2000 AFC Asian Cup

The 2000 AFC Asian Cup was the 12th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were held in Lebanon between 12 and 29 October 2000. Japan defeated defending champion Saudi Arabia in the final match in Beirut.

Qualification

42 teams participated in a preliminary tournament. It was divided into 10 groups and the first-placed team of each group thus qualified. A total of 84 games were held, starting with the Oman versus Kyrgyzstan game on 3 August 1999.

The 12 qualifying teams were:

Country	Qualified as	Date qualification was secured	Previous appearances in tournament1, 2
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Lebanon	flag alias = Flag of Lebanon.svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Lebanese Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Lebanese Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Lebanese Armed Forces (Front).svg	link alias-army = Lebanese Ground Forces	flag alias-navy = Drapeau de Forces Navales Libanaises.jpg	link alias-navy = Lebanese Navy	flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Lebanon.gif	link alias-naval = Lebanese Navy	flag alias-1918 = Flag of Lebanon (1918-1920).svg	flag alias-1920 = Flag of Lebanon (1920-1943).svg	flag alias-1920a = Flag of the French Mandate of Syria (1920).svg	flag alias-1920b = Lebanese French flag.svg	flag alias-1943 = Flag of Lebanon (1943-1990).svg	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team }} || || 20 December 1996 || (Debut)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Saudi Arabia	flag alias = Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg	flag alias-1744 = Flag of the First Saudi State.svg	flag alias-1822 = Flag of the First Saudi State.svg	flag alias-1902 = Flag of the Second Saudi State.svg	flag alias-1921 = Flag of Nejd (1921).svg	flag alias-1926 = Flag of Nejd (1926).svg	flag alias-1932 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1932–1934).svg	flag alias-1934 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1934–1938).svg	flag alias-1938 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1938–1973).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Saudi Arabia.svg	link alias-naval = Royal Saudi Navy	flag alias-navy = Naval base flag of the Royal Saudi Navy.svg	link alias-navy = Royal Saudi Navy	flag alias-army = Flag of the Royal Saudi Land Forces.svg	link alias-army = Saudi Arabian Army	flag alias-military = Saudi Armed Forces Flag.svg	link alias-military = Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia	flag alias-air force = Ensign of the Royal Saudi Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Royal Saudi Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || || 21 December 1996 || (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Iraq	flag alias = Flag of Iraq.svg	flag alias-1921 = Flag of the Arab Federation.svg	flag alias-1924 = Flag of Iraq (1924–1959).svg	flag alias-1958 = Flag of the Arab Federation.svg	flag alias-1959 = Flag of Iraq (1959–1963).svg	flag alias-1963 = Flag of Iraq (1963–1991); Flag of Syria (1963–1972).svg	flag alias-1991 = Flag of Iraq (1991–2004).svg	flag alias-2004 = Flag of Iraq (2004–2008).svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Iraqi Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Iraqi Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Iraqi Ground Forces.svg	link alias-army = Iraqi Ground Forces	flag alias-navy=Flag of the Iraqi Navy.svg	link alias-naval = Iraqi Navy	link alias-navy = Iraqi Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = 1991 }} || || 7 August 1999 || (1972, 1976, 1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Indonesia	flag alias = Flag of Indonesia.svg	link alias-naval = Indonesian Navy	flag alias-naval = Flag of Indonesia.svg	link alias-navy = Indonesian Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Indonesian Navy.svg	link alias-marines= Indonesian Marine Corps	flag alias-marines = Flag of the Indonesian Marine Corps.png	link alias-air force = Indonesian Air Force	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Indonesian Air Force.svg	link alias-army = Indonesian Army	flag alias-army = Flag of the Indonesian Army.svg	flag alias-military = Flag of the Indonesian National Armed Forces.svg	link alias-military = Indonesian National Armed Forces	flag alias-sanctionedFB = Indonesia coat of arms with name.svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || || 20 November 1999 || (1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Uzbekistan	flag alias = Flag of Uzbekistan.svg	