# 2023 AFC Asian Cup Group A

Group A of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup took place from 12 to 22 January 2024. The group consisted of hosts, defending and eventual champions Qatar, China, tournament debutants Tajikistan, and Lebanon. The top two teams, Qatar and Tajikistan, advanced to the round of 16.

## Teams

| Draw position | Team | Zone | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Finals appearance | Last appearance | Previous best performance | FIFA Rankings | FIFA Rankings |
| Draw position | Team | Zone | Method of qualification | Date of qualification | Finals appearance | Last appearance | Previous best performance | April 2023 | December 2023 |
| A1 | Qatar | WAFF | Hosts and Second round Group E winners | 7 June 2021 | 11th | 2019 | Winners (2019) | 61 | 58 |
| A2 | China | EAFF | Second round Group A runners-up | 15 June 2021 | 13th | 2019 | Runners-up (1984, 2004) | 81 | 79 |
| A3 | Tajikistan | CAFA | Third round Group F winners | 14 June 2022 | 1st | — | Debut | 109 | 106 |
| A4 | Lebanon | WAFF | Second round Group H runners-up | 15 June 2021 | 3rd | 2019 | Group stage (2000, 2019) | 99 | 107 |
Notes
* ↑ The rankings of April 2023 were used for seeding for the final draw.

## Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Qatar (H) | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Tajikistan | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | China | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 2 | |
| 4 | Lebanon | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | −4 | 1 | |

## Matches
### Qatar vs Lebanon

The match was originally scheduled to take place at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor. However, the AFC confirmed in 21 August 2023 that the match would be moved to Lusail Stadium, Lusail due to significant interest for fans.
This was the sides' second straight fixture in the tournament, having also met in the previous edition, which was won by Qatar 2–0. Qatar had never lost to Lebanon in their history, with ten wins and three draws in their thirteen previous meetings.
Akram Afif struck once late in each half and Almoez Ali scored another as Qatar cruised to a 3–0 win. Adding on to the seven out of seven matches won in their 2019 title-winning campaign, Qatar thus extended their streak to eight consecutive victories in the competition.
| Qatar | Lebanon |
| GK | 22 | Meshaal Barsham |
| CB | 2 | Ró-Ró | 90' |
| CB | 3 | Al-Mahdi Ali Mukhtar |
| CB | 12 | Lucas Mendes |
| DM | 20 | Ahmed Fatehi |
| RM | 10 | Hassan Al-Haydos (c) | | 57' |
| CM | 6 | Abdulaziz Hatem | | 79' |
| CM | 4 | Mohammed Waad | | 72' |
| LM | 11 | Akram Afif |
| SS | 9 | Yusuf Abdurisag | | 57' |
| CF | 19 | Almoez Ali | | 78' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 23 | Mostafa Meshaal | | 57' |
| FW | 17 | Ismaeel Mohammad | | 57' |
| DF | 14 | Homam Ahmed | | 72' |
| FW | 7 | Ahmed Alaaeldin | 86' | 78' |
| MF | 24 | Jassem Gaber | | 79' |
| Manager: ||
| Tintín Márquez ||
| GK | 21 | Mostafa Matar |
| RB | 12 | Robert Alexander Melki |
| CB | 18 | Kassem El Zein |
| CB | 16 | Walid Shour | | 70' |
| LB | 4 | Nour Mansour |
| RM | 6 | Hussein Zein |
| CM | 20 | Ali Tneich |
| LM | 5 | Nassar Nassar | | 87' |
| AM | 22 | Bassel Jradi | | 80' |
| AM | 10 | Mohamad Haidar | 51' | 70' |
| CF | 7 | Hassan Maatouk (c) | | 70' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 26 | Hasan Srour | 80' | 70' |
| FW | 9 | Hilal El-Helwe | | 70' |
| FW | 11 | Omar Chaaban | | 70' |
| FW | 24 | Gabriel Bitar | | 80' |
| FW | 8 | Soony Saad | | 87' |
| Manager: ||
| Miodrag Radulović ||
* Man of the Match:
* Akram Afif (Qatar)
* Assistant referees:
* Anton Shchetinin (Australia)
* Ashley Beecham (Australia)
* Fourth official:
* Ko Hyung-jin (South Korea)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Yoon Jae-yeol (South Korea)
* Video assistant referee:
* Shaun Evans (Australia)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Kate Jacewicz (Australia)

