Goals galore
The group stage witnessed 51 goals in the 24 matches played, with Japan registering the biggest win - a 5-0 defeat of Syria in their opening Group B match. The highest scoring affair, however, was Korea Republic's thrilling 4-2 victory against Lebanon in Group C.

Tight at the back
Japan - with 10 goals - were not only the highest scorers but also the meanest at the back with the defending champions conceding none. Neither did China PR but the East Asian side found goals hard to come by as they netted only once which, crucially, played its part in the East Asian side advancing to the knockout stage for the first time.

Safe hands
China PR owe a debt of gratitude to Li Hao for their progress, with the custodian making a total 16 saves across their three matches. Islamic Republic of Iran's Mohammad Khalifeh and Trung Kien Tran of Vietnam were the next busiest, with 10 stops each.

Three remain
Japan, Korea Republic and Uzbekistan are three former champions who safely navigated past the group stage while Iraq and Saudi Arabia bid farewell. Japan are seeking to become the first team to lift the trophy three times while Korea Republic and Uzbekistan are chasing a second title.

Lebanon's Shahin leaves his mark
Lebanon's debut appearance may have ended in the group stage but Leonardo Shahin will be remembered as a success story after firing four goals for the West Asian side. He exited the tournament leading the scoring charts with four goals, with Jordan's Ali Al Azaizeh and Ryunosuke Sato of Japan the closest to him with three each.

Pass masters
Iran suffered group stage heartbreak but they had the highest passing rate of 89 percent with Japan four behind. Korea Republic, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Qatar were the other teams with passing accuracy exceeding 80 percent.

Shoot on sight
Saudi Arabia had to bid an early farewell but the hosts did their best in trying to score, registering 59 shots - two better than Japan. Jordan (46), Kyrgyz Republic and Thailand (both 40) were also always on the lookout for goals.

Red mist contained
The red card was only shown three times in the group stage with Kyrgyz Republic, Qatar and Thailand receiving one each. Qatar players led the yellow card chart, with 12 being warned with China PR, Jordan and Thailand on eight each.