2019 AFC Asian Cup Group A

Group A of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup took place from 5 to 14 January 2019.[1] The group consisted of tournament hosts United Arab Emirates, Thailand, India, and Bahrain.[2] The top two teams, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand, along with the third-placed team, Bahrain (as one of the four best third-placed teams), advanced to the round of 16.[3]

Teams
Draw position Team Zone Method of
qualification		 Date of
qualification		 Finals
appearance		 Last
appearance		 Previous best
performance		 FIFA Rankings
April 2018[nb 1] December 2018
A1 United Arab EmiratesWAFFHosts9 March 201510th2015 (third place)Runners-up (1996)8179
A2 ThailandAFFSecond Round Group F winners24 March 20167th2007 (group stage)Third place (1972)122118
A3 IndiaSAFFThird Round Group A winners11 October 20174th2011 (group stage)Runners-up (1964)9797
A4 BahrainWAFFThird Round Group E winners14 November 20176th2015 (group stage)Fourth place (2004)116113
Notes
  1. The rankings of April 2018 were used for seeding for the final draw.

Standings
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  United Arab Emirates (H) 3 1 2 0 4 2 +2 5 Advance to knockout stage
2  Thailand 3 1 1 1 3 5 −2 4[lower-alpha 1]
3  Bahrain 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4[lower-alpha 1]
4  India 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
Source: AFC
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(H) Host.
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head points: Thailand 3, Bahrain 0.

In the round of 16:

Matches

All times listed are GST (UTC+4).

United Arab Emirates vs Bahrain

With six minutes played, Ali Mabkhout found Ismail Al Hammadi who fired narrowly wide of Bahrain goalkeeper Sayed Shubbar Alawi’s far post. Mabkhout shot over the bar from 15 yards after an Ali Salmeen cross on 23 minutes. In the final moments of the first half, Kamil Al Aswad's free-kick from 25 yards flashed narrowly over the bar.[4] Khalid Eisa then produced a double save to deny Bahrain in the 52nd minute by first palming away Ali Madan’s drive and blocking Mohamed Al Romaihi’s subsequent follow-up. Eight minutes after the hour mark, Bahrain failed to clear the lines at a corner and the ball was eventually deflected into the path of Mabkhout, who shot just wide of the post.[5] On 78 minutes, defender Sayed Redha Isa crossed to Al Romaihi who saw his initial header cleared off the line before ramming home the rebound. Bahrain substitute Mohamed Marhoon, who had only just come on, handled in the area on 88 minutes and Ahmed Khalil having come off the bench for his 100th cap scored the resulting penalty to ensure his side a point.[6]

United Arab Emirates 1–1 Bahrain
 Report
Attendance: 33,878
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
GK17Khalid Eisa
RB9Bandar Al-Ahbabi
CB4Khalifa Mubarak
CB6Fares Juma (c)
LB18Al Hassan Saleh
CM21Khalfan Mubarak 54'
CM2Ali Salmeen
CM5Amer Abdulrahman 35' 54'
RW15Ismail Al Hammadi
CF7Ali Mabkhout
LW13Khamis Esmaeel 36' 81'
Substitutions:
MF20Saif Rashid 54'
MF16Mohamed Abdulrahman 54'
FW11Ahmed Khalil 81'
Manager:
Alberto Zaccheroni
GK1Sayed Shubbar Alawi
RB5Hamad Al-Shamsan
CB16Sayed Redha Isa
CB3Waleed Al Hayam
LB12Ahmed Juma 87'
RM7Abdulwahab Al-Safi (c)
CM4Sayed Dhiya Saeed
CM11Ali Madan 90+3'
LM19Kamil Al Aswad
CF23Jamal Rashid 81'
CF13Mohamed Al Romaihi
Substitutions:
FW10Abdulla Yusuf Helal 81'
MF8Mohamed Marhoon 87'
FW20Sami Al-Husaini 90+3'
Manager:
Miroslav Soukup

Man of the Match:
Mohamed Al Romaihi (Bahrain)

