Iraq – Vietnam SOCCER PICKS
The Asia Cup 2019 is only a few days old, but spectators in the United Arab Emirates have already experienced some games that have taken quite a surprise outcome. Above all, the defeat of the clearly favored defending champion from Australia against Jordan was not to be expected. On Tuesday, Iraq seizes a secret favorite. The Iraqis are the highest traded after the top teams South Korea, Japan, Iran and Australia.
The Golden Dragons from Vietnam are one of the teams that has benefited from the increase in the field of participants. Namely, since 1960, Vietnam has been represented only once in the final round of the Asian Cup. No wonder that before the match between Iraq and Vietnam, the odds speak clearly in favor of the lions from Mesopotamia. The Iraqis have much more international experience and also have a coach Srecko Katanec, who has experienced everything as a player and coach. For Vietnam in this group with Iraq, Iran and Yemen probably only go to possibly occupy the third place and to secure a place in the second round as one of the four best third parties. Although kick-offs at big tournaments always have their own laws, there’s plenty to suggest before the kick-off between Iraq and Vietnam to place a bet on a favorite win. Maybe the Vietnamese also know how to surprise, but a lot of it would have to come together. The kick-off for the group match at the Asia Cup 2019 between Iraq and Vietnam in the Sheikh Zayed Sports City of Abu Dhabi will take place on 08.01.2019 at 13:30.
Iraq:
The Asian Cup is not an unknown tournament for Srecko Katanec. The Slovenian coach of Iraq was in 2011 with the United Arab Emirates ever at the Asian Cup at the start, but retired at the time in the first round as group last. Therefore, with this competition he still has an invoice that he would like to settle this year. Due to the political situation in Iraq, preparing for a big tournament is not always easy. Nevertheless, the Iraqis have managed to perform quite well in recent months. After all, there has been no defeat in the past four games. The assessment of the lions from Mesopotamia is still difficult, because many players are largely unknown in Central Europe. With Ali Adnan is a supposed star in the squad, who is in Italy at Atalanta Bergamo in Serie A under contract, but there is not a permanent staff. Otherwise, the Iraqis are more likely to kick home or at least in the region.
Shortly before the turn of the year was still a last test match on the program. Palestine was the opponent. The team of Srecko Katanec prevailed with a narrow 1-0. Humam Tariq was the shooter of the only hit. The Iraqis still have room for improvement and yet in the game between Iraq and Vietnam, the forecast for the lions from Mesopotamia falls. There is great euphoria in the Iraqi camp.
Association leader Abdul Khaliq Masood has set a very high minimum goal with the semi-final. The pressure on the shoulders of Srecko Katanec is therefore very great. With a win in the first match against Vietnam, the Iraqis would have a rest first. But that will change anyway before the showdown in this group against the unloved neighbors from Iran. Until then, it is important to have the knockout stage after the duels against Vietnam and Yemen at best already in a dry towel. Srecko Katanec has almost his best squad together. But not involved in the game are two injured players who might have raised the level of the lions. Mustafa Nadhim from Al Shorta and Justin Meram from the Columbus Crew in the USA had to cancel their participation in the Asian Cup.
Vietnam:
Vietnam is back for the first time since 2007 at the Asian Cup. The South Korean Hang-Seo Park team is going into this tournament as a great underdog. However, the golden dragons have recently caused a stir. In December, they won the Southeast Asian Championship after a final victory over Malaysia. Overall, the Vietnamese have not lost for 18 games, although the opponents did not come from the top shelf. But you have to lie down for such a series for now. The Vietnamese are wide-breasted in this Asian Cup and perhaps it would be worthwhile to put a tip on the outsider before the game between Iraq and Vietnam. But none of the last 18 opponents had the format of the Iraqis. So the dragons remain the underdog in this match. Nevertheless, we do not consider it completely out of the question that the outsider presents himself well. The favorites are so far relatively difficult at this Asian Cup.
The last two matches were held on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. Holidays were not announced. Most recently there was a 4-2 victory against the Philippines, after all, a participant in the Asian Cup. What the team is capable of, we will probably be able to assess only after the first game. Predicting the Dragon’s performance before the match between Iraq and Vietnam is not easy, because all but the keeper Dang Van Lam are playing in the Vietnamese squad at home and likely to be known to only die-hard players in the league. All in all, we can only guess how strong the Vietnamese are. But what we can certainly expect is a high level of commitment. But if that is all that the Dragons can throw against Iraq, it will not be enough. Perhaps it is the team from Vietnam, which on Tuesday outgrows itself and provides for the next surprise at the Asian Cup.
