Iran, Syria Prepare to Face Off at Asian Cup

After the elimination of both the Palestinian and Iraqi teams from the Round of 16 of the AFC Asian Cup, Syria stands as the last geopolitical ally of the Islamic Republic in the competition. 

Syria’s football squad is set to play against Iran today in Qatar at 4pm London time.

The Syrian team, led by Argentinian coach Hector Cuper, advanced from Group B to the Round of 16 as the third-ranked team. 

Iran, coached by Amir Qala Noi, secured its spot in the knockout stage as the top team, with victories against Palestine, Hong Kong and the UAE.

Syria, with only one goal scored and a strong defensive line, is considered one of the tournament's best teams.  

Meanwhile, Iran boasts one of the most potent offensive lines but faces challenges in defense, particularly with the absence of Majid Hosseini due to injury.

The Syrian and Iranian football teams have met 30 times, with Iran claiming 18 victories and Syria winning only once, in 1970. Eleven matches ended in draws. 

The winner of today's match will face the winner between Japan and Bahrain in the quarterfinals. 

Since the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the Islamic Republic has sought to maintain Bashar al-Assad's hold on power by deploying military advisers and providing training and funding to militia groups. 

The overarching objective has been to bring Syria into the Iranian government’s sphere of influence.

Since 2014, with the emergence of the extremist group Islamic States in Syria, the country has served as a battleground for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Forces (IRGC) and their proxies.