Iran cruised to a 3-0 win over Indonesia and 6-0 defeat of Yemen and then showed resilience to edge defending champions Uzbekistan 2-1 to top Group C.

“There’s little time left to make major changes or improvements. We’ve already done the work that needed to be done, and now we’re fully focused on fighting through each match,” said head coach Hossein Abdi.

“We’re moving forward, adjusting our approach based on the strengths of our upcoming opponents, and preparing for the quarter-final. But we’re taking it one step at a time.”

Standing in Iran’s quest for a fifth title are 2016 winners Japan, who began with a commanding 3-0 victory over Thailand but dropped points in their next two Group D games, drawing 2-2 with Yemen and 1-1 against Korea Republic.

Head coach Yuzo Funakoshi, however, has full faith in his team’s ability.

“Iran will be a tough opponent, they are physically imposing, technically strong and dangerous in the air, especially with their long balls,” said Funakoshi.

“It will be a challenging match, but we are focused on playing our way. We believe in our style, and we’ll be aiming for the win.”

The winners will advance to a semi-final against either Australia or Iraq, with victory also confirming their ticket to the FIFA U20 World Cup Chile 2025. 

Venue: Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Centre Stadium (Shenzhen)

Kick-off: Sunday, 16:15 (UTC+8)