09/04/2024【Feature】Tulio Tanaka - U23 Asian Cup analysis

Tulio Tanaka – U23 Asian Cup
Former Japan international defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka played at the 2004 Olympic Games.

Hosts Qatar favourites, Uzbekistan dark horses at U23 Asian Cup
There are a lot of talented teams participating in this year’s U23 Asian Cup, but looking at the groups I think Qatar, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan will each progress in first place, with hosts Qatar going on to become champions.

I can see Australia, Korea Republic, Iraq, and Kuwait joining them in the quarter-finals by finishing as runners-up in their respective groups.

Lifting the trophy would guarantee Qatar a place at the Paris Olympics, and I think the other two teams to join them there as runners-up or third placed finishers will be Japan and Uzbekistan.

Qatar’s full national team won the Asian Cup on home soil in February, and I’m sure that will serve as huge motivation and add impetus for the U23s to also claim the title here. I am of course hoping Japan do well, and in particular am looking forward to seeing striker Mao Hosoya in action. Uzbekistan are my dark horse, as this generation is blessed with a lot of talent.

Qatar and Australia are together in Group A and Japan and Korea Republic were both drawn in Group B, and their group stage meetings could prove key to each team’s chances of progressing to the knockout stage – especially for Japan and Korea Republic, who are in the stronger group on paper.

There will also be several notable coaches at the competition. Korea Republic’s Hwang Sun Hong is also in charge of the full national team and has enjoyed success in the K League, and as a former striker it will be interesting to see if he goes with an attacking or more defence-minded approach.

Go Oiwa of Japan is a terrific person, but it’s unclear if he has enough attacking ideas. Does he have other options if Japan’s pressing from the front doesn’t work?

Tony Vidmar of Australia, meanwhile, earned a lot of international experience as a player and many at home and abroad think he could become another great Australian coach.

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