Japan avoided the ‘Doha disaster’.
Japan won 2-0 in the final qualifying round for the 2024 Paris Olympics and the semifinals of the 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Qatar Asian Cup at Jasim bin Hamad Stadium in Al Raiyan, Qatar, on the 30th (Korea time).
As a result, Japan has increased its record of consecutive Olympic finals to eight since the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. It is also aiming for the top spot by reaching the finals for the first time in eight years since the 2016 Qatar Olympics.
Iraq is defeated by Japan and will have a showdown with Indonesia for the third-place finisher. If the team wins the match, it will take the Olympic stage for the first time in eight years since the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Starting with goalkeeper Leo Kokubo, Japan started Hiroki Seiji Kimura-Fujita Chima-Yamada Fuki-Araki Ryotaro-Matsuki