Assistant referees:[7]
Ahmad Al-Roalle (Jordan)
Mohammad Al-Kalaf (Jordan)
Fourth official:
Mohammed Al-Abakry (Saudi Arabia)
Additional assistant referees:
Turki Al-Khudhayr (Saudi Arabia)
Ahmed Al-Ali (Jordan)

Thailand vs India
Indian players celebrating with fans after the match

Thailand threatened first with captain Teerasil Dangda finding Thitipan Puangchan who shot an 11th minute drive which sailed narrowly wide of India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s right-hand post. Ashique Kuruniyan’s shot was saved by Chatchai Budprom, only for defender Theerathon Bunmathan to concede a penalty when he handled the subsequent rebound. Sunil Chhetri converted the resulting penalty to give India the lead in the 27th minute. Thailand were, however, to draw level just six minutes later, Teerasil heading home Theerathon’s delivered set-piece. Moments after the restart, Kuruniyan and Udanta Singh combined to set up Chhetri who fired home past Chatchai from 15 yards to restore his side’s advantage.[8] In the 68th minute Udanta charged towards the goal before laying the ball back to Anirudh Thapa, who dinked the ball past both Chatchai and a recovering defender into the back of the net.[9] With time running out, Thailand rallied briefly when Teerasil saw a goal-bound effort diverted to safety via the outstretched leg of the defender Anas Edathodika. With 10 minutes remaining, substitute Jeje Lalpekhlua scored a curling strike from the edge of the area.[8]

This became India's biggest ever win in their Asian Cup history, while it was also India's first ever win after 55 years.[10] This hammered defeat to India prompted the FAT to sack Milovan Rajevac and appointed Sirisak Yodyardthai as interim coach.[11] Sunil Chhetri passed beyond Lionel Messi to become the second-best scoring players still in active, behind Cristiano Ronaldo.[12]

Thailand 1–4 India
 Report
Attendance: 3,250
Thailand
India
GK1Chatchai Budprom
RB19Tristan Do
CB4Chalermpong Kerdkaew
CB6Pansa Hemviboon 79'
LB3Theerathon Bunmathan
CM8Thitipan Puangchan
CM14Sanrawat Dechmitr 39' 58'
RW9Adisak Kraisorn 79'
AM18Chanathip Songkrasin 73'
LW22Supachai Jaided
CF10Teerasil Dangda (c)
Substitutions:
DF11Korrakot Wiriyaudomsiri 58'
FW20Siroch Chatthong 73'
MF7Sumanya Purisai 79'
Manager:
Milovan Rajevac
GK1Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (c)
RB20Pritam Kotal
CB5Sandesh Jhingan
CB3Subhasish Bose
LB22Anas Edathodika
RM15Udanta Singh
CM7Anirudh Thapa 78'
CM14Pronay Halder 87'
LM19Halicharan Narzary
CF13Ashique Kuruniyan 78'
CF11Sunil Chhetri
Substitutions:
FW12Jeje Lalpekhlua 78'
MF17Rowllin Borges 78'
MF6Germanpreet Singh 87'
Manager:
Stephen Constantine

Man of the Match:
Sunil Chhetri (India)

Assistant referees:[7]
Huo Weiming (China PR)
Cao Yi (China PR)
Fourth official:
Ronnie Koh Min Kiat (Singapore)
Additional assistant referees:
Ma Ning (China PR)
Fu Ming (China PR)

Bahrain vs Thailand

Thailand came close in the 20th minute when captain Teerasil Dangda’s effort was blocked by Bahrain goalkeeper Sayed Shubbar Alawi. Bahrain had their chances too as they kept Thai goalkeeper Siwarak Tedsungnoen busy, with the custodian pulling off a double-save against Mohamed Marhoon and Sayed Dhiya Saeed in the 28th minute. Bahrain had a glimpse at goal four minutes from the end of the half with Marhoon sending in a cross but Mohamed Al Romaihi failed to keep his header down. In the 58th minute Tristan Do launched a cross into the Bahrain penalty box. The ball was deflected by Ahmed Juma but a surging Chanathip Songkrasin sent a left-footed shot past Alawi to give Thailand the advantage. Thailand came close to doubling their lead when Chanathip's pass found Adisak Kraisorn but his effort was denied by the upright in the 71st minute.[13]

