The final match of Sunday's Asian Cup action will see Iran look to get their campaign off to a winning start when they face off against Palestine at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan.
Iran - Iran's golden era in Asian football was during the 1960s and 1970s with three consecutive titles. - They haven't reached the final since then. - Iran has made six appearances at the World Cup, including the last three editions. - They are considered one of the front runners in this year's Asian Cup. - Iran had a run of 12 unbeaten matches before the tournament. - Their last defeat came in the 2022 World Cup. - Iran had impressive performances and reached a high ranking of 15th in the world. - They are currently ranked 21st, the second-highest in the Asian Cup after Japan.
Palestine - Palestine will be participating in their third consecutive Asian Cup. - They are looking to make history following disappointment in the last two editions. - Palestine has never secured a victory in any of their group fixtures in previous tournaments. - They have never made it to the knockout stages. - Palestine has had a far-from-ideal preparation and failed to win any of their last eight matches. - They have only scored once during that time. - A first-ever Asian Cup victory could be a realistic goal for Palestinians. 📝 ⛑️ Latest Team News : Iran - Injury concern for Iran's regular goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand, who may miss the opening match due to a knee injury sustained against Burkina Faso. - Hossein Hosseini replaced Beiranvand in the recent 5-0 victory over Indonesia. - Sardar Azmoun, who played for Roma in the Coppa Italia, has joined the Iran camp and is a potential selection for the opening match. Palestine - Ataa Jaber is unlikely to start for Palestine as he recovers from a heel injury. - Mahmoud Wadi and Islam Batran are also unlikely to feature, having picked up training injuries. - Palestine will rely on Oday Dabbagh, who has scored 10 goals in 29 matches, as their key striker. - Musab Al-Battat is expected to be the captain for Palestine in the opening match.