### China vs Tajikistan

This was the sides' first competitive meeting since the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification phase, a 0–0 draw. Their most recent meeting was a friendly match in 2019, with China securing a 1–0 victory. In fact, China had never lost to Tajikistan in all five of their previous encounters.
The match was mostly dominated by Tajikistan, who nevertheless failed to convert a single chance from their dominant display into a goal. Their best chance came in the 26th minute when Alisher Dzhalilov was left unmarked in the penalty area, but aimed his shot wide of the post. In the 81st minute, however, in one of China's rare attacking opportunities from a corner kick, Zhu Chenjie appeared to give his side a 1–0 lead from a header, but the goal was disallowed by the VAR system after Tyias Browning was judged to have interfered with play from an offside position.
| China | Tajikistan |
| GK | 1 | Yan Junling |
| RB | 5 | Zhang Linpeng (c) |
| CB | 3 | Zhu Chenjie |
| CB | 2 | Tyias Browning |
| LB | 19 | Liu Yang |
| CM | 18 | Dai Wai Tsun | | 72' |
| CM | 6 | Wang Shangyuan | 28' |
| RW | 7 | Wu Lei | | 72' |
| AM | 26 | Wang Qiuming | | 58' |
| LW | 21 | Liu Binbin |
| CF | 11 | Tan Long | | 58' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 8 | Xu Xin | | 58' |
| FW | 9 | Zhang Yuning | | 58' |
| MF | 23 | Lin Liangming | | 72' |
| MF | 10 | Xie Pengfei | | 72' |
| Manager: ||
| Aleksandar Janković ||
| GK | 1 | Rustam Yatimov |
| RB | 5 | Manuchekhr Safarov |
| CB | 6 | Vakhdat Khanonov |
| CB | 2 | Zoir Dzhuraboyev |
| LB | 19 | Akhtam Nazarov |
| CM | 7 | Parvizdzhon Umarbayev (c) | 74' |
| CM | 14 | Alisher Shukurov | | 89' |
| CM | 16 | Ehson Panjshanbe |
| RF | 13 | Amadoni Kamolov | | 90+6' |
| CF | 9 | Rustam Soirov | | 89' |
| LF | 10 | Alisher Dzhalilov |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 20 | Alidzhoni Ayni | | 89' |
| FW | 22 | Shahrom Samiev | 90+4' | 89' |
| FW | 15 | Shervoni Mabatshoev | | 90+6' |
| Manager: ||
| Petar Šegrt ||
* Man of the Match:
* Liu Yang (China)
* Assistant referees:
* Khalaf Al-Shammari (Saudi Arabia)
* Yasir Al-Sultan (Saudi Arabia)
* Fourth official:
* Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Mohamad Zairul Bin Khalil Tan (Malaysia)
* Video assistant referee:
* Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Abdullah Jamali (Kuwait)