flag alias-military=Uzbekistan Armed Forces (Latin script).svg	link alias-military=Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan	flag alias-naval = Naval flag of Uzbekistan.svg	link alias-naval = Uzbek River Force	flag alias-army = Uzbekistan Armed Forces (Latin script).svg	link alias-army = Uzbek Ground Forces	flag alias-air force= Uzbekistan Armed Forces (Latin script).svg	link alias-air force=Uzbekistan Air and Air Defence Forces	flag alias-navy = Naval flag of Uzbekistan.svg	link alias-navy = Uzbek River Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || || 26 November 1999 || (1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = China	flag alias = Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg	flag alias-1862 = Flag of the Qing Dynasty (1862-1889).svg	border-1862 =	flag alias-1889 = Flag of the Qing Dynasty (1889-1912).svg	flag alias-Qing = Flag of the Qing Dynasty (1889-1912).svg	flag alias-1912 = Flag of China (1912–1928).svg	flag alias-1928 = Flag of the Republic of China.svg	flag alias-army-1949 = Flag of the People's Liberation Army.svg	flag alias-marines-1949 = Flag of the People's Liberation Army.svg	flag alias-navy-1949 = Flag of the People's Liberation Army.svg	flag alias-naval-1949 = Flag of the People's Liberation Army.svg	flag alias-air force-1949 = Flag of the People's Liberation Army.svg	flag alias-military = People's Liberation Army Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg	link alias-military = People's Liberation Army	flag alias-coast guard=Flag of China.svg	link alias-coast guard=China Coast Guard	flag alias-army = Ground Force Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg	link alias-army = People's Liberation Army Ground Force	flag alias-marines=Naval ensign of China.svg	link alias-marines=People's Liberation Army Navy Marine Corps	flag alias-navy = Naval ensign of China.svg	link alias-navy = People's Liberation Army Navy	flag alias-naval = Naval ensign of China.svg	link alias-naval = People's Liberation Army Navy	flag alias-air force = Air Force Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg	link alias-air force = People's Liberation Army Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || || 29 January 2000 || (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Kuwait	flag alias = Flag of Kuwait.svg	flag alias-1844 = Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844–1922).svg	flag alias-1914 = Flag of Kuwait (1914-1921).svg	flag alias-1921 = Flag of Kuwait (1921-1940).svg	flag alias-1940 = Flag of Kuwait (1940-1961).svg	flag alias-naval-1956 = Maritime Ensign of Kuwait 1956-1961.svg	flag alias-republic-1990 = Flag of Kuwait.svg	size =	name =	altvar = football	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || || 18 February 2000 || (1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Japan	flag alias = Flag of Japan.svg	flag alias-1870 = Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg	link alias-1870 = Empire of Japan	flag alias-1945 = Flag of Allied Occupied Japan.svg	border-1945 =	flag alias-1947 = Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg	flag alias-ryukyu = Civil ensign of the Ryukyu Islands (1952–1967).svg	border-ryukyu =	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Japan.svg	flag alias-coast guard = Ensign of the Japanese Coast Guard.svg	link alias-coast guard = Japan Coast Guard	link alias-naval = Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	flag alias-army = Flag of JSDF.svg	link alias-army = Japan Ground Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.svg	link alias-air force = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force-1955 = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (1955-1957).png	link alias-air force-1955 = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force-1957 = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (1957-1972).png	link alias-air force-1957 = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-air force-1972 = Flag of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (1972-2001).png	link alias-air force-1972 = Japan Air Self-Defense Force	flag alias-military=Flag of the Japan Self-Defense Forces.svg	link alias-military=Japan Self-Defense Forces	flag alias-marines=Flag of JSDF.svg	link alias-marines=Japanese Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Japan.svg	link alias-navy = Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force	empty = Junior Japan	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || || 20 February 2000 || (1988, 1992, 