Japan vs. Vietnam (Sunday, 11.30am)
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The first match in an action-packed first Sunday at the AFC Asian Cup will see one of the tournament favourites Japan take on Vietnam at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha.
This clash will be the opening match in Group D of the competition, which also includes Indonesia and Iraq, who will square off at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium on Monday afternoon.
We say: Japan 3-0 Vietnam
Japan will get their Asian Cup campaign started carrying excellent form and boasting a star-studded roster that would likely pose a challenge to any team in world football. While everyone loves a nail-biting opening round fixture, we feel that this will not be one of those and expect The Samurai Blue to cruise to victory in this one.
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UAE vs. Hong Kong (Sunday, 2.30pm)
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The United Arab Emirates will get their AFC Asian Cup campaign underway this weekend when they take on Hong Kong at the Khalifa International Stadium in Al Rayyan on Sunday afternoon.
This will mark the first match of the competition for Group C, which also features Iran and Palestine, who will lock horns at Education City Stadium immediately after this match.
We say: United Arab Emirates 2-0 Hong Kong
The United Arab Emirates are certainly a side to keep an eye on through this tournament and have the much better side on paper in this contest. Hong Kong are expected to give it their all, as they always do, but we are backing the Sons of Zayed to clinch the first three points in this group.
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Iran vs. Palestine (Sunday, 5.30pm)
© Reuters
The final match of Sunday's Asian Cup action will see Iran look to get their campaign off to a winning start when they face off against Palestine at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
These two sides make up half of the teams in Group C of the competition, with the group being completed by the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong, who face each other earlier in the day.
We say: Iran 3-0 Palestine
Asian powerhouses Iran are not only fancied to secure first place in this group but are also expected to be one of the final four sides standing in the last week of the competition. It will be an emotional match for Palestine, who will want to give their fans something to cheer, but we feel that the Lions of Canaan will be far too good for them in this one.
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Barney Corkhill