### Lebanon vs China

This was the first time the sides faced each other in the Asian Cup. Their most recent encounter dated back to 2009, having played home and away during 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification, with China emerging victorious in both fixtures. China had never lost against their West Asian counterpart in all five previous meetings, with four wins and one draw.
The opening minutes saw Liu Yang's attempt to deliver a high pass blocked, as no Chinese player managed to capitalize on the opportunity before Lebanon's Maher Sabra cleared the ball with a decisive header in the 19th minute. Lebanon, in turn, launched persistent attacks on China's goal, beginning with Hassan Maatouk's long-range shot in the 24th minute. A counterattack ensued, with Omar Chaaban's shot going just wide of the net in the 34th minute, followed by Khalil Khamis sending a header wide a minute later. In the 44th minute, a well-placed high ball from the left flank by Dai Wai Tsun led to Zhang Yuning's powerful shot, only for Lebanese keeper Mostafa Matar to deny it with a double save. Wu Lei attempted to seize the rebound, but Matar ultimately emerged victorious.
The first half concluded with Maatouk's long-distance attempt for Lebanon in stoppage time, hitting the crossbar of Yan Junling's net. As the second half unfolded, Lebanon continued to test China with long-range shots, including a notable 63rd-minute attempt by Hassan Srour also hitting the crossbar. However, China gradually asserted dominance in the later stages of the half. Despite both teams intensifying their efforts, the match concluded in a goalless draw.
The outcome of the match held significance for China, as it marked an unwanted record of failing to score in three consecutive Asian Cup matches, a feat previously unprecedented for the team in tournament history.
| Lebanon | China |
| GK | 21 | Mostafa Matar |
| CB | 18 | Kassem El Zein |
| CB | 4 | Nour Mansour | 18' |
| CB | 13 | Khalil Khamis |
| RM | 6 | Hussein Zein |
| CM | 25 | Hasan Srour | 90+3' |
| CM | 20 | Ali Tneich |
| LM | 3 | Maher Sabra |
| AM | 22 | Bassel Jradi |
| CF | 7 | Hassan Maatouk (c) | 71' |
| CF | 11 | Omar Chaaban | 90+3' |
| Substitutions: ||
| DF | 12 | Robert Alexander Melki | 18' |
| MF | 10 | Mohamad Haidar | 71' |
| FW | 9 | Hilal El-Helwe | 90+3' |
| MF | 16 | Walid Shour | 90+3' |
| Manager: ||
| Miodrag Radulović ||
| GK | 1 | Yan Junling |
| RB | 5 | Zhang Linpeng (c) |
| CB | 3 | Zhu Chenjie |
| CB | 2 | Tyias Browning |
| LB | 19 | Liu Yang |
| CM | 8 | Xu Xin | | 71' |
| CM | 6 | Wang Shangyuan |
| CM | 18 | Dai Wai Tsun |
| RF | 7 | Wu Lei | | 66' |
| CF | 9 | Zhang Yuning | 30' | 66' |
| LF | 21 | Liu Binbin | | 71' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 11 | Tan Long | | 66' |
| MF | 23 | Lin Liangming | | 66' |
| MF | 10 | Xie Pengfei | | 71' |
| MF | 15 | Wu Xi | | 71' |
| Manager: ||
| Aleksandar Janković ||
* Man of the Match:
* Mostafa Matar (Lebanon)
* Assistant referees:
* Park Sang-jun (South Korea)
* Kim Kyoung-min (South Korea)
* Fourth official:
* Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Andrey Tsapenko (Uzbekistan)
* Video assistant referee:
* Kim Jong-hyeok (South Korea)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Kim Hee-gon (South Korea)

### Tajikistan vs Qatar

This was the sides' first meeting in the tournament and their first in any competition for twelve years, having met in 2012 where Tajikistan beat the Qataris 2–1 in a friendly. This was also the first competitive fixture to occur between the two. Qatar had only lost once against the sole debutant of this competition after four matches, with the three other encounters ending in Qatari victories.
Tajikistan made a bright start by applying early pressure on to push Qatar on the defence, however a ball won in the midfield saw Almoez Ali seize the opportunity as he provided a clinical pass for Akram Afif, who then struck the net despite Rustam Yatimov's effort to secure Qatar's lead, which turned out to be the only goal of the match. In the 77th minute, in a failed attack from Qatar, Amadoni Kamolov quickly intercepted but his attempt was prevented by Mohammed Waad and Ahmed Al Ganehi, which he later fell and his feet hit the face of Al Ganehi; later VAR consultation resulted in Kamolov being dismissed from the match at the 81st minute, thus killing any hope of a Tajikistani comeback.
| Tajikistan | Qatar |
| GK | 1 | Rustam Yatimov |
| RB | 5 | Manuchekhr Safarov | 35' |
| CB | 6 | Vakhdat Khanonov | 81' |
| CB | 2 | Zoir Dzhuraboyev |
| LB | 19 | Akhtam Nazarov (c) | | 82' |
| RM | 13 | Amadoni Kamolov | 81' |
| CM | 7 | Parvizdzhon Umarbayev | | 82' |
| CM | 14 | Alisher Shukurov | | 90+1' |
| CM | 17 | Ehson Panjshanbe |
| CF | 9 | Rustam Soirov | | 46' |
| CF | 10 | Alisher Dzhalilov | | 90+1' |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 22 | Shahrom Samiev | | 46' |
| FW | 15 | Shervoni Mabatshoev | | 82' |
| DF | 3 | Tabrezi Davlatmir | | 82' |
| MF | 20 | Alidzhoni Ayni | 90+10' | 90+1' |
| FW | 25 | Nuriddin Khamrokulov | | 90+1' |
| Manager: ||
| Petar Šegrt ||
| GK | 22 | Meshaal Barsham |
| RB | 15 | Bassam Al-Rawi |
| CB | 5 | Tarek Salman |
| CB | 12 | Lucas Mendes |
| LB | 4 | Mohammed Waad | 60' |
| CM | 23 | Mostafa Meshaal | | 59' |
| CM | 20 | Ahmed Fatehi | 45+1' | 65' |
| CM | 24 | Jassem Gaber | | 88' |
| RF | 17 | Ismaeel Mohammad (c) | | 46' |
| CF | 19 | Almoez Ali |
| LF | 11 | Akram Afif |
| Substitutions: ||
| FW | 25 | Ahmed Al Ganehi | | 46' |
| MF | 10 | Hassan Al-Haydos | | 59' |
| DF | 16 | Boualem Khoukhi | | 65' |
| DF | 2 | Ró-Ró | 90+11' | 88' |
| Manager: ||
| Tintín Márquez ||
* Man of the Match:
* Akram Afif (Qatar)
* Assistant referees:
* Jun Mihara (Japan)
* Takumi Takagi (Japan)
* Fourth official:
* Yoshimi Yamashita (Japan)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Naomi Teshirogi (Japan)
* Video assistant referee:
* Jumpei Iida (Japan)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Yusuke Araki (Japan)