Bahrain 0–1 Thailand
Report
Attendance: 2,720
Bahrain
Thailand
GK1Sayed Shubbar Alawi
RB16Sayed Redha Isa
CB5Hamad Al-Shamsan
CB3Waleed Al Hayam
LB12Ahmed Juma 64'
CM7Abdulwahab Al-Safi (c)
CM19Kamil Al Aswad
RW11Ali Madan 79'
AM8Mohamed Marhoon 65'
LW4Sayed Dhiya Saeed
CF13Mohamed Al Romaihi
Substitutions:
FW20Sami Al-Husaini 64'
FW10Abdulla Yusuf Helal 65'
FW9Mahdi Al-Humaidan 79'
Manager:
Miroslav Soukup
GK23Siwarak Tedsungnoen
CB5Adisorn Promrak 45+1' 90+2'
CB6Pansa Hemviboon 13'
CB15Suphan Thongsong 20'
RWB19Tristan Do
LWB3Theerathon Bunmathan
RM9Adisak Kraisorn 43' 80'
CM8Thitipan Puangchan
CM17Tanaboon Kesarat 68'
LM18Chanathip Songkrasin
CF10Teerasil Dangda (c)
Substitutions:
MF14Sanrawat Dechmitr 68'
FW22Supachai Jaided 80'
DF16Mika Chunuonsee 90+2'
Manager:
Sirisak Yodyardthai

Man of the Match:
Chanathip Songkrasin (Thailand)

Assistant referees:[14]
Matthew Cream (Australia)
Anton Shchetinin (Australia)
Fourth official:
Sergei Grishchenko (Kyrgyzstan)
Additional assistant referees:
Peter Green (Australia)
Ryuji Sato (Japan)

India vs United Arab Emirates

India had the game's first chance when Ashique Kuruniyan darted into the area before unleashing a drive which forced goalkeeper Khalid Eisa into a fine save on 11 minutes. Eisa was called into action once again in the 23rd minute, this time reacting to repel a Sunil Chhetri header.[15] Five minutes before half-time, Anas Edathodika made a mess of it and allowed Ali Mabkhout to set up Khalfan Mubarak to fire home past Indian custodian Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.[16] In the final moments of the first period, Chhetri came within inches of drawing his side level, but his effort fizzed just wide of Eisa's far post. After the break, India substitute Jeje Lalpekhlua thumped a shot narrowly off target and then Udanta Singh rattled the UAE bar with a drive from a narrow angle. Ismail Al Hammadi’s 74th minute shot cannoned of a post and then Sandhu before rebounding to safety. The UAE duly doubled their advantage in the final moments when Mabkhout converted Ali Salmeen’s pass to assure his side of the victory despite Mohamed Ahmed crashing the ball against his own woodwork deep into stoppage time.[15]

India 0–2 United Arab Emirates
Report
Attendance: 43,206
India
United Arab Emirates
GK1Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
RB20Pritam Kotal
CB5Sandesh Jhingan
CB22Anas Edathodika
LB3Subhasish Bose 73'
RM15Udanta Singh 79'
CM7Anirudh Thapa 70'
CM14Pronay Halder
LM19Halicharan Narzary 46'
CF13Ashique Kuruniyan 51'
CF11Sunil Chhetri (c)
Substitutions:
FW12Jeje Lalpekhlua 46'
MF17Rowllin Borges 70'
MF18Jackichand Singh 79'
Manager:
Stephen Constantine
GK17Khalid Eisa
RB9Bandar Al-Ahbabi
CB4Khalifa Mubarak
CB19Ismail Ahmed
LB18Al Hassan Saleh
RM13Khamis Esmaeel 63'
CM2Ali Salmeen
CM5Amer Abdulrahman 75'
LM15Ismail Al Hammadi (c)
AM21Khalfan Mubarak 85'
CF7Ali Mabkhout
Substitutions:
MF8Majed Hassan 63'
DF23Mohamed Ahmed 75'
FW10Ismail Matar 85'
Manager:
Alberto Zaccheroni

