Group F of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup took place from 16 to 25 January 2024. The group consisted of Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Kyrgyzstan and Oman. The top two teams, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, advanced to the round of 16.
Teams Draw position Team Zone Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings April 2023 December 2023 F1 WAFF Second round Group D winners 15 June 2021 11th 2019 Winners (1984, 1988, 1996) 54 56 F2 AFF Third round Group C runners-up 14 June 2022 8th 2019 Third place (1972) 114 113 F3 CAFA Third round Group F runners-up 14 June 2022 2nd 2019 Round of 16 (2019) 96 98 F4 WAFF Second round Group E runners-up 15 June 2021 5th 2019 Round of 16 (2019) 73 74 Notes
Standings
Matches
Thailand vs Kyrgyzstan Thailand and Kyrgyzstan only met each other just once, a friendly in 2001 where Thailand won 3–1.
Thailand quickly proved their worth with an offside goal in the 15th minute, before dealing a fatal blow to Kyrgyzstan in the 26th minute when Bordin Phala delivered a long-range shot, then Supachai Chaided quickly approached the ball following a deflection from Erzhan Tokotayev's save to hit the net and give Thailand the lead. Chaided then closed the game in the 49th minute when in a major offensive, Theerathon Bunmathan delivered a spectacular high pass for Phala, who then provided a fickle for Supachok Sarachat to take a header; despite the header hitting the back of Tamirlan Kozubaev, Chaided was quick to approach before sending the ball to the net. Thailand then set up an extremely effective defence to neutralise opportunities of Kyrgyzstan as the Thais held firm for the win.
This was the first time Thailand won an opening match of the AFC Asian Cup, with their best record prior to this historic win being three draws and four losses.
GK 23Patiwat KhammaiRB 12Nicholas Mickelson CB 4 Elias DolahCB 17Pansa HemviboonLB 3 Theerathon Bunmathan (c) CM 25Peeradol Chamrasamee CM 18Weerathep PomphanRW 10Suphanat Mueanta AM 7 Supachok Sarachat LW 11Bordin Phala CF 9 Supachai Chaided Substitutions:MF 6 Sarach Yooyen MF 19Pathompol Charoenrattanapirom MF 13Jaroensak Wonggorn FW 15Teerasak Poeiphimai MF 24Worachit Kanitsribampen Manager: Masatada Ishii GK 1 Erzhan TokotayevRB 18Kayrat Zhyrgalbek uulu CB 3 Tamirlan Kozubaev (c)CB 5 Ayzar Akmatov LB 11Bekzhan SagynbayevRM 15Kai Merk CM 12Odilzhon AbdurakhmanovCM 20Bakhtiyar Duyshobekov LM 10Gulzhigit Alykulov CF 7 Joel Kojo CF 24Kimi MerkSubstitutions:MF 21Farkhat Musabekov DF 2 Khristiyan Brauzman FW 9 Ernist Batyrkanov MF 19Beknaz Almazbekov DF 17Suyuntbek Mamyraliev Manager: Štefan Tarkovič
Man of the Match: Patiwat Khammai (Thailand)
Assistant referees: Mohammad Al-Kalaf (Jordan) Ahmad Al-Roalle (Jordan) Fourth official: Kim Hee-gon (South Korea) Reserve assistant referee: Kim Kyoung-min (South Korea) Video assistant referee: Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates) Assistant video assistant referees: Hasan Al-Mahri (United Arab Emirates)
Saudi Arabia vs Oman Saudi Arabia and Oman faced each other in the Asian Cup for the first time. In competitive fixtures, Saudi Arabia had never lost to Oman, with two draws and two wins, which their most recent encounters happened during the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, which Saudi Arabia gained 1–0 win each.
The match kickstarted in high tempo as Oman surprised Saudi Arabia with their energetic midfield group. At the ninth minute, a failed corner attempt by the Saudis saw Salaah Al-Yahyaei pull a speedy run into the Saudi defence before his effort was denied, but not without his teammate Muhsen Al-Ghassani's quick incursion into the Saudi penalty area, during which his feet got stomped by Hassan Al-Tambakti; later VAR decision gave Oman the penalty, and Al-Yahyaei didn't miss the opportunity at the 15th minute. Later, Oman set up a highly cohesive defence system to deny Saudi Arabia from scoring, but it could not withstand in the 78th minute when from the midfield, Mohamed Kanno passed back to Ali Lajami, who then set up a decisive pass for Abdulrahman Ghareeb as he successfully soloed over a rain of Omani defenders before curving beautifully to level the score. Drama came in the sixth minute of extra time in the second half, when from a corner from Ghareeb sent to Lajami, who then gave a high pass to Ali Al-Bulaihi as he headed into the net of Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini; initially, the goal was disallowed for offside before it was thought to withstand due to a misunderstanding between the VAR team and the referee, only for the decision to be reversed as the Saudis triumphed in a hard-fought match, leaving Omani players in despair with this devastating loss.
