AsianQualifiers – Match Predictor: Impressive away displays and what’s up next!

As the teams reach the midway point of the third round of qualifiers, we shine the spotlight on some of the key talking points from Matchdays 3 and 4 as well as look forward to some of the key upcoming games.

Matchday 3 Most Picked Outcomes:
Australia to beat China PR – ۹۴٫۶۰%
Qatar to beat Kyrgyz Republic – ۹۲٫۴۴%
Iraq to beat Palestine – ۸۸٫۸۴%
UAE to beat DPR Korea – ۸۶٫۳۷%
Japan to beat Saudi Arabia – ۷۳٫۳۸%

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DPR Korea’s determination pays off in Abu Dhabi
Another matchday, another solid outing from DPR Korea. Although opponents United Arab Emirates were backed by more than 86% of all our Match Predictor participants, the East Asian side fought hard to register a point on the road in Abu Dhabi.
Trailing by a goal with just under five minutes remaining, substitute Jong Il-gwan’s powerful header found its way across the goalline before UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa could parry it out.
The visitors could have grabbed all three points given they had more than double the home team’s chances. Nonetheless, their resilient effort has helped secure back-to-back draws against West Asian powerhouses Qatar and the UAE on Matchdays 2 and 3.

New-look Aussies stop Japan
After picking up his first victory as the new Socceroos head coach against China PR on Matchday 3, Tony Popovic was handed a tough task in his second game as Australia visited red-hot Japan in Saitama. The Samurai Blue boasted a perfect three wins from three with a +14 goal difference and were yet to concede prior to kick-off.
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That all changed though when Japan defender Shogo Taniguchi miskicked Lewis Miller’s cross into his own net shortly before the hour mark. The Socceroos’ superb defence was finally breached with less than 15 minutes to go as this time Cameron Burgess put into his own goal, but Australia departed Japan with a very commendable 1-1 draw.
The result meant that Popovic’s men stunned 91.34% of Match Predictor users who backed Japan as they picked up a vital point away from home. Talk about a result!
Editor’s Matchday 5/6 Preview & Tips
Not long to go until the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ Road to 26 Matchdays 5 and 6 get going so we’re here to give you some insights into the games to look out for in your upcoming predictions.
Aymen Hussein and Iraq to edge Jordan
Iraq to beat Jordan
In what will be a rematch of one of the most dramatic AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ games earlier this year when the sides met in the Round of 16, Iraq are set to welcome Jordan to Basra International Stadium on November 14.
Two of the most prolific players in the third round to date, Iraq’s Aymen Hussein and Jordan’s Yazan Al Naimat, will face off as they aim to continue their scoring streaks. The former has netted a whopping 13 goals in 10 consecutive appearances for Iraq, while the latter has bagged braces against both Palestine and Oman in the third round of qualifiers to lead the way in the scoring charts.
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From a head-to-head perspective, of the last 10 meetings between the two countries dating back to late 2012, Iraq have triumphed on six occasions. Two games ended level while Jordan prevailed in the other two, most recently the incredible last-gasp 3-2 victory at the AFC Asian Cup when both Hussein and Al Naimat were on the scoresheet.
We expect a high-scoring affair when these two rivals lock horns on Matchday 5, but given Iraq’s strong head-to-head record against the Jordanians, the hosts could well be victorious here.
Japan to complete double over China PR
Japan to beat China PR
When you talk about one-sided domination in Asian football, Japan’s undefeated streak against China PR truly stands out! The Samurai Blue boast an undefeated record against their East Asian rivals that stretches back more than 26 years.
On Matchday 1, Japan stormed to a 7-0 victory at Saitama Stadium in a game that saw five second-half goals and six different players on the scoresheet as the Japanese blew China away.
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Although Branko Ivankovic’s China clinched their first victory and first points of the campaign thanks to a 2-1 home win over Indonesia on Matchday 4 and Japan dropped points at home to Australia on the same day, the Samurai Blue have been consistently good for a long time, as proven by their rise – up to 15th – in the latest FIFA World Rankings.
The sides meet in Xiamen on November 19, and we’re leaning towards a third successive away victory for Japan in Group C having already claimed maximum points in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.