Syria

Syria reached the AFC Asian Cup finals for the first time since 1996 in impressive fashion as the Middle Eastern side not only became one of the first to book their ticket to Qatar but also emerged from the qualifying campaign as the only undefeated side.




It started back on January 14, 2009, in Aleppo, when three first-half goals laid the foundations of a 3-2 win over 2004 AFC Asian Cup hosts and runners-up China before the Syrians made it two wins out of two with a 2-0 victory over Lebanon in Beirut a week later.



Qualification was assured when Syria made it a hat-trick of Group D wins when they defeated Vietnam in Hanoi but they left it right to the wire with Raja Rafaee getting the crucial goal four minutes into second-half stoppage time.



With at least a second-place finish guaranteed, Syria’s momentum slowed and their winning run came to an end although the 1-1 draw with China, which followed a goalless stalemate at home to Vietnam, meant that three points against Lebanon would see them top the table and they accomplished this with an emphatic 4-0 win in Damascus.