PALEMBANG, Indonesia, 18 July 2007 — Saudi Arabia striker Yasser Al-Qahtani says his team will face one of its toughest matches of this Asian Cup when it meets Gulf rival Bahrain today to decide who advances to the tournament quarterfinals.

“They know us and we know them,” Al Qahtani said yesterday, on the eve of a decisive final round of Group D matches in which all four teams have a chance to progress. “It will be a very difficult game.”

Three-time Asian Cup winner Saudi Arabia, atop the group on four points, is best placed to qualify, needing only a draw. Bahrain, which has three points, is looking for a win to ensure it goes through, but a tie would be enough if Indonesia does not beat South Korea in the group’s other game, which is being played simultaneously.

Indonesia, also on three points, need to beat South Korea, but could still reach the quarterfinal stages for the first time in its history with a draw so long as Bahrain loses. South Korea, bottom of the group on one point, needs to win to stand any chance Despite the possibility of both sides going through with a draw, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia said they were determined to win the match, which is being played at Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang, on Indonesia’s Sumatra island.

“I don’t want to play for a point. Usually if you do that, you end up with nothing,” said Bahrain coach Milan Macala, who coached Saudi Arabia in the 2000 Asian Cup. “Everything is still in our hands.”

Bahrain, which came within a whisker of making the Asian Cup final in 2004, lost its first match against Indonesia 2-1, but came from behind to shock regional powerhouses South Korea 2-1 on Sunday to get itself back into contention.

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have met 15 times since 1988, with Bahrain only winning twice. “Between these teams, the players need no motivation,” said Czech-born Macala, who has worked in the Middle East for 14 years either at the helm of club or national sides. Saudi Arabia’s young team drew its first game against South Korea, and were close to being held by Indonesia on Saturday, but scored an injury-time winner to make it 2-1. “There is a lot of rivalry here, so it will be hard for both teams,” said Saudi Arabia’s Brazilian coach Helio Cesar dos Anjos. “But we are ready for this confrontation. I try to tell my players to play with joy, so they grow in the competition.”

In Bangkok, Thailand, South Korea has one slim chance for redemption when it takes on Indonesia in their final Group D match. For co-host Indonesia, the stakes may be even higher. South Korea, a 2002 World Cup semifinalist, has collected just one point from its opening two preliminary games in Jakarta and now sits at the bottom of Group D with one game remaining. To reach the knockout stage, South Korea needs to beat Indonesia at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta and hope Bahrain and Saudi Arabia don’t draw at Sumatra in their final match held simultaneously today.

A victory for Indonesia, which defeated Bahrain and lost to Saudi Arabia in its opening games, will send the team to its first Asian Cup quarterfinals. A draw will be sufficient if Bahrain loses.

The top two Group D teams will meet the Group C qualifiers, to be decided from China, Uzbekistan and Iran in matches also today. China plays Uzbekistan and Iran meets co-host Malaysia in simultaneous matches.

China and Iran are the current Group C leaders with four points each. Uzbekistan is one point behind, while winless Malaysia is out of contention. Standings are decided by head-to-head record, followed by goal difference, meaning Uzbekistan needs a win to advance. Even if it plays to a draw and Iran loses, both teams will be tied at four points. China and Iran would then qualify for the next stage, because Iran earlier beat Uzbekistan.

The Asian Cup is being held in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.