The knockout stage of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup was the second and final stage of the competition, following the group stage. It began on 20 January with the round of 16 and ended on 1 February with the final match, held at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi. A total of 16 teams (the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams) advanced to the knockout stage to compete in a single-elimination style tournament.
All times are local, GST (UTC+4).
Format In the knockout stage, if a match is level at the end of 90 minutes of normal playing time, extra time was played (two periods of 15 minutes each). If still tied after extra time, the match was decided by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner. The video assistant referee (VAR) system was used from the quarter-finals onwards. For the first time since a knockout stage was added to the competition in 1972, there was no third place play-off.
The AFC set out the following schedule for the round of 16: R16-1: Runners-up Group A v Runners-up Group C R16-2: Winners Group D v 3rd Group B/E/F R16-3: Winners Group B v 3rd Group A/C/D R16-4: Winners Group F v Runners-up Group E R16-5: Winners Group C v 3rd Group A/B/F R16-6: Winners Group E v Runners-up Group D R16-7: Winners Group A v 3rd Group C/D/E R16-8: Runners-up Group B v Runners-up Group F
Combinations of matches in the round of 16
The specific match-ups involving the third-placed teams depended on which four third-placed teams qualified for the round of 16:
Third-placed teamsqualify from groups 1Avs 1Bvs 1Cvs 1Dvs A B C D 3C 3D 3A 3B A B C E 3C 3A 3B 3E A B C F 3C 3A 3B 3F A B D E 3D 3A 3B 3E A B D F 3D 3A 3B 3F A B E F 3E 3A 3B 3F A C D E 3C 3D 3A 3E A C D F 3C 3D 3A 3F A C E F 3C 3A 3F 3E A D E F 3D 3A 3F 3E B C D E 3C 3D 3B 3E B C D F 3C 3D 3B 3F B C E F 3E 3C 3B 3F B D E F 3E 3D 3B 3F C D E F 3C 3D 3F 3E
Qualified teams The top two placed teams from each of the six groups, plus the four best-placed third teams, qualified for the knockout stage.
Group Winners Runners-up Third-placed teams(Best four qualified) A B C D E F
Bracket
Round of 16
Jordan vs Vietnam The two had already faced each other in previous qualification phases, with all of their matches ending in draws.
Jordan came close in the 20th minute when Musa Al-Taamari lured three defenders out of position before his back-heel pass found Feras Shelbaieh, whose cross to Yaseen Al-Bakhit saw his effort going wide. In the 35th minute, Đoàn Văn Hậu's left-footed strike was parried away by Amer Shafi. Jordan took the lead in the 38th minute after Đỗ Hùng Dũng brought Salem Al-Ajalin down just outside the box. Baha' Abdel-Rahman scored from the resulting free kick into the top right corner of the net. Six minutes into the second half, Nguyễn Trọng Hoàng sent in a curling cross in front of the goal, which Nguyễn Công Phượng squeezed past the Jordanian defenders for the equaliser. Neither side managed to find a way to score in the remaining minutes, forcing the first ever AFC Asian Cup last 16 tie to go into extra time. However, both teams were unwilling to take unnecessary risks, as penalties were needed to decide the tie.
Jordan were the first to miss, with Baha' Faisal striking the crossbar, which was then followed by Ahmed Samir's effort saved by Đặng Văn Lâm. Vietnam's Trần Minh Vương also missed but Bùi Tiến Dũng made no mistake as the Southeast Asian side advanced to the quarter-finals.
The win meant that since reunification, Vietnam had reached the quarter-finals in all their two Asian Cups they participated, but this was also the country's first ever win in the knockout stage, though technically it was a draw. For Jordan, the loss meant they have never won any competitive knockout stage games in their Asian Cup history.