1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Qatar	flag alias = Flag of Qatar.svg	flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of Qatar.svg	link alias-air force = Qatar Emiri Air Force	link alias-naval = Qatari Emiri Navy	link alias-military = Qatar Armed Forces	link alias-army = Qatari Emiri Land Force	link alias-navy = Qatari Emiri Navy	flag alias-1860 = Flag of Qatar (1860–1916, 1916–1932).svg	flag alias-1916 = Flag of Qatar (1916).svg	flag alias-1932 = Flag of Qatar (1932–1936).svg	flag alias-1936 = Flag of Qatar (1936–1949).svg	flag alias-1949 = Flag of Qatar (1949–1971).svg	variant =	size =	name =	altlink = national football team }} || || 8 April 2000 || (1980, 1984, 1988, 1992)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = South Korea	flag alias = Flag of South Korea.svg	flag alias-1945 = Flag of South Korea (1945–1948).svg	flag alias-1948 = Flag of South Korea (1948–1949).svg	flag alias-1949 = Flag of South Korea (1949–1984).svg	flag alias-1984 = Flag of South Korea (1984–1997).svg	flag alias-1997 = Flag of South Korea (1997–2011).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Republic of Korea Army.svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Republic of Korea Air Force.svg	link alias-army = Republic of Korea Army	flag alias-naval = Flag of the Republic of Korea Navy.svg	link alias-naval = Republic of Korea Navy	link alias-air force = Republic of Korea Air Force	flag alias-marines = Flag of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines = Republic of Korea Marine Corps	link alias-navy = Republic of Korea Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Republic of Korea Navy.svg	flag alias-military = Flag of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.svg	link alias-military = Republic of Korea Armed Forces	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the Korean Coast Guard.svg	link alias-coast guard = Korea Coast Guard	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = 1997 }} || || 9 April 2000 || (1956, 1960, 1964, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Thailand	shortname alias = Thailand	flag alias = Flag of Thailand.svg	flag alias-1767 = Flag of Thailand (Ayutthaya period).svg	flag alias-1782 = Flag of Thailand (1782).svg	flag alias-1817 = Flag of Thailand (1817).svg	flag alias-1855 = Flag of Thailand 1855.svg	flag alias-1893 = State Flag of Thailand (1916).svg	flag alias-1916 = Flag of Siam (1916).svg	flag alias-marines=Flag of the Royal Thai Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines=Royal Thai Marine Corps	border-marines=	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Thailand.svg	link alias-naval = Royal Thai Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Royal Thai Navy.svg	link alias-navy = Royal Thai Navy	flag alias-military=Flag of the Royal Thai Armed Forces HQ.svg	link alias-military=Royal Thai Armed Forces	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Royal Thai Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Royal Thai Air Force	flag alias-army= Flag of the Royal Thai Army.svg	link alias-army=Royal Thai Army	flag alias-sanctionedFB = THA AFF 2020.png	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || || 9 April 2000 || (1972, 1992, 1996)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Iran	flag alias = Flag of Iran.svg	flag alias-official = Flag of Iran (official).svg	flag alias-1502 = Flag of Persia (1502-1524).svg	flag alias-1576 = Safavid Flag.svg	flag alias-1665 = Flag of Persia (1665).svg	flag alias-1736 = Nadir Shah Flag.svg	flag alias-1760 = Zand Dynasty flag.svg	border-1760 =	flag alias-1796 = Qajar Naval Ensign.svg	flag alias-1849 = Amir Kabir Flag.svg	flag alias-1907 = Flag of Persia (1907).svg	flag alias-1910 = Flag of Persia (1910-1925).svg	flag alias-1925 = State Flag of Iran (1925).svg	flag alias-1964 = State Flag of Iran (1964).svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces.svg	link alias-army = Islamic Republic of Iran Army Ground Forces	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.svg	link alias-navy = Islamic Republic of Iran Navy	link alias-naval = Islamic Republic of Iran Navy	flag alias-military = Flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army.svg	link alias-military = Islamic Republic of Iran Army	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.svg	link alias-coast guard = Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant =	related1 = Persia	related2 = Pahlavi Iran	related3 = Qajar Iran }} || || 11 April 2000 || (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996)

