This is the verdict of the coaches of Japan and China, whose players must also contend with Iraq and Turkmenistan.

On Sunday’s opening day of matches, Japan take on China in the crunch game and Turkmenistan face Iraq, both at the IT University Complex.

“We are playing China in our first game and this is a very important match for us,” said Japan coach Miguel Rodrigo. “Both Japan and China are very strong and we will probably be the main contenders to qualify from the group.”

He found no arguments from his China counterpart Guilherme Franco, who said: “I agree with my colleague. I think the fight will be between China and Japan.

“I want to say that the Japanese team will be very difficult to play with.”

Japan are the only team to have gotten the better of nine-time Asian champions Iran when the tournament was also played in Uzbekistan in 2006.

For Turkmenistan and Iraq, a quarter-final place remains a target but the main focus will be providing the players with experience playing at international level.