Iran vs. Japan (Saturday, 11.30am)
© Reuters
In a rematch of the 2019 Asian Cup semi-finals, Iran and Japan will square off in the last eight of that competition on Saturday at Education City Stadium.
In the round of 16, Team Melli survived a nail-biter, playing to a 1-1 draw with Syria but advancing on penalties, while the Japanese defeated Bahrain 3-1.
We say: Iran 1-3 Japan
Given the injury concerns on the back end for Iran, the Samurai Blue could find their share of openings in the attacking third, while Iran might have difficulty scoring without the services of Taremi.
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Qatar vs. Uzbekistan (Saturday, 3.30pm)
© Reuters
Uzbekistan can reach the Asian Cup semi-finals for the first time since 2011 with a victory over the hosts Qatar on Saturday at Al Bayt Stadium.
In their round of 16 clash, Qatar came from behind to defeat Palestine 2-1, while the White Wolves eliminated Thailand by that same score.
We say: Qatar 1-2 Uzbekistan (extra-time)
The smart money may be on Qatar, given their record in these knockout fixtures, but they have been put under duress quite a bit at this tournament.
That, along with the overall quality and resilience of their opponents, is why we are giving Uzbekistan a slight edge, as they have shown plenty of consistency and poise under pressure.
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Barney Corkhill
