Kyrgyzstan vs China

Simultaneous, and probably decisive

The other final Group C match returns to Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, where the group opened with Iran against China nine days earlier. This time China are back at the same ground against the side with the shortest tournament history in the group, and the last round of a group is played simultaneously, so neither can be played to a known scoreline.

China have played at thirteen Asian Cups; Kyrgyzstan at two. That gap has not translated into much lately. China have not reached a final since 2004 and have not looked like reaching one since; Kyrgyzstan got out of a group at their first attempt and would take a second knockout place as a sign the first was not an accident.

Second in Group C is the realistic prize for both, and the four best third-placed teams give whoever misses it a route that depends on results in five other groups rather than anything they can control here.

The two records

This is a third Asian Cup for Kyrgyzstan, whose best finish is round of 16 (2019), against a fourteenth for China, best runners-up (1984, 2004).