Man of the Match:
Ali Mabkhout (United Arab Emirates)

Assistant referees:[14]
Miguel Hernández (Mexico)
Alberto Morín (Mexico)
Fourth official:
Rashid Al-Ghaithi (Oman)
Additional assistant referees:
Jumpei Iida (Japan)
Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)

United Arab Emirates vs Thailand

Hosts the United Arab Emirates and Thailand both booked their places in the knockout stage as a 1–1 draw at Hazza bin Zayed Stadium was enough to ensure both nations progressed. Ali Mabkhout put Alberto Zaccheroni’s side ahead after seven minutes but Thitiphan Puangjan struck four minutes from time to earn the Thais a point that sees them take second place in Group A, following India’s late loss to Bahrain, thanks to a better head-to-head record. The hosts made the perfect start when, with many in the crowd of almost 18,000 still finding their seats, they hit the back of Siwarak Tedsungnoen’s goal.

Ismail Al Hammadi burst into the area and attempted to clip the ball over the Thai keeper, only for the ball to come back off the crossbar. But Mabkhout rose to head home the rebound from inside the six-yard box. Khalfan Mubarak sought to double the lead 11 minutes later when he twisted his way past the Thai defence only to send a weak shot trundling through to Siwarak.

While the UAE have qualified for the knockout phase for the second tournament in a row, Thailand will be featuring in the next round for the first time since reaching the semi-finals in 1972.[17]

United Arab Emirates 1–1 Thailand
 Report
Attendance: 17,809
Referee: Ryuji Sato (Japan)
United Arab Emirates
Thailand
GK17Khalid Eisa
CB19Ismail Ahmed
CB4Khalifa Mubarak
CB23Mohamed Ahmed
RWB9Bandar Al-Ahbabi 46'
LWB18Al Hassan Saleh 34'
RM21Khalfan Mubarak 84'
CM8Majed Hassan
CM2Ali Salmeen
LM15Ismail Al Hammadi (c) 74'
CF7Ali Mabkhout
Substitutions:
MF16Mohamed Abdulrahman 46'
FW11Ahmed Khalil 74'
FW10Ismail Matar 84'
Manager:
Alberto Zaccheroni
GK23Siwarak Tedsungnoen
RB3Theerathon Bunmathan
CB5Adisorn Promrak 7'
CB15Suphan Thongsong 79'
LB16Mika Chunuonsee 31'
RM19Tristan Do
CM8Thitipan Puangchan
CM17Tanaboon Kesarat 90'
LM18Chanathip Songkrasin
CF9Adisak Kraisorn 64'
CF10Teerasil Dangda (c)
Substitutions:
DF4Chalermpong Kerdkaew 31'
FW22Supachai Jaided 64'
MF21Pokklaw Anan 90'
Manager:
Sirisak Yodyardthai

Man of the Match:
Ali Mabkhout (United Arab Emirates)

Assistant referees:[18]
Hiroshi Yamauchi (Japan)
Jun Mihara (Japan)
Fourth official:
Mohd Yusri Muhamad (Malaysia)
Additional assistant referees:
Jumpei Iida (Japan)
Hiroyuki Kimura (Japan)

India vs Bahrain

Jamal Rashid's penalty in added time secured Bahrain a 1–0 win over India, taking them into the knockout stage for the first time since 2004 edition. With United Arab Emirates and Thailand playing to a 1–1 draw, Bahrain finished third in Group A with their haul of four points confirming them as one of the best four third-placed teams who will advance to the Round of 16.