Notes:

¹ Bold indicates champion for that year

² Italic indicates host

Stadiums

	Beirut	Sidon	Tripoli
	Sports City Stadium	Saida Municipal Stadium	International Olympic Stadium
	Capacity: 47,799	Capacity: 22,600	Capacity: 22,400
	File:Camille Chamoun Stadium Fans.png	File:Saida International Stadium with beachgoers.jpg	File:Flag of None.svg

Tournament summary

Lebanon participated in the country's first ever football competition in the history as host, but began disappointingly, losing 0–4 to Iran. Lebanon sought to reinvigorate the team against Iraq and Thailand, but all ended up in just draws, and Lebanon finished bottom in the group, the first host nation since Qatar 1988 to not progress from the group stage. Iran and Iraq managed to survive in the group A with seven and four points respectively, and Thailand took the third, but did not progress due to inferior points, having won no match in their group. Group B saw South Korea failed to achieve a top two finish, falling behind group winner China and Kuwait, but qualified as the best third place team, with the team's only win was against Indonesia. Indonesia was the only team to not score a single goal in the tournament, being beaten by South Korea and China, and a goalless draw with Kuwait. Group C witnessed Uzbekistan to become the worst-performed team in the tournament, being heavily beaten 1–8 by Japan and 0–5 by defending champions Saudi Arabia. The Japanese scrambled to top the group with a famous 4–1 win over the Saudis, though Saudi Arabia would go on to progress together after an unpromising group stage performance. Qatar, another participant in the group, finished in third and progressed thanked for one point ahead of Thailand, having drawn in all three matches.

The quarter-finals saw Iran lost 1–2 to South Korea by a golden goal of Lee Dong-gook, and the same happened in Saudi Arabia's victory over Kuwait, also by a golden goal of Nawaf Al-Temyat. China and Japan easily passed through their Arab rivals Qatar and Iraq, with 3–1 and 4–1 wins respectively, to set up an entirely East Asian affair in the semi-finals, with Saudi Arabia being the only non-East Asian team to be here.

The first semi-finals saw Saudi Arabia sealed the victory over the South Koreans, with two goals by Talal Al-Meshal at 76' and 80' meant Lee Dong-gook's late equalizer was too little, too late. Japan beat China in a thriller in Beirut, 3–2, to once again face the Saudis in the final. In the third place match, South Korea won bronze with a 1–0 win over China.

The final in Beirut was filled with majority of Saudi supporters, and was seen as the rematch of the 1992 final and earlier group stage encounter. Hamzah Idris had a chance to take the Saudis ahead of Japan at 10', but he missed the opportunity. Eventually, the missing penalty was what the Saudis regretted the most, because Shigeyoshi Mochizuki, who had accidentally given the Saudis the failed opportunity on the penalty earlier, became the hero of Japan with a goal in 30'. Saudi attempt proved to be fruitless, and Japan won the game by just one goal margin, to conquer its second Asian trophy, repeating Japan's victory over Saudi Arabia eight years ago. Subsequently, Japan, the winner, automatically qualified for the 2004 AFC Asian Cup.

First round

All times are Lebanon summer time (UTC+3).

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Third-placed qualifiers

At the end of the first stage, a comparison was made between the third placed teams of each group. The two best third-placed teams advanced to the quarter-finals.

South Korea and Qatar, the two best third-placed teams, qualified for the quarter-finals.

Knockout stage

All times are Lebanon summer time (UTC+3)

Extra times were played under the golden goal rule.

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Statistics

Goalscorers

With six goals, Lee Dong-Gook is the top scorer in the tournament. In total, 77 goals were scored by 43 different players, with two of them credited as own goals.