### Qatar vs China

This fixture marked the fifth time that the two sides met each other in the Asian Cup. Their most recent meeting in the competition saw the Qatar win 2–0 in 2011, a tournament also held in Qatar. However, the teams' most recent meeting in any competitive fixture occurred during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, where China defeated Qatar away 2–1; both matches took place at the Khalifa International Stadium.
The first half saw China aggressively attempt to score against a largely rotated Qatari side, but they failed to do so despite some big opportunities. This proved costly when at the 66th minute, from a perfectly combined corner kick, Hassan Al-Haydos produced a thunderous volley to score the only goal of the match as Qatar confirmed first place in the group with maximum points.
This result meant China had failed to score in four consecutive Asian Cup matches for the first time; following Syria's win over India in Group B, China were eliminated from the tournament, marking their worst-ever performance during participation. Meanwhile, Qatar managed to advance past the group stage for the second consecutive Asian Cup without conceding a goal.
| Qatar | China |
| GK | 1 | Saad Al-Sheeb (c) | | 46' |
| RB | 15 | Bassam Al-Rawi | 70' |
| CB | 3 | Al-Mahdi Ali Mukhtar |
| CB | 16 | Boualem Khoukhi |
| LB | 18 | Sultan Al-Brake |
| CM | 8 | Ali Assadalla |
| CM | 6 | Abdulaziz Hatem | | 46' |
| CM | 23 | Mostafa Meshaal | | 64' |
| RF | 9 | Yusuf Abdurisag | | 64' |
| CF | 7 | Ahmed Alaaeldin | | 46' |
| LF | 13 | Khalid Muneer | 80' |
| Substitutions: ||
| GK | 21 | Salah Zakaria | | 46' | 63' |
| FW | 25 | Ahmed Al Ganehi | 88' | 46' |
| MF | 24 | Jassem Gaber | | 46' |
| GK | 22 | Meshaal Barsham | | 63' |
| MF | 10 | Hassan Al-Haydos | | 64' |
| FW | 11 | Akram Afif | | 64' |
| Manager: ||
| Tintín Márquez ||
| GK | 1 | Yan Junling |
| RB | 5 | Zhang Linpeng |
| CB | 2 | Tyias Browning |
| CB | 3 | Zhu Chenjie |
| LB | 19 | Liu Yang |
| RM | 23 | Lin Liangming | 75' |
| CM | 6 | Wang Shangyuan | 85' |
| CM | 15 | Wu Xi (c) | 67' |
| LM | 21 | Liu Binbin | 46' |
| SS | 20 | Wei Shihao | 67' |
| CF | 9 | Zhang Yuning |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 10 | Xie Pengfei | 46' |
| MF | 8 | Xu Xin | 67' |
| MF | 7 | Wu Lei | 67' |
| FW | 11 | Tan Long | 75' |
| DF | 24 | Jiang Shenglong | 85' |
| Manager: ||
| Aleksandar Janković ||
* Man of the Match:
* Bassam Al-Rawi (Qatar)
* Assistant referees:
* Abdulhadi Al-Anezi (Kuwait)
* Ahmad Abbas (Kuwait)
* Fourth official:
* Shaun Evans (Australia)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Anton Shchetinin (Australia)
* Video assistant referee:
* Ahmad Al-Ali (Kuwait)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Adel Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)

