AFC
Doha
Extra-time goals from Mao Hosoya and Kotaro Uchino ensured Japan squeezed past 10-man Qatar and into the semi-finals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 with a 4-2 win over Ilidio Vale’s side at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Thursday.
Hosoya slipped the ball under substitute goalkeeper Ali Korayem to break Qatar’s resistance 11 minutes into extra-time and Uchino added the fourth with seven minutes left as Go Oiwa’s side moved a step closer to claiming the title.
Fuki Yamada had given Japan a second minute lead before Ahmed Al Rawi levelled with a superb header 22 minutes later, the Qataris then shrugging off Yousef Abdullah’s 41st minute red card to go in front four minutes into the second half through Jassem Gaber.
But Seiji Kimura’s 67th minute header restored parity while Hosoya and Uchino struck late to take their nation into the last four as the Japanese seek to maintain their record of qualifying for every Olympic Games since 1996.
Japan’s late show came in contrast to their rapid start, the Samurai Blue taking the lead on their first foray forward.
Qatar gifted Oiwa’s team the opener after Hiroki Sekine’s hopeful long ball saw Saif Eldeen Hassan under-hit his pass and Yamada collected possession to smash a left foot shot into the top corner of Abdullah’s goal.
Japan were in control, with Rihito Yamamoto and Joel Fujita dictating the tempo and Kuryu Matsuki busy, the FC Tokyo playmaker thumping his attempt from outside the area over the crossbar.
However, the Qataris steadily asserted themselves and, in the 24th minute, Vale’s team pulled level.
The ball found its way to Abdulla Al Yazidi on the right after Kein Sato fell in an attempt to cut out possession and the Qatari’s centre was met unchallenged by Al Rawi, who bulleted his header home.
Hosoya should have restored Japan’s lead seven minutes before the break, shooting wide on the stretch from close range after Matsuki’s incisive ball across the face of goal.
Moments later Abdullah was seeing red, dismissed after referee Hanna Hattab consulted the pitchside monitor following a clash with Hosoya, the Qatari guilty of lashing out at the Japan striker as he leapt to clear a high ball.
Qatar refused to be despondent despite being down a man and, four minutes after the restart, the home side went in front. Moustafa Meshal’s pinpoint free-kick delivery landed squarely on the head of Gaber and he made no mistake.
With a quarter of regular time remaining, though, the Japanese were level when Kimura nodded home Yamamoto’s in-swinging corner from close range to set up a finish that saw Sato force replacement goalkeeper Ali Korayem into a save while Shota Fujio headed over.
Oiwa’s side were unable to find a way through again in regulation time, but in the 101st minute Hosoya was fed by Ryotaro Araki and he slid his shot under Korayem while Uchino tapped in after the goalkeeper parried Sota Kawasaki’s shot to break home hearts.
“The red card was the turning point as it was very difficult to play with 10 players,” Qatar coach Vale said after the match.
“I want to congratulate the players for their high fighting spirit. We are dejected to miss a chance for qualifying for Olympics,” he added.
