Japan eases through to Asian Cup quarters with 4-1 rout
10:09, July 17, 2007
HANOI: Holder Japan stormed into the Asian Cup quarterfinals with a
ruthless 4-1 demolition of co-host Vietnam yesterday.
But Vietnam, appearing in the tournament for the first time in 47 years,
joined Japan in the last eight after Qatar lost 2-1 to United Arab
Emirates in the other Group B game.
"I'm still not satisfied," Japan coach Ivica Osim told reporters. "If I
was satisfied then I might as well just quit as coach."
A Keita Suzuki own goal after just seven minutes triggered riotous
celebration among a crowd of 40,000 in Hanoi but it took Japan just five
minutes to restore normal service.
Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura found space on the left to float over
a perfect cross for Seiichiro Maki, who had the simple task of chesting
the ball into an open goal.
Yasuhito Endo put Japan ahead just after the half hour, rifling a free
kick into the top corner from the edge of the box to briefly silence
Vietnam's trumpet-blowing fans.
Nakamura added a third seven minutes into the second half with a superb
right-foot strike before Maki headed in his second from close range in
the 59th minute.
"That was a good time to score," Maki said. "Shunsuke's pass over was so
good it was no room for me to miss it. You feel a responsibility to score
as a striker."
When news of UAE's win over Qatar filtered through, Hanoi's My Dinh
stadium erupted in a deafening roar as Vietnamese fans celebrated wildly.
"It's a sensation," Vietnam coach Alfred Riedl told reporters. "Nobody
expected us to be in the quarterfinals. It's the first time Vietnam's
history.
"I'm extremely proud of my players and maybe Vietnam will surprise again."
In Ho Chi Minh city, UAE struck in stoppage time through Faisal Khalil to
beat Qatar 2-1.
Qatar needed victory to reach the quarterfinals after drawing its games
against Japan and Vietnam, and defeat left it bottom of the standings.
Qatar coach Dzemaludin Musovic remained upbeat, saying his young team
could be successful in the future.
"Now it is not easy to analyze the reasons, it was a delicate
situation...they (UAE) had new players, it was difficult," he told
reporters.
UAE, out of contention after losing to Japan and Vietnam, leapt above
Qatar into third place.
Qatar had looked to be on its way into the last eight when Uruguay-born
striker Sebastian Quintana converted a penalty three minutes before
halftime.
Quintana, who scored against both Japan and Vietnam, won the spot-kick
himself and stepped up to stroke the ball home.
The referee ordered him to retake the penalty because Qatar players had
encroached into the area and Quintana smashed his second effort into the
roof of the net.
UAE went on the attack after the interval and was rewarded on 59 minutes
when striker Saeed Alkas headed home a cross.
It continued to enjoy the bulk of possession and the pressure told deep
into stoppage time when Ismail Mataar's free kick was headed into the net
by Khalil following a deflection.
Japan, bidding for its third straight title, finished top of Group B on
seven points with Vietnam runner-up on four. UAE was third on three
points with Qatar on two.
The Asian champion plays the runner-up in Group A Australia in the
quarterfinals in Hanoi while Vietnam travels to Bangkok to face the
winner Iraq.
Australia clinched the runner-up spot on goal difference following a 4-0
defeat of host Thailand late yesterday.
Source: China Daily/agencies
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