GK 1 Amer Shafi (c)RB 2 Feras ShelbaiehCB 3 Tareq KhattabCB 21Salem Al-AjalinLB 19Anas Bani YaseenCM 6 Saeed Murjan CM 4 Baha' Abdel-RahmanRW 18Musa Al-Taamari AM 7 Yousef Al-Rawashdeh LW 13Khalil Bani Attiah CF 11Yaseen Al-Bakhit Substitutions:FW 9 Baha' Faisal DF 23Ihsan Haddad FW 14Ahmad Ersan MF 10Ahmed Samir Manager: Vital Borkelmans GK 23Đặng Văn LâmCB 2 Đỗ Duy MạnhCB 3 Quế Ngọc Hải (c)CB 4 Bùi Tiến DũngRM 8 Nguyễn Trọng Hoàng CM 7 Nguyễn Huy Hùng CM 16Đỗ Hùng DũngLM 5 Đoàn Văn HậuRF 19Nguyễn Quang HảiCF 10Nguyễn Công Phượng LF 20Phan Văn Đức Substitutions:FW 22Nguyễn Tiến Linh FW 9 Nguyễn Văn Toàn MF 6 Lương Xuân Trường MF 14Trần Minh Vương Manager: Park Hang-seo
Man of the Match: Nguyễn Quang Hải (Vietnam)
Assistant referees: Reza Sokhandan (Iran) Mohammadreza Mansouri (Iran) Fourth official: Abu Bakar Al-Amri (Oman) Additional assistant referees: Mohanad Qassim (Iraq) Liu Kwok Man (Hong Kong)
Thailand vs China PR
China PR have only faced Thailand once in the AFC Asian Cup, back in 1992 which ended in a 1–1 draw.
In the 31st minute, Thitipan Puangchan's shot ended up at Supachai Jaided's feet, who turned and scored from seven yards to open the scoring. However, Yu Dabao made way for Xiao Zhi and within three minutes, China were level as Zheng Zhi clipped his cross in from the right and Xiao scored on the rebound after Siwarak Tedsungnoen had saved the striker's initial downward header. By the 71st minute, China were in front when Gao Lin scored from the spot after Tanaboon Kesarat clipped his heels in the area. Gao fired high into the top corner to give China the lead. A flying save from Yan Junling deep into injury time following Pansa Hemviboon's shot ensured the East Asian representative to win their first knockout stage match since 2004 and progress to the next round.
GK 23Siwarak TedsungnoenRB 4 Chalermpong KerdkaewCB 16Mika ChunuonseeCB 6 Pansa HemviboonLB 17Tanaboon Kesarat CM 19Tristan DoCM 8 Thitipan Puangchan CM 3 Theerathon BunmathanAM 18Chanathip SongkrasinCF 22Supachai Jaided CF 10Teerasil Dangda (c)Substitutions:FW 12Chananan Pombuppha MF 21Pokklaw Anan Manager:Sirisak Yodyardthai GK 1 Yan JunlingRB 5 Zhang Linpeng CB 6 Feng XiaotingCB 4 Shi Ke LB 19Liu Yang CM 11Hao JunminCM 10Zheng Zhi (c)CM 15Wu Xi AM 7 Wu LeiCF 18Gao LinCF 22Yu Dabao Substitutions:FW 9 Xiao Zhi MF 16Jin Jingdao MF 8 Zhao Xuri Manager: Marcello Lippi
Man of the Match: Feng Xiaoting (China PR)
Assistant referees: Mohamed Al-Hammadi (United Arab Emirates) Hasan Al-Mahri (United Arab Emirates) Fourth official: Palitha Hemathunga (Sri Lanka) Additional assistant referees: Ammar Al-Jeneibi (United Arab Emirates) Hettikamkanamge Perera (Sri Lanka)
Iran vs Oman
Iran and Oman had only met once in the tournament, a 2–2 draw back in 2004.
Oman were awarded a penalty in the third minute when Majid Hosseini brought down Muhsen Al-Ghassani, only for Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand to tip Ahmed Kano’s effort from 12 yards around the post. Iran broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute, Alireza Jahanbakhsh fired home after Mohammed Al-Musalami had failed to cut out Milad Mohammadi’s long ball. Nine minutes later, Mehdi Taremi was brought down in the area by Saad Al-Mukhaini and Ashkan Dejagah stepped up to convert the resulting penalty. Eight minutes after the restart, Sardar Azmoun missed the target from 12 yards when Taremi’s long throw arrived at his feet. Harib Al-Saadi fizzed a 77th minute shot inches over Beiranvand’s bar. Iran held firm to confirm their place in the quarter-finals.
