011 – Japan
2015 Australia
Group A
United Arab Emirates, Thailand, India, Bahrain
There are naturally going to be strong group-winner contenders in each of these groups with the seeded teams all being kept apart. The UAE are strong 1/6 odds-on favourites* (betting odds taken from January 2nd, 2019 at 1:59 pm) to get the win in this one as it’s expected to be a stroll in the park for them. However, they were upset in their 2018 World Cup qualification group, finishing fourth of sixth and missing out on the finals. But frankly, there is little to oppose them here. India may be worth a little flutter to follow them through. They are the highest-ranked team of the other three contenders.
Group B
Australia, Syria, Palestine, Jordan
There is going to be clear favouritism towards Australia and Syria in this group. Australia are the reigning champions and have the experience and resources to contend well at the event again. It would be a major upset if the Socceroos didn’t top the group as they are the 1/6 odds-on favourites* (betting odds taken from January 2nd, 2019 at 1:59 pm). They did only scrape into the World Cup 2018 via a dramatic play-off against Syria though after finishing third behind Japan and Saudi Arabia in their qualification group. They will reunite with Syria who had that brilliant and unexpected run during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. They should join Australia in the next round.
Group C
South Korea, China, Kyrgyzstan, Philippines
This may be one of the more closely-ran groups, but only between the two top. South Korea and China are only separated by twelve places in the current FIFA World Rankings but it is the former who are the more accomplished of the two. South Korea took automatic qualification for the 2018 World Cup from their group, while China missed out finishing second-from-bottom in that same group. They were only three points behind South Korea though in the final standings, so it was pretty fine margins there. So this should be competitive and they will meet in the final round of group stage matches for what will probably be the fight for top spot. This is the first time that Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines have qualified for the Finals.
Group D
Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, Yemen
Going based on the current FIFA World Rankings then Iran are the top side in the tournament. They are ranked at 36th in the world and the nearest to them in their group is Iraq who are 88th. Iran are one easily one of the stronger teams in the tournament and worth a look in the outright market where they are at 4/1 odds* (betting odds taken from January 2nd, 2019 at 1:59 pm). They are the ones who are the odds-on favourites to win their group. It should basically be a straight result of a 1-2 between them and Iraq in this one. Vietnam have qualified for the first time as a unified nation. It is the same for Yemen.
Group E
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon, North Korea
Saudi Arabia were straight qualifiers from the AFC for the 2018 World Cup and are the clear front-runners in Group E at the Asian Cup. This looks as if it will be a routine campaign for them really and this is just about as favourable of a draw as they could have gotten. Qatar, who came from Pot 2 of the draw finished bottom of their World Cup 2018 qualification group with only seven points from ten games. It’s hard to see anyone raising any kind of threat to Saudi Arabia in this group. It may be well worth look at Lebanon to follow Saudi Arabia through from the group just as long-shot.
Group F
Japan, Uzbekistan, Oman, Turkmenistan
The obvious choice here for the group win is Japan who are the 9/2 tournament favourites* (betting odds taken from January 2nd, 2019 at 1:59 pm). Looking at the set up for the expanded edition it is difficult to really see any upsets happening in this group stage round. This is just going to be a scrap for who can join them in the next round from this group. With Turkmenistan being the lowest-ranked of all the teams in the tournament, there may be a decent contest between the other two who are only separated by one place in the FIFA World Rankings.
