Asian Cup minnows make their mark to advance to last 16

DOHA : A 24-team Asian Cup can dilute the quality of the matches with only eight teams going home after the group stage, but for some of the less illustrious nations it is a rare opportunity to show they belong at a major tournament.

Tajikistan, Palestine, Syria and Indonesia have all secured historic first knockout stage spots at this year's edition in Qatar, with the latter three all going through after finishing third in their groups.

Palestine qualified for the last 16 at their third attempt, winning an Asian Cup game for the first time when they beat Hong Kong 3-0 to advance on Tuesday, with the Palestinian players sinking to the turf in relief at the final whistle.

Despite a raging conflict with Israel back home in Gaza where more than 25,000 people have been killed according to Palestinian health officials, the team has remained focused on the task at hand.

"This achievement will motivate and bring smiles, both inside and outside of Palestine," said Palestine skipper Musab Al-Battat.

"On the pitch, emotions were set aside as we believed in the group and team spirit. Delivering the right message, we showcased ourselves as capable players, proving that we deserve to be here. Our gratitude is extended to all our fans."

SURPRISE PACKAGE

Tournament debutants Tajikistan were the surprise package in the group stage as the central Asian team automatically qualified for the knockouts when they finished second behind defending champions Qatar.

Led by the charismatic and vocal Croatian manager Petar Segrt, Tajikistan found themselves on the ropes in their final group game against Lebanon before a rousing comeback saw them advance with their first goals and first win in the Asian Cup.

"For us, it's a big dream to go through. The