GK 22Ahmed Al-KassarCB 17Hassan Al-Tambakti CB 4 Ali LajamiCB 5 Ali Al-BulaihiRM 12Saud AbdulhamidCM 16Sami Al-Najei CM 15Abdullah Al-Khaibari CM 23Mohamed Kanno LM 24Nasser Al-DawsariCF 11Saleh Al-Shehri CF 10Salem Al-Dawsari (c) Substitutions:FW 20Abdullah Radif MF 18Abdulrahman Ghareeb MF 7 Mukhtar Ali MF 26Faisal Al-Ghamdi FW 9 Firas Al-Buraikan Manager: Roberto Mancini GK 1 Ibrahim Al-MukhainiRB 4 Arshad Al-AlawiCB 16Khalid Al-BraikiCB 6 Ahmed Al-KhamisiLB 14Ahmed Al-KaabiDM 23Harib Al-Saadi (c)CM 10Jameel Al-YahmadiCM 12Abdullah Fawaz AM 20Salaah Al-Yahyaei CF 7 Issam Al-Sabhi CF 11Muhsen Al-Ghassani Substitutions:MF 13Mataz Saleh MF 24Tamim Al-Balushi FW 26Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri MF 3 Fahmi Durbin DF 17Ali Al-Busaidi Manager: Branko Ivanković
Man of the Match: Salaah Al-Yahyaei (Oman)
Assistant referees: Anton Shchetinin (Australia) Ashley Beecham (Australia) Fourth official: Abdullah Jamali (Kuwait) Reserve assistant referee: Ahmad Abbas (Kuwait) Video assistant referee: Kate Jacewicz (Australia) Assistant video assistant referees: Jumpei Iida (Japan)
Oman vs Thailand Oman and Thailand had faced each other 12 times with Oman slightly dominating Thailand with six wins to five. In term of Asian Cup meetings however, Thailand and Oman are equal, with the most recent Asian Cup meeting in 2007 ended with Thailand winning 2–0. However, the most recent competitive fixture, as part of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification, saw Oman triumph 2–0. All five Thai wins over Oman happened at home and none had ever occurred in Omani or neutral ground.
The match started with Thailand surprisingly going offensive and a dangerous header from Elias Dolah at the 16th minute of the match saw his header denied by Ibrahim Al-Mukhaini before it went wild. Oman gradually reasserted control of the match but not until the second half that they relentlessly put Thailand on the defence, in particular with numerous attacking efforts, but none of the Omani strikers could clinically finish the game as Oman were forced to settle with a draw to an increasingly conservative Thai side that laid low to successfully hold the scoreline goalless.
It was the first time ever Thailand managed to have two consecutive clean sheets at the AFC Asian Cup, a feat never achieved in their participation history, although Thailand remained unable to break the poor record in neutral and away ground to Oman (drawn two, lost five).
GK 1Ibrahim Al-MukhainiRB 4 Arshad Al-Alawi CB 16Khalid Al-BraikiCB 6 Ahmed Al-KhamisiLB 14Ahmed Al-KaabiDM 23Harib Al-Saadi (c)CM 10Jameel Al-YahmadiCM 12Abdullah Fawaz AM 20Salaah Al-YahyaeiCF 11Muhsen Al-Ghassani CF 7 Issam Al-Sabhi Substitutions:FW 26Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri FW 8 Zahir Al-Aghbari MF 9 Omar Al-Malki FW 25Abdullah Al-Mushaifri Manager: Branko Ivanković GK 23Patiwat KhammaiRB 12Nicholas MickelsonCB 4 Elias DolahCB 17Pansa HemviboonLB 3 Theerathon Bunmathan (c) CM 25Peeradol Chamrasamee CM 18Weerathep Pomphan RW 10Suphanat Mueanta AM 7 Supachok SarachatLW 11Bordin Phala CF 9 Supachai ChaidedSubstitutions:MF 13Jaroensak Wonggorn MF 19Pathompol Charoenrattanapirom DF 21Suphanan Bureerat MF 6 Sarach Yooyen Manager: Masatada Ishii
Man of the Match: Salaah Al-Yahyaei (Oman)
Assistant referees: Saeid Ghasemi (Iran) Alireza Ildorom (Iran) Fourth official: Alireza Faghani (Australia) Reserve assistant referee: Abdul Hannan Bin Abdul Hasim (Singapore) Video assistant referee: Mohammed Abdulla Hassan Mohamed (United Arab Emirates) Assistant video assistant referees: Muhammad Taqi (Singapore)
Kyrgyzstan vs Saudi Arabia Kyrgyzstan only met Saudi Arabia twice, both during the 1996 AFC Asian Cup qualification, which Saudi Arabia won 5–0 on aggregate.
