2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification – third round

2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification – third round
Tournament details
Dates8–14 June 2022
Teams24 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played36
Goals scored104 (2.89 per match)
Attendance393,645 (10,935 per match)
Top scorer(s)India Sunil Chhetri (4 goals)
← 2019
2027 →
International football competition

The third round of 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification was played from 8 to 14 June 2022 in six centralised venues. It was originally scheduled for 30 March 2021 to 29 March 2022, but the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) changed the dates on multiple occasions due to postponements of matches in the second round, impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia.

Format

A total of 24 teams (22 teams which advanced from the second round and two teams which advanced from the play-off round) participated in the third round to compete for the final eleven slots in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.[1] Since the 2023 former hosts China advanced to the third round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the automatic slot for the hosts was no longer necessary.

The 24 teams were divided into six groups of four teams to play single round-robin matches in six centralised venues.[2] The group winners and the best five runners-up across all groups qualified for the Asian Cup, where they were joined by China and the twelve teams which qualified directly from the second round.[1]

On 17 February 2022, the AFC announced the six countries that would be hosting the third round: India, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia and Uzbekistan.[3]

Qualified teams

Teams qualified
Group Runners-up (bottom 3)[nb 1] Third place Fourth place Fifth place (best 3) Play-off round
A —  Philippines  Maldives — —
B  Kuwait  Jordan    Nepal — —
C —  Bahrain  Hong Kong —  Cambodia
D  Uzbekistan  Palestine  Singapore  Yemen —
E —  India  Afghanistan  Bangladesh —
F  Tajikistan  Kyrgyzstan  Mongolia  Myanmar —
G —  Malaysia  Thailand —  Indonesia
H —  Turkmenistan  Sri Lanka — —
Notes
  1. ^ Since Qatar qualified for the Asian Cup as second round group winner, the fifth runner-up also qualified for the third round of AFC qualification for the World Cup, while the three bottom-ranked runners-up competed in the third round of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualification.

Seeding

The seeding was based on the FIFA World Rankings at the time of the draw on 24 February 2022.[4] Teams from the host countries were placed in a separate pot allotted for hosts member associations (MAs), although their final group positions reflected their original draw seeding.[3]

  • Host Pot contained the teams from the host countries (group positions reflected their original draw seeding positions).
  • Pot 1 contained the teams ranked 1–6 (except Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and India).
  • Pot 2 contained the teams ranked 7–12 (except Kuwait).
  • Pot 3 contained the teams ranked 13–18 (except Malaysia).
  • Pot 4 contained the teams ranked 19–24 (except Mongolia).

The 24 teams were drawn into six groups of four. Each group contained one team from the host pot and the remaining seeding pots, except for the original seeding pot of the host country.[note 1]

The national teams which qualified are presented in bold.

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4
Hosts pot
  1.  Uzbekistan (85) (H)
  2.  Kyrgyzstan (96) (H)
  3.  India (104) (H)
  1.  Kuwait (143) (H)
  1.  Malaysia (154) (H)
  1.  Mongolia (184) (H)
Remaining teams
  1.  Bahrain (89)
  2.  Jordan (90)
  3.  Palestine (100)
  1.  Thailand (112)
  2.  Tajikistan (115)
  3.  Philippines (129)
  4.  Turkmenistan (134)
  5.  Hong Kong (148)
  1.  Afghanistan (150)
  2.  Yemen (151)
  3.  Myanmar (152)
  4.  Maldives (157)
  5.  Indonesia (160)
  1.  Singapore (161)
  2.    Nepal (167)
  3.  Cambodia (171)
  4.  Bangladesh (186)
  5.  Sri Lanka (204)

Schedule

Matchday Date Original date Matches
Matchday 1 8 June 2022 24 March 2021 2 vs 3, 1 vs 4
Matchday 2 11 June 2022 8 June 2021 3 vs 1, 4 vs 2
Matchday 3 14 June 2022 7 September 2021 3 vs 4, 1 vs 2

Groups

  The winner of each group (qualified directly for the final tournament).
  The runner-up of each group (could qualify for the final tournament if they were among the five best runners-up).[note 2]
Tiebreakers

The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order (Regulations Article 7.3):[1]

  1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
  4. Away goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams; (was not applied as the qualifiers were played in centralized venues)
  5. If more than two teams were tied, and after applying criteria 1 to 3, a subset of teams was still tied, criteria 1 to 3 were reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
  6. Goal difference in all group matches;
  7. Goals scored in all group matches;
  8. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group;
  9. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
  10. Drawing of lots.

