'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With the AFC Asian Cup knocking at the door, the teams are gearing up for the mega event in the United Arab Emirates.
For the first time, 24 teams will be participating in the meet which makes the occasion even bigger! The quadrennial event will span for nearly a month with 16 teams making a cut to the knockout stages.
There are a few debutants in this edition like the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan and Yemen. With heavyweights like Japan, Australia, Iran and South Korea expected to aim for the title, the other teams will also give a run for the money especially the hosts UAE.
A goal is the most important event in a football match, that is why the strikers hog most of the limelight in the playing XI. The Asian Cup will feature a great variety of forwards and the onus will be on them to convert the chances on the big stage.
Let us have a look at the top 10 forwards to watch out for in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup:
#10 Mohanad Ali (Iraq)
Mohanad Ali is one of the younger players in the list, but he has the potential to change the complexion of a game.
Known widely for his ball control, dribbling and creativeness, the young footballer is an asset to the Iraq national team. Ali currently plays for Iraqi Premier League club Al-Shorta. Ali has netted five times in nine appearances for the national side.
He made his International debut in 2017 against Bahrain during the 23rd Arabian Gulf Cup. In 2018, he scored his first goal for the national team during a friendly against Saudi Arabia. The young prodigy was adjourned as one of the top young talents before the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
The former Champions will be up against Vietnam in the Group ‘D’ fixture on January 8 at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
They travel to Sharjah for the for the tie against Yemen, following which they will lock horns with arch-rivals Iran in one of the most anticipated matches in the competition.
#9 Eldor Shomurodov (Uzbekistan)
Primarily playing his club football in his native place, he was roped in by Russian club Rostov in 2017.
Eldor will be looking to inspire Uzbekistan to at least a top-four finish in the upcoming AFC Asian Cup. The team narrowly missed out on an inter-continental play-off during the 2018 FIFA World Cup but will be aiming for a successful campaign in the United Arab Emirates.
His stats may not be too attractive like the others in the list, but he has the habit of performing on big occasions as he did in during his stint with the youth team a few years back.
So far, he has scored six goals for the national team, needless to say, he will be eyeing to improve his record in the continental meet especially with a team like Japan in their group.
The Uzbek’s are scheduled to play Oman in their opening tie, followed by their clash against Turkmenistan.
They will lock horns with Japan in the final group stage match. If nothing miraculous happens, Uzbekistan is expected to qualify for the knockout stages.
#8 Al Mabkhout (United Arab Emirates)
Already the third highest all-time goal scorer for the United Arab Emirates, this will be Al Mabkhout’s opportunity to guide his team to a successful AFC Asian Cup campaign in their homeland.
He has been a part of UAE Arabian Gulf League side Al-Jazira for more than 10 years now. The striker has amassed a total 122 goals in 161 matches.
Mabkhout’s scoring rate with the national team is equally impressive, scoring 44 goals in 65 matches for the Gulf nation.
The forward from Abu Dhabi scored a brace for the national side during their friendly match against Laos a few months back. The entire nations hope will be resting on the footballer who is often compared with former UAE legend Adnan Al Talyani.
UAE will get the AFC Asian Cup rolling when they face Bahrain in the tournament opener at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi on January 5. After playing against India in the same venue, the hosts will shift to Al Ain for their last group stage match against Thailand.
#7 Omar Al Somah (Syria)
Considered as one of the most lethal Asian strikers, Omar Al Soma is a force to reckon with. Playing his club football for Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli for more than four years now, he has steered his team to many triumphs with a prolific scoring record of nearly a goal per game.
Although Somah was part of the Syrian side during the 2012 WAFF Championships, he was out of International action for nearly five years following that due to political reasons.
It was in the year 2017 that he scored his first goal for the national side during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification rounds.
Somah had scored seven times for his nation, he will be eager to increase the tally during the upcoming event.
Syria is one of the higher ranked teams in the AFC Asian Cup and is capable of making it to the knockout stages especially with the likes of lower ranked teams like Jordan and Palestine in the group stages.
#6 Fahad Al Muwallad (Saudi Arabia)
Infused with football talent from a very tender age, Fahad Al Muwallad was approached by an FC Barcelona scout after a series of good performances, but he rejected the offer and joined Al Ittihad's youth team, a club for which he had played ever since.
He is remembered for scoring their goal which helped Saudi Arabia earn a Works Cup berth in Russia.
Summoned for the 2018 FIFA World Cup due to his consistent performances, Muwallad disappointed in Russia earlier this year.