India suffered early problems at the back when Anas Edathodika was forced off with an injury in the fourth minute and was replaced with Salam Ranjan Singh. Bahrain then applied pressure on the Blue Tigers’ defence as goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was called into action three minutes later when he saved Sayed Dhiya Saeed’s left footed shot from outside the box. India were able to calm their nerves and responded in the 20th minute with Sunil Chhetri coming close to scoring for Stephen Constantine’s side but the striker failed to steer Gurpreet Singh's long pass home. Jamal Rashid and Sayed Dhiya Saeed both failed to find the mark with long-range efforts.[19]

India 0–1 Bahrain
Report
Attendance: 11,417
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
India
Bahrain
GK1Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
RB20Pritam Kotal
CB5Sandesh Jhingan
CB22Anas Edathodika 4'
LB3Subhasish Bose
RM15Udanta Singh
CM17Rowllin Borges
CM14Pronay Halder (c)
LM19Halicharan Narzary 79'
CF13Ashique Kuruniyan 46'
CF11Sunil Chhetri
Substitutions:
DF2Salam Ranjan Singh 4'
FW12Jeje Lalpekhlua 46'
MF7Anirudh Thapa 79'
Manager:
Stephen Constantine
GK1Sayed Shubbar Alawi
RB16Sayed Redha Isa
CB5Hamad Al-Shamsan 64'
CB3Waleed Al Hayam
LB12Ahmed Juma 78'
CM7Abdulwahab Al-Safi (c)
CM19Kamil Al Aswad
RW11Ali Madan 55'
AM23Jamal Rashid
LW4Sayed Dhiya Saeed
CF13Mohamed Al Romaihi 61'
Substitutions:
MF8Mohamed Marhoon 55'
FW10Abdulla Yusuf Helal 61'
FW20Sami Al-Husaini 78'
DF17Ahmed Bughammar[note 1] 90+5'
Manager:
Miroslav Soukup

Man of the Match:
Jamal Rashid (Bahrain)

Assistant referees:[18]
Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan)
Sergei Grishchenko (Kyrgyzstan)
Fourth official:
Ronnie Koh Min Kiat (Singapore)
Additional assistant referees:
Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
Valentin Kovalenko (Uzbekistan)

Discipline

Fair play points will be used as tiebreakers if the head-to-head and overall records of teams are tied (and if the penalty shoot-out is not applicable as a tiebreaker). These are calculated based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:[3][20]

  • 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

Only one of the above deductions will be applied to a player in a single match.

Team Match 1 Match 2 Match 3 Points
           
 Bahrain 2 −2
 India 2 −2
 United Arab Emirates 2 1 −3
 Thailand 2 4 2 −8

Notes
  1. Bughammar was booked on the substitutes' bench, despite not playing any part in the match.

References
  1. "Match Schedule – AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  2. "Final Draw sets the stage for thrilling contests in UAE 2019". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  3. "AFC Asian Cup 2019 Competition Regulations" (PDF). the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 4 May 2018.
  4. "UAE 1–1 Bahrain". AFC. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  5. "Khalil spares UAE's blushes against Bahrain". Fox Sports Asia. 5 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  6. Ridge, Patric (5 January 2019). "Late Khalil penalty salvages draw". Goal. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  7. "MATCH OFFICIALS FOR JANUARY 5 & 6". the-afc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  8. "Thailand 1–4 India". AFC. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  9. Tan, Gabriel (6 January 2019). "Sunil Chhetri at the double as India humble Thailand". Fox Sports Asia. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
  10. "Asian Cup 2019: India register their biggest and first win since 1964". goal.com. Goal. com. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  11. "Thailand fire coach Milovan Rajevac after losing Asian Cup opener to India". espn.in. ESPN. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  12. "'It doesn't matter who scores': Chhetri downplays going past Messi's tally during Asian Cup". scroll.in. Scroll India. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  13. "Bahrain 0–1 Thailand". AFC. 10 January 2019. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  14. "MATCH OFFICIALS FOR JANUARY 10". AFC. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  15. "India 0–2 UAE". AFC. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  16. Muralidharan, Ashwin (11 January 2019). "Unlucky India push UAE to their limits". Goal. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  17. "UAE 1–1 Thailand". AFC. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  18. "MATCH OFFICIALS FOR JANUARY 14". the-afc.com. AFC. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
  19. "India 0–1 Bahrain". AFC. 14 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  20. "Competition Operations Manual 2019". AFC.
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