Group A

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Jordan 3 3 0 0 6 0 +6 9 2023 AFC Asian Cup — — 3–0 2–0
2  Indonesia 3 2 0 1 9 2 +7 6 0–1 — — 7–0
3  Kuwait (H) 3 1 0 2 5 6 −1 3 — 1–2 — —
4    Nepal 3 0 0 3 1 13 −12 0 — — 1–4 —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Kuwait 1–2 Indonesia
 Report
Attendance: 6,100
Referee: Nasrullo Kabirov (Tajikistan)
Jordan 2–0   Nepal
 Report
Attendance: 1,262
Referee: Chae Sang-hyeop (South Korea)
Nepal   1–4 Kuwait
 Report
Indonesia 0–1 Jordan
Report
Attendance: 2,410
Referee: Yaqoob Abdul Baki (Oman)
Jordan 3–0 Kuwait
 Report
Indonesia 7–0   Nepal
 Report
Attendance: 3,145
Referee: Hussein Abo Yehia (Lebanon)

Group B

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Palestine 3 3 0 0 10 0 +10 9 2023 AFC Asian Cup — 4–0 1–0 —
2  Philippines 3 1 1 1 1 4 −3 4 — — — 0–0
3  Mongolia (H) 3 1 0 2 2 2 0 3 — 0–1 — —
4  Yemen 3 0 1 2 0 7 −7 1 0–5 — 0–2 —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Philippines 0–0 Yemen
Report
Attendance: 25
Referee: Kim Dae-yong (South Korea)
Palestine 1–0 Mongolia
 Report
Attendance: 1,828
Referee: Shukri Al Hanfosh (Saudi Arabia)
Mongolia 0–1 Philippines
Report
Attendance: 1,287
Referee: Chen Hsin-chuan (Chinese Taipei)
Yemen 0–5 Palestine
Report
Palestine 4–0 Philippines
 Report
Attendance: 92
Referee: Mooud Bonyadifar (Iran)
Yemen 0–2 Mongolia
Report
Attendance: 1,567
Referee: Dayirbek Abdildaev (Kyrgyzstan)

Group C

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Uzbekistan (H) 3 3 0 0 9 0 +9 9 2023 AFC Asian Cup — 2–0 — 3–0
2  Thailand 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3 6 — — 3–0 —
3  Maldives 3 1 0 2 1 7 −6 3 0–4 — — 1–0
4  Sri Lanka 3 0 0 3 0 6 −6 0 — 0–2 — —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Thailand 3–0 Maldives
 Report
Markaziy Stadium, Namangan
Attendance: 1,100
Referee: Mohammad Arafah (Jordan)
Uzbekistan 3–0 Sri Lanka
Report
Markaziy Stadium, Namangan
Attendance: 12,400
Sri Lanka 0–2 Thailand
Report
Markaziy Stadium, Namangan
Attendance: 570
Referee: Khaled Al-Shaqsi (Oman)
Maldives 0–4 Uzbekistan
Report
Markaziy Stadium, Namangan
Attendance: 9,066
Referee: Masoud Tufaylieh (Syria)
Maldives 1–0 Sri Lanka
 Report
Markaziy Stadium, Namangan
Attendance: 920
Referee: Ali Reda (Lebanon)
Uzbekistan 2–0 Thailand
Report
Markaziy Stadium, Namangan
Attendance: 21,405
Referee: Hasan Akrami (Iran)