GK 1 Alireza BeiranvandRB 23Ramin RezaeianCB 8 Morteza PouraliganjiCB 19Majid Hosseini LB 5 Milad MohammadiDM 9 Omid EbrahimiRM 21Ashkan Dejagah (c) LM 11Vahid Amiri AM 18Alireza Jahanbakhsh CF 17Mehdi TaremiCF 20Sardar Azmoun Substitutions:MF 4 Rouzbeh Cheshmi MF 14Saman Ghoddos MF 7 Masoud Shojaei Manager: Carlos Queiroz GK 18Faiz Al-RushaidiRB 11Saad Al-MukhainiCB 13Khalid Al-BraikiCB 2 Mohammed Al-Musalami LB 17Ali Al-BusaidiCM 12Ahmed Kano (c) CM 23Harib Al-SaadiRW 15Jameel Al-YahmadiAM 20Salaah Al-Yahyaei LW 6 Raed Ibrahim SalehCF 16Muhsen Al-Ghassani Substitutions:FW 7 Khalid Al-Hajri MF 10Mohsin Al-Khaldi FW 9 Mohammed Al-Ghassani Manager: Pim Verbeek
Man of the Match: Alireza Beiranvand (Iran)
Assistant referees: Miguel Hernández (Mexico) Alberto Morín (Mexico) Fourth official: Matthew Cream (Australia) Additional assistant referees: Chris Beath (Australia) Ali Sabah (Iraq)
Japan vs Saudi Arabia Japan and Saudi Arabia have met each other in four previous Asian Cup editions, with Japan holding the better record with only one loss and four wins.
Mohammed Al-Fatil sneaked in a header from the centre of the box from a set-piece situation, but the defender placed it wide of the mark. Japan came close six minutes later with Ritsu Dōan finding space in the danger area after collecting Takumi Minamino’s pass but saw his effort blocked by the Saudi defence. Japan scored the opening goal in the 20th minute as Takehiro Tomiyasu rose the highest to nod the ball home. With five minutes left in the half, Hattan Bahebri muscled his way into the box, but his curling shot flew past the right post, as Japan stayed ahead going into the break. In the second half, Maya Yoshida connected with a header from Gaku Shibasaki’s delivery but Mohammed Al-Owais collected it safely. In the 73rd minute, Abdullah Otayf found Housain Al-Mogahwi lurking in the box but the midfielder sent his header high above the bar as Japan soaked up the pressure to seal their quarter-final spot.
GK 12Shūichi GondaRB 19Hiroki SakaiCB 16Takehiro TomiyasuCB 22Maya Yoshida (c)LB 5 Yuto NagatomoCM 6 Wataru EndoCM 7 Gaku ShibasakiRW 21Ritsu Dōan AM 9 Takumi Minamino LW 8 Genki HaraguchiCF 13Yoshinori Muto Substitutions:FW 14Junya Itō DF 18Tsukasa Shiotani FW 11Koya Kitagawa Manager:Hajime Moriyasu GK 21Mohammed Al-OwaisRB 2 Mohammed Al-BreikCB 23Mohammed Al-FatilCB 4 Ali Al-BulaihiLB 13Yasser Al-Shahrani DM 14Abdullah Otayf CM 20Abdulaziz Al-Bishi CM 16Housain Al-MogahwiRW 11Hattan Bahebri LW 10Salem Al-Dawsari (c)CF 19Fahad Al-Muwallad Substitutions:MF 8 Yahya Al-Shehri FW 9 Mohammed Al-Saiari MF 18Abdulrahman Ghareeb Manager: Juan Antonio Pizzi
Man of the Match: Takehiro Tomiyasu (Japan)
Assistant referees: Abdukhamidullo Rasulov (Uzbekistan) Jakhongir Saidov (Uzbekistan) Fourth official: Sergei Grishchenko (Kyrgyzstan) Additional assistant referees: Valentin Kovalenko (Uzbekistan) Nawaf Shukralla (Bahrain)
Australia vs Uzbekistan Eldor Shomurodov’s change of pace left Trent Sainsbury flat-footed in the penalty area, only for Mathew Ryan to deny the striker’s effort when in on the Australian goal. Two minutes before the half hour, Uzbekistan went close as Javokhir Sidikov let fly from distance, the ball going narrowly wide of Ryan’s right post. In the second half, Jamie Maclaren’s blocked shot looped up for Rhyan Grant to head into the hands of Ignatiy Nesterov while the full-back was also on the end of Milos Degenek’s diagonal ball, sending his header over the bar from an acute angle. Nesterov was on hand to push away Tom Rogic’s deflected effort 10 minutes from time. With the 90 minutes finishing goalless, the game went into extra time and Chris Ikonomidis, Mathew Leckie and Rogic all failed to break the deadlock for the defending champions, leaving the game to drift towards a shootout.
Nesterov saved Aziz Behich's penalty in the second round of the shootout before Islom Tukhtakhodjaev was denied by Ryan and, with Dostonbek Khamdamov missing in the penultimate round, Leckie struck to take Australia through.