ASEAN CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP B PREVIEW: FAMILIAR FOES REUNITE BUT IS IT FINALLY INDONESIA'S TIME?

Indonesia and Vietnam will renew their rivalry at the upcoming 2024 ASEAN Championship, where both sides will be regarded among the favourites to advance from Group B. Minh Hoang/Getty Images

If the next fortnight of Group B action at the 2024 ASEAN Championship feels a bit familiar, that is because it will be.

It was not too long ago that Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines were all locking horns in the second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup -- which concluded back in June.

On that occasion, it was Indonesia who prevailed as they finished second in Group F to follow Iraq onto the next round, leaving the other two to turn their attentions to qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

As fate would have, the trio all found themselves -- along with Myanmar and Laos -- drawn in Group B of the upcoming ASEAN Championship. Once again, only two can advance to the semifinals.

Based on recent form, Indonesia will be the favourites and it is easy for their supporters to get excited at the prospect that their time has finally come.

After all, despite being one of the region's traditional powerhouses, Indonesia have never tasted ASEAN Championship glory and instead have been the perennial bridesmaids with six runners-up finishes previously.

Nonetheless, given the tournament does not take place during an official FIFA international window, Merah Putih will be without the majority of their Europe-based contingent that has played a significant role in their recent rise.

Despite the obvious immediate gratification of ending a 28-year trophy wait, Indonesia coach Shin Tae-Yong previously hinted that he will use the tournament to prepare for next year's Southeast Asian Games -- where they will be looking to successfully defend a gold medal that was also several painful decades in the making.

His squad selection suggests as much.

With Shin making the final cut to his now 24-man squad on Friday, a staggering 16 players selected are yet to make their international bow.

In fact, only four have more than ten caps to their names with Indonesia's average age for the tournament just 20 years.

Indonesia's last meeting with Philippines was a 2-0 win back in June that sealed their place in the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Robertus Pudyanto/Getty Images

In a way, the youthful nature of the team mirrors that from the 2020 edition, when they first showed signs of promise following the appointment of Shin.

Asnawi Mangkualam and Pratama Arhan were both breakout stars from that campaign and will be the senior figures now despite their relative youth, while Marselino Ferdinan -- whose tournament bow came two years ago -- will undoubtedly be their main man in the attacking third.

Indonesia have plenty of raw potential yet, considering this is an experimental side, perhaps their wait to taste ASEAN Championship glory might go on for a while longer.

Maybe, then, it should be Vietnam who are viewed as the dominant force in Group B.

After finishing runners-up last time out, Vietnam look closest to full strength among all the competitors, especially with Thailand and Malaysia also missing key personnel in the other group.

Nguyễn Quang Hải, Nguyễn Văn Toàn, Nguyễn Tiến Linh and Đỗ Duy Mạnh are all seasoned campaigners that were part of the last Vietnam team to win the tournament in 2018.

For a period of time around then, the Vietnamese were well and truly Southeast Asia's top team.

Having since been overtaken by Thailand and now Indonesia, Vietnam will have no shortage of motivation to show they are not going anywhere over the next month.

Another team that will be eager to prove they are not on the decline are Philippines.

After reaching the last four in four out of five editions between 2010 and 2018, they have since failed to make it out of the group stage in their past two attempts.

Philippines are also the only ones that have a significant number of overseas-based players available, including Michael Kempter and Michael Baldisimo who play in the Swiss and American top flights respectively.

While Indonesia have emerged as the leading lights of Southeast Asia at the moment, the fact that they have opted to blood youth as well as the presence of a couple of hungry rivals means it is definitely up in the air as to whether their time to become champions is now.

- Gabriel Tan

FROM HEAVYWEIGHT CLASH TO POTENTIAL UPSETS: LOOKING AHEAD TO THE ASIAN CUP ROUND OF 16

South Korea's surprise runners-up finish in Group E means they now face a daunting clash with fellow powerhouses Saudi Arabia in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup round of 16. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

 In the blink of an eye, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup is now down to the knockout round.

Two weeks of riveting group-stage action has delivered a last 16 with plenty of usual suspects but also a handful of surprise high-fliers.

There will be no more second chances with teams needing to win four matches on the trot from now till Feb. 10 if they are to be crowned champions of Asia.

Here, we look ahead at the storylines each round of 16 tie has produced.

Australia vs. Indonesia (Jan. 28)

Appearing at the AFC Asian Cup for the first time since 2007, Indonesia were the final team to scrape through to the round of 16 but face a massive test in the form of Australia on Sunday. KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

A real David vs. Goliath clash if there ever was one, with Australia placed 25th in the world while Indonesia are now the lowest-ranked team in the competition in 146th following the elimination of Hong Kong.

Making their first Asian Cup appearance since they co-hosted the tournament in 2007, Indonesia reaching the knockout round has been nothing short of a fairy tale -- but surely they could do the unthinkable?

They gave a decent account of themselves in defeats to Iraq and Japan with their sole victory thus far coming against regional rivals Vietnam, which means they are yet to cause a major upset.

This is far from the strongest outfit Australia have fielded at recent Asian Cups but they are still a formidable side that will be expected to negotiate their way past this test, even if the jury is still out on whether they have what it takes to go all the way and win a second crown.

CRISTIANO RONALDO WINS FIRST TITLE WITH AL NASSR WITH BRACE IN ARAB CLUB CHAMPIONS CUP FINALS

Reuters 

Cristiano Ronaldo guided 10-man Al-Nassr to their first ever Arab Club Champions Cup title after scoring twice in a 2-1 extra-time win over fellow Saudi side Al-Hilal on Saturday.

Ronaldo failed to land a trophy last season after his move to Al-Nassr, who finished runners-up in the Saudi Pro League, but the 38-year-old scored six times in the tournament to finish as its top scorer en route to the title.

The tournament is played by top Arab clubs in the region and included teams from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

The star-studded Al-Nassr side had many chances to score in the first half with close season signings Sadio Mane, Seko Fofana and Marcelo Brozovic all denied by goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais.

The game at King Fahd Sports City stadium remained scoreless until six minutes into the second half when Al-Hilal's Malcom crossed the ball and found fellow Brazilian Michael, who put his side ahead with a free header.

To rub salt into their wounds, the 27-year-old even produced the Ronaldo goal celebration as he ran to the corner flag and leapt into the air.

That seemed to fire up Ronaldo and the Portugal captain equalised in the 74th minute when he got on the end of a low cross from right back Sultan Al-Ghannam to score for a fifth game in a row.

Al-Nassr defender Abdulelah Al-Amri was sent off in the second half before Nawaf Boushal was given his marching orders while on the bench for arguing with an official, but they held on to take the game to extra time.

Ronaldo then doubled the lead in the first half of extra time when he pounced on a rebound off the crossbar and headed home with the goalkeeper off his line.

There were concerns, however, when Ronaldo was carted off the field with an apparent injury after a collision in the second period of extra time -- just two days before their Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Ettifaq.

- Reuters