Group D

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  India (H) 3 3 0 0 8 1 +7 9 2023 AFC Asian Cup — 4–0 — 2–0
2  Hong Kong 3 2 0 1 5 5 0 6 — — 2–1 —
3  Afghanistan 3 0 1 2 4 6 −2 1 1–2 — — 2–2
4  Cambodia 3 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1 — 0–3 — —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Hong Kong 2–1 Afghanistan
 Report
Attendance: 1,115
Referee: Ahmed Al-Ali (Jordan)
India 2–0 Cambodia
 Report
Attendance: 26,118
Referee: Baraa Aisha (Palestine)
Cambodia 0–3 Hong Kong
Report
Attendance: 1,078
Referee: Yousif Saeed Hasan (Iraq)
Afghanistan 1–2 India
Report
Afghanistan 2–2 Cambodia
 Report
Attendance: 982
Referee: Payam Heidari (Iran)
India 4–0 Hong Kong
 Report
Attendance: 48,216
Referee: Qasim Al-Hatmi (Oman)

Group E

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Bahrain 3 3 0 0 5 1 +4 9 2023 AFC Asian Cup — — 1–0 2–0
2  Malaysia (H) 3 2 0 1 8 4 +4 6 1–2 — — 4–1
3  Turkmenistan 3 1 0 2 3 5 −2 3 — 1–3 — —
4  Bangladesh 3 0 0 3 2 8 −6 0 — — 1–2 —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Bahrain 2–0 Bangladesh
 Report
Attendance: 826
Referee: Tejas Nagvenkar (India)
Turkmenistan 1–3 Malaysia
Report
Bangladesh 1–2 Turkmenistan
  • Ibrahim 12'
 Report
Attendance: 5,598
Referee: Clifford Daypuyat (Philippines)
Malaysia 1–2 Bahrain
 Report
Attendance: 63,925
Referee: Sadullo Gulmurodi (Tajikistan)
Bahrain 1–0 Turkmenistan
 Report
Attendance: 2,970
Referee: Nivon Robesh Gamini (Sri Lanka)
Malaysia 4–1 Bangladesh
 Report
  • Ibrahim 31'
Attendance: 52,964
Referee: Zaid Thamer Mohammed (Iraq)

Group F

Pos Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Tajikistan 3 2 1 0 5 0 +5 7 2023 AFC Asian Cup — — — 4–0
2  Kyrgyzstan (H) 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7 0–0 — 2–1 —
3  Singapore 3 1 0 2 7 5 +2 3 0–1 — — —
4  Myanmar 3 0 0 3 2 12 −10 0 — 0–2 2–6 —
Source: AFC
(H) Hosts
Tajikistan 4–0 Myanmar
 Report
Attendance: 50
Referee: Ammar Mahfoodh (Bahrain)
Kyrgyzstan 2–1 Singapore
 Report
Attendance: 7,322
Referee: Feras Taweel (Syria)
Singapore 0–1 Tajikistan
Report
Attendance: 84
Referee: Mohammad Ghabayen (Jordan)
Myanmar 0–2 Kyrgyzstan
Report
Myanmar 2–6 Singapore
Report
Attendance: 0
Referee: Bijan Heydari (Iran)
Kyrgyzstan 0–0 Tajikistan
Report

Ranking of runner-up teams

Pos Grp Team
  • v
  • t
  • e
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 F  Kyrgyzstan 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7 2023 AFC Asian Cup
2 A  Indonesia 3 2 0 1 9 2 +7 6
3 E  Malaysia 3 2 0 1 8 4 +4 6
4 C  Thailand 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3 6
5 D  Hong Kong 3 2 0 1 5 5 0 6
6 B  Philippines 3 1 1 1 1 4 −3 4
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers

Goalscorers

There were 104 goals scored in 36 matches, for an average of 2.89 goals per match.

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

  • Yemen Ahmed Al-Wajih (against Palestine)

Notes

  1. ^ The arrangement was based upon the FIFA World Rankings of February 2022.
  2. ^ Since thirteen teams instead of twelve qualified for the finals from the second round, there were only eleven remaining slots available. Hence, the best five second placed teams out of six groups qualified for the Asian Cup finals.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Competition Regulations AFC Asian Cup China 2023 (PDF). Asian Football Confederation. 10 September 2020.
  2. ^ "AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Qualifiers Final Round to be played in centralised venues". AFC. Asian Football Confederation. 20 October 2021.
  3. ^ a b "AFC Asian Cup China 2023 Qualifiers Final Round Draw to set stage for crucial encounters". The AFC. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  4. ^ "AFC competitions and qualifiers draw dates confirmed". The AFC. Retrieved 21 December 2021.

External links

  • AFC Asian Cup at the-AFC.com