TEHRAN - The group stage of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup finished on Thursday and the remaining 16 teams can now begin to plot their route to the final.

The knockout phase will begin on Sunday when Indonesia will take on 2015 champions Australia.

Unexpected outcomes in Group E's team rankings on Thursday caused surprising shifts in the team standing.

The pessimists proposed that the influence of betting sites could have affected these outcomes. The rumors were fueled before the South Korea and Malaysia match, suggesting South Korea's preference to avoid facing Japan in the next game. The 3-3 draw between South Korea and Malaysia further intensified these rumors.

Jordan, highest-ranked team in Group E, endured a 1-0 loss to Bahrain, who initially held the third position in the group but eventually secured the top spot!

South Korea's unexpected second-place finish in Group E brought an end to the long-standing saga of Iran and South Korea's repeated clashes in the AFC Asian Cups. The long-standing rivals, who usually meet in the quarterfinals, will now avoid each other. The round of 16 will see South Korea taking on Saudi Arabia, and Iran playing against Syria in the same round.

Many unexpected outcomes occurred during the group stage of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.

Major traditional powerhouses such as South Korea and Japan didn't progress as group leaders, whereas teams like Saudi Arabia, Australia, and even Iran received criticism for their performances.

The tournament revealed a narrowing gap between title contenders and other teams, making it harder to predict the outcome of matches. The advancement of teams like Tajikistan, Indonesia, and Thailand to the round of 16, and the commendable performances of teams like Palestine, Bahrain, and Syria, indicates progress in football among teams previously considered underdog in Asia.

The 2023 AFC Asian Cup also introduced a new powerhouse in Asian football: Uzbekistan. Under the guidance of Slovenian head coach Srecko Katanec, the team now present a formidable display against any opponent, positioning themselves among the powerful teams of the continent.

Iran must overcome Syria in the round of 16 and then face the winners of the Japan and Bahrain match in the quarterfinals.

Although Iran and Japan encounter in the quarterfinals appears to be the most probable scenario on paper, the 21st edition of the Asian Cup has shown that depending solely on team statistics and rankings is no longer reliable.

However, the 2023 Asian Cup promises to be a tournament full of surprises.