The AFC Asian Cup will be a great opportunity to re-establish himself once again. He has played over 50 matches for the national side and struck on 11 occasions.
With a pretty formidable bunch of players at their disposal, Saudi Arabia will be going to heal the wounds of a disastrous World Cup Champion aside and aim for a successful Asian Cup title.
The three-time champions will be eyeing to bring back three corrected trophy home after a gap of 22 years!
#5 Son Heung-Min (South Korea)
One of the most known faces to feature in the upcoming tournament, the Tottenham Hotspurs forward has been in the peak of his form this year.
After guiding his team to a World Cup spot in Russia, he also scored a couple of goals in the main event. More importantly, he scored the second goal against Germany to inflict the defending champions a shocking defeat!
After a mutual understanding between the North London Club and South Korea’s football body, it was decided that the talismanic player will be released only after Tottenham’s home match against Manchester United on January 13.
Nevertheless, he is expected to create an impact as he will be playing the last group stage match and possibly the knockout stage fixtures.
Highly praised after successfully steering the national team to an Asian Games gold medal earlier this year, he will be expected to re-create a similar feat in the United Arab Emirates. South Korea begin their campaign against the Philippines on January 7. They play Kyrgyzstan and China in the remaining fixtures.
#4 Yuya Osako (Japan)
After plying his trade for more than four years with J League club Kashima Antlers, Osaka fled across the continent to Germany in 2014.
He joined Bundesliga side 1860 Munich and created an immediate impact by scoring a goal on his debut against Fortuna Dusseldorf. Finishing the season with six goals from 15 matches, he was roped in by FC Koln, a club for which he played for about four seasons.
Simultaneously, he made his International for Japan 2013, he has featured in 37 matches for Japan and scored 10 goals.
Apart from being one of the senior players in the Asian unit, Osaka will spearhead Japan’s attacking line. The striker scored the winner during their match against Colombia in the group stages of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Osako currently plays for German side Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga. Japan will kick-start their AFC Asian Cup campaign against Turkmenistan on January 9, followed by their fixtures against Oman and Uzbekistan.
#3 Matthew Leckie (Australia)
The experienced forward has been around the German football circuit for than seven years now and is now a vital cog in the Australian football team.
Currently playing for Hertha BSC in the German Bundesliga, he started his journey with the side by scoring a brace on his debut.
He was a part of Australia’s 2015 AFC Asian Cup winning side. Although he did not get his name on the scoresheet, Leckie managed to provide an assist for James Troisi to score Australia’s fourth goal against Kuwait in a thumping 4-1 victory. The defending champions’ fate will depend a lot on how Matthew fares in the tournament.
The Melbourne born footballer has scored nine goals for the national side so far. The ‘Socceroos’ is clubbed along aside Jordan, Palestine and Syria and is likely that they are going to top the group. They will start their title defence against Jordan at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain on January 6.
#2 Sardar Azmoun (Iran)
The prolific striker has enjoyed an exceptional record with the national team, having scored a couple of goals in the previous edition of the AFC Asian Cup.
Hailed as the heir of Legendary Iranian footballer Ali Daei, Sardar Azmoun has scored an astonishing 23 goals for his side in 38 appearances.
Azmoun temporarily retired from International football after Iran’s exit from the 2018 FIFA World Cup due to intense criticism received from the fans and to support her ailing mother.
He returned to the Iranian National Team after a span of three months in October 2018, which gave him enough time to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup.
Rubin Kazan’s forward will be one of the players to watch out for in the upcoming mega event in the United Arab Emirates.
Carlos Queiroz’s team will face Yemen in their opening tie on January 7. They are scheduled to play Vietnam and Iran on January 12 and January 16 in the remaining Group ‘D’ fixtures.
#1 Sunil Chhetri (India)
The last time India was part of the AFC Asian Cup was back in 2011, although it was a very disappointing outing for the ‘Blue Tigers’.
Clubbed with heavyweights like Australia and South Korea, they were knocked in the group stages. Sunil Chhetri is the only player existing player from that team.
The Indian football legend has seen many ups and downs with the national team, this will be his last shot in Indian colours in such a big event.
With a much-improved side than the one which played in Qatar eight years back, India has a bright chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. A billion eyes will be on Sunil Chhetri to guide India to a fruitful performance in the Arabian nation.
Already the highest ever goal scorer for the 'Blue Tigers’ with 65 strikes, Chhetri will be eager to give his best shot in the United Arab Emirates in which can be his last tournament with the national team.
The 96th ranked team in the world is clubbed with hosts UAE, Bahrain and Thailand and begins their campaign on January 6 against Thailand.