6 goals

• Template:Flagicon Lee Dong-gook

5 goals Template:Colbegin

• Template:Flagicon Akinori Nishizawa
• Template:Flagicon Naohiro Takahara

Template:Colend 3 goals Template:Colbegin

• Template:Flagicon Qi Hong
• Template:Flagicon Yang Chen
• Template:Flagicon Ali Daei
• Template:Flagicon Hiroshi Nanami
• Template:Flagicon Talal Al-Meshal
• Template:Flagicon Mohammad Al-Shalhoub
• Template:Flagicon Nawaf Al-Temyat

Template:Colend 2 goals Template:Colbegin

• Template:Flagicon Li Ming
• Template:Flagicon Karim Bagheri
• Template:Flagicon Hamid Estili
• Template:Flagicon Sabah Jeayer
• Template:Flagicon Tomokazu Myojin
• Template:Flagicon Jasem Al-Huwaidi
• Template:Flagicon Sakesan Pituratana

Template:Colend 1 goal Template:Colbegin

• Template:Flagicon Fan Zhiyi
• Template:Flagicon Shen Si
• Template:Flagicon Su Maozhen
• Template:Flagicon Qahtan Chathir
• Template:Flagicon Abbas Obeid
• Template:Flagicon Haidar Mahmoud
• Template:Flagicon Hideaki Kitajima
• Template:Flagicon Shigeyoshi Mochizuki
• Template:Flagicon Hiroaki Morishima
• Template:Flagicon Shinji Ono
• Template:Flagicon Atsushi Yanagisawa
• Template:Flagicon Kim Sang-sik
• Template:Flagicon Lee Young-pyo
• Template:Flagicon Noh Jung-yoon
• Template:Flagicon Bashar Abdullah
• Template:Flagicon Abbas Chahrour
• Template:Flagicon Luís Fernandes
• Template:Flagicon Moussa Hojeij
• Template:Flagicon Mohammed Salem Al-Enazi
• Template:Flagicon Abdulnasser Al-Obaidly
• Template:Flagicon Mohammed Gholam
• Template:Flagicon Marzouk Al-Otaibi
• Template:Flagicon Sergey Lushan
• Template:Flagicon Mirjalol Qosimov

Template:Colend Own goal

• Template:Flagicon Fan Zhiyi (for Japan)
• Template:Flagicon Ryuzo Morioka (for Saudi Arabia)

Awards

Most Valuable Player

• Template:Flagicon Hiroshi Nanami

Top scorer

• Template:Flagicon Lee Dong-gook

Best Defender

• Template:Flagicon Ryuzo Morioka

Best Goalkeeper

• Template:Flagicon Jiang Jin

Fair Play Award

• {{ Template:Yesno

| alias = Saudi Arabia | flag alias = Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg | flag alias-1744 = Flag of the First Saudi State.svg | flag alias-1822 = Flag of the First Saudi State.svg | flag alias-1902 = Flag of the Second Saudi State.svg | flag alias-1921 = Flag of Nejd (1921).svg | flag alias-1926 = Flag of Nejd (1926).svg | flag alias-1932 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1932–1934).svg | flag alias-1934 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1934–1938).svg | flag alias-1938 = Flag of Saudi Arabia (1938–1973).svg | flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Saudi Arabia.svg | link alias-naval = Royal Saudi Navy | flag alias-navy = Naval base flag of the Royal Saudi Navy.svg | link alias-navy = Royal Saudi Navy | flag alias-army = Flag of the Royal Saudi Land Forces.svg | link alias-army = Saudi Arabian Army | flag alias-military = Saudi Armed Forces Flag.svg | link alias-military = Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia | flag alias-air force = Ensign of the Royal Saudi Air Force.svg | link alias-air force = Royal Saudi Air Force | size = | name = | altlink = national football team | variant =

}}

Team of the Tournament

Goalkeepers	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
Template:Flagicon Jiang Jin	Template:Flagicon Hong Myung-bo Template:Flagicon Mohammed Al-Khilaiwi Template:Flagicon Jamal Mubarak	Template:Flagicon Hiroshi Nanami Template:Flagicon Nawaf Al-Temyat Template:Flagicon Abbas Obeid Template:Flagicon Karim Bagheri Template:Flagicon Shunsuke Nakamura	Template:Flagicon Lee Dong-gook Template:Flagicon Naohiro Takahara

External links

• RSSSF Details