Bahrain vs. Japan (Wednesday, 11.30am)
© Reuters
The final day of round of 16 fixtures at the Asian Cup will begin with Bahrain taking on Japan on Wednesday at Al Thumama Stadium.
A 1-0 victory over Jordan on matchday three was enough to see Bahrain finish top of Group E with six points, the same as Japan, though the record four-time Asian Cup winners wound up second in Group D despite a 3-1 triumph versus Indonesia.
We say: Bahrain 1-4 Japan
Japan may not have been as convincing as we had expected in the opening phase of this tournament, but they know how to turn it on in these big games, and we expect them to be sharper in the attack, knowing it is a must-win game.
Bahrain have held their own throughout this tournament, but their lack of experience in these big matches will make it difficult for them to stay with a side who possess numerous attacking options.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
Iran vs. Syria (Wednesday, 4.00pm)
© Reuters
Making their first appearance in the knockout stage of the Asian Cup, Syria will face Iran in round of 16 action on Wednesday at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium.
Team Melli finished top of Group C, claiming a 2-1 victory versus the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on matchday three, while the Syrians qualified as one of the best third-place sides, defeating India 1-0 in their previous encounter.
We say: Iran 2-0 Syria
Syria have shown they can compete with the best sides in this region, but we believe Iran will be too much for them to handle, given their experience and ability to handle these pressure situations.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
Ben Knapton
