SHARJAH • Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu was full of praise for his players' fighting spirit after they overcame three-time Asian Cup champions Saudi Arabia 1-0 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Takehiro Tomiyasu's lone strike was enough to send the Saudis crashing out at the Sharjah Stadium in the United Arab Emirates yesterday.
"I knew Saudi Arabia was a team with offensive power and I was ready to face a tough battle," Moriyasu said after the match.
"But they fought more strongly than I imagined and my players took a tough stance all the way to the end.
"They persistently fought without stopping their feet.
"Of course we wanted to attack even more, but I think the players did well in terms of the flow of the game."
Japan, record four-time winners of the Asian Cup, march on to a quarter-final with South-east Asian champions Vietnam despite not yet hitting top form at the tournament.
The Vietnamese stunned Jordan 4-2 on penalties after their last-16 clash ended 1-1 on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia were in the ascendancy early on, but it was Japan who snatched the advantage with a straightforward goal from a set piece on 20 minutes.
From a corner, Belgium-based defender Tomiyasu climbed above his marker and nodded firmly into the bottom corner for his first of the tournament.
The Saudis twice came close with headers as they battled to find an equaliser, and Hatan Bahbri curled one just off target as he went for the top corner.
Yoshinori Muto's shot was blocked on the hour mark, but most of the chances were falling to Saudi Arabia, who will rue some wasteful finishing.
Bahbri's shot from outside the box crept narrowly wide and Ali Al-Bulaihi powered a strong header over when the ball was knocked back into the area after a free kick.
But, despite a late flurry, it remained another goalless outing for the Saudis, who have not found the net since scoring six goals in their first two group games.
Japan, who claimed their last title in 2011, extended their perfect winning record in the tournament after also winning all three of their group matches.
Meanwhile, defending champions Australia reached the last eight after beating Uzbekistan 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out following a goal-less draw after extra-time.
The Socceroos will meet host United Arab Emirates or Kyrgyzstan in the quarter-finals on Friday.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
ASIAN CUP
Last 16: South Korea v Bahrain (8.50pm), Qatar v Iraq (11.50pm) - Singtel TV Ch115 & StarHub Ch209
Qatar vs Lebanon: World Cup host high on confidence Qatar's road to the 2022 World Cup starts against Lebanon in Group E of the Asian Cup, with coach Felix Sanchez in bullish mood.
He's our Guardiola: Qatar coach Felix Sanchez hailed after
Everton v Huddersfield. I worry for Huddersfield this season. The Terriers kept their top-flight status intact last season, surviving relegation despite scoring a pitiful tally of just 28 goals - the joint-fewest from any surviving side in Premier League history as Town were silenced on 21 occasions.
Hiccup and Toothless - Where No One Goes - Fly scene
Football: Jurgen Klopp fires up Liverpool with 'It's only pain' motto, Pep Guardiola urges City to 'be precise' the Spaniard urged his team to "be more precise in all the aspects and try to
Naby Keita #8 News, Stats, Photos - Liverpool - Football
Messi torments Liverpool with 600th Barca goal in 3-0 win a devastating double in a 3-0 home win over Liverpool in the first leg of their last-four clash on Thursday morning (May 2, Singapore
Messi torments Liverpool with 600 th Barcelona goal in 3-0 win
Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of South Korea. ABU DHABI (Reuters) - Qatar's Abdulaziz Hatem scored with a stunning late strike as the 2022 World Cup hosts upset Son Heung-min's South Korea 1-0 to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup for the first time on Friday.
Football: Hatem wonder strike secures Qatar upset of South
Our Tampines Hub a hotbed of passion as football fans throng the venue to catch Champions League final screening Singapore's football fans create an electrifying atmosphere at Our Tampines Hub for
Our Tampines Hub to screen Champions League showdown on
Allegri leaves behind 'solid' Juventus. Coach Massimiliano Allegri celebrating Juventus' Serie A win with his players after beating Fiorentina 2-1 at home on April 20. PHOTO: REUTERS.
Allegri leaves behind 'solid' Juventus - theworldnews.net
Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk both scored twice as Liverpool returned to winning ways with a dominant performance against Watford to stay top of the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp's side were 2-0
Stylish Liverpool thrash Watford 5-0 to stay top of league
Football: After goalie Casillas' heart attack, wife Sara says
Atletico the greatest threat to Barca's La Liga hopes - Valverde AFP January 26, 2019, 3:29 PM GMT Atletico went into the weekend five points adrift of Barcelona in the La Liga title race
Atletico the greatest threat to Barca's La Liga hopes - Valverde
SEVILLE • While other teams "have decisive players, we have the best in the world". Lionel Messi left the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan pitch with the praise of Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde ringing in his ears after notching his 50th career hat-trick to give the Catalan giants a commanding lead at the top of LaLiga.
Messi nets his 50th career hat trick !!! : soccer - reddit.com
BERLIN (REUTERS) - Premier League's Watford were made to sweat to beat lowly Championship club Queens Park Rangers 1-0 on Friday (Feb 15) and book their spot in the FA Cup quarter-finals for the
Watford squeeze past QPR into FA Cup last eight - Reuters
0 comments:
Post a Comment