Saudi Arabia got off to a dream start when a brutal foul by Ayzar Akmatov on Sami Al-Najei near Kyrgyzstan's penalty area at the 7th minute resulted in his dismissal. With one-man advantage, Saudi Arabia eventually broke through at the 35th minute when from a long-range shot by Abdulellah Al-Malki, the ball hit the right post before it deflected to Saud Abdulhamid, before Abdulhamid gave the ball to Mohamed Kanno with a clinical close-range pass and Kanno volleyed into the net. Things only became better for the Saudis when another dangerous foul from Kimi Merk on Hassan Al-Tambakti at the 50th minute resulted in Kyrgyzstan reduce to nine men. Despite massive numerical advantage however, it was not until the 85th minute when, from a failed clearance by the Kyrgyz midfielders, the ball was sent to Faisal Al-Ghamdi from Mukhtar Ali, before Al-Ghamdi scored a rather lucky goal when Erzhan Tokotayev's attempt to punch the ball away instead hit home to secure Saudi Arabia's win.
GK 1 Erzhan TokotayevCB 2 Khristiyan Brauzman CB 3 Tamirlan KozubaevCB 5 Ayzar Akmatov RM 14Aleksandr Mishchenko CM 12Odilzhon Abdurakhmanov CM 24Kimi Merk LM 11Bekzhan Sagynbayev RF 18Kayrat Zhyrgalbek uulu (c) CF 9 Ernist Batyrkanov LF 10Gulzhigit Alykulov Substitutions:DF 20Bakhtiyar Duyshobekov MF 23Nurdoolot Stalbekov MF 15Kai Merk MF 4 Adil Kadyrzhanov DF 6 Amantur Shamurzaev Manager: Štefan Tarkovič GK 22Ahmed Al-KassarCB 17Hassan Al-Tambakti CB 4 Ali LajamiCB 5 Ali Al-BulaihiRM 12Saud AbdulhamidCM 8 Abdulellah Al-Malki CM 23Mohamed KannoLM 25Mohammed Al-BreikRF 16Sami Al-Najei CF 9 Firas Al-Buraikan LF 10Salem Al-Dawsari (c) Substitutions:FW 11Saleh Al-Shehri MF 18Abdulrahman Ghareeb FW 20Abdullah Radif MF 7 Mukhtar Ali MF 26Faisal Al-Ghamdi Manager: Roberto Mancini
Man of the Match: Saud Abdulhamid (Saudi Arabia)
Assistant referees: Jun Mihara (Japan) Takumi Takagi (Japan) Fourth official: Ma Ning (China) Reserve assistant referee: Zhou Fei (China) Video assistant referee: Fu Ming (China) Assistant video assistant referees: Yusuke Araki (Japan)
Saudi Arabia vs Thailand Saudi Arabia and Thailand had met each other 16 times, with Saudi Arabia overwhelmingly dominant with 14 wins. In Asian Cup finals, Saudi Arabia met Thailand twice in 1992 and 1996, both times the Saudis won. Saudi Arabia had been more dominant than Thailand in other competitive fixtures, with their most recent meetings during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification ended with Saudi Arabia winning 4–0 on aggregate.
The first attempt for the back of the net came from Abdullah Radif's penalty, following an earlier foul by Suphan Thongsong on Abdulrahman Ghareeb, but Radif squandered the opportunity. The match then went to the most bizarre way in the competition as possible, with Saudi Arabia and Thailand, having rotated most of their teams due to their early progressions, scored four times only to be disallowed all by VAR; first, Jaroensak Wonggorn's pass for Teerasak Poeiphimai's header was disallowed for Teerasak's offside at the 15th minute; followed by Radif's goal with the provide by Abdullah Al-Khaibari just a minute later also disallowed; then, at the 35th minute, from a curl to the penalty area by Santiphap Channgom, Teerasak headed to Worachit Kanitsribampen to score only to again ruled out for offside; before it finally ended with Al-Khaibari's long-range pass for Ghareeb to sprint over and score only to end up ruled out again at the 57th minute, as both teams were forced to settle for a draw despite consistent Saudi domination and pressure.