### Tajikistan vs Lebanon

This was the sides' first ever meeting.
In the first half's fifth minute of injury time, Shervoni Mabatshoev managed to score for Tajikistan at the near-left post, only to be ruled out for offside. This was later capitalised on by the Lebanese when, from a counterattack, Bassel Jradi produced a brilliant curled effort to record Lebanon's first goal of the competition and give them the lead. However, a brutal foul by Lebanon's Kassem El Zein on Alisher Dzhalilov in the 52nd minute resulted in his dismissal, and Tajikistan then ramped up pressure further, with Dzhalilov scoring in the 70th minute only to be once again ruled offside. Nonetheless, Tajikistan got their reward in the 80th minute when, from a free kick, Parvizdzhon Umarbayev curled the ball into the net to give Tajikistan the equaliser. Empowered by the goal, Tajikistan then went in front when Nuriddin Khamrokulov struck a strong header thanks to a cross from Ehson Panjshanbe in the second minute of stoppage time. Tajikistan thus knocked Lebanon out of the competition and secured second place in their debut group stage campaign, progressing to the last 16.
| Tajikistan | Lebanon |
| GK | 1 | Rustam Yatimov |
| RB | 5 | Manuchekhr Safarov |
| CB | 6 | Vakhdat Khanonov |
| CB | 2 | Zoir Dzhuraboyev | 27' |
| LB | 19 | Akhtam Nazarov (c) | | 90+12' |
| RM | 15 | Shervoni Mabatshoev | | 72' |
| CM | 7 | Parvizdzhon Umarbayev |
| CM | 14 | Alisher Shukurov | | 72' |
| LM | 17 | Ehson Panjshanbe | 90+7' |
| CF | 9 | Rustam Soirov | | 72' |
| CF | 10 | Alisher Dzhalilov | | 88' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 11 | Mukhammadzhon Rakhimov | | 72' |
| FW | 22 | Shahrom Samiev | | 72' |
| FW | 25 | Nuriddin Khamrokulov | | 72' |
| MF | 18 | Ruslan Khayloev | 90+12' | 88' |
| DF | 3 | Tabrezi Davlatmir | | 90+12' |
| Manager: ||
| Petar Šegrt ||
| GK | 21 | Mostafa Matar | 77' |
| CB | 13 | Khalil Khamis |
| CB | 12 | Robert Alexander Melki |
| CB | 18 | Kassem El Zein | 56' |
| RM | 6 | Hussein Zein | 90+4' |
| CM | 20 | Ali Tneich | | 82' |
| CM | 25 | Hasan Srour |
| LM | 5 | Nassar Nassar | | 82' |
| AM | 22 | Bassel Jradi | | 82' |
| CF | 11 | Omar Chaaban | | 67' |
| CF | 7 | Hassan Maatouk (c) | | 58' |
| Substitutions: ||
| MF | 16 | Walid Shour | | 58' |
| FW | 9 | Hilal El-Helwe | | 67' |
| MF | 10 | Mohamad Haidar | | 82' |
| FW | 19 | Daniel Kuri | | 82' |
| FW | 24 | Gabriel Bitar | | 82' |
| Manager: ||
| Miodrag Radulović ||
* Man of the Match:
* Parvizdzhon Umarbayev (Tajikistan)
* Assistant referees:
* Watheq Al-Swaiedi (Iraq)
* Ahmed Al-Baghdadi (Iraq)
* Fourth official:
* Ahmed Al-Kaf (Oman)
* Reserve assistant referee:
* Rashid Al-Ghaithi (Oman)
* Video assistant referee:
* Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
* Assistant video assistant referees:
* Mohammed Al Hoish (Saudi Arabia)

## Discipline

Fair play points would have been used as tiebreakers if the overall and head-to-head records of teams were tied. These were calculated based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches as follows:
* first yellow card: −1 point;
* indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
* direct red card: −3 points;
* yellow card and direct red card: −4 points;
Only one of the above deductions was applied to a player in a single match.
| Team | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 2 | Match 3 | Match 3 | Points |
| Qatar | 2 | 3 | | 3 | | –8 |
| China | 1 | 1 | | | | –2 |
| Tajikistan | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | | –11 |
| Lebanon | 2 | | | 2 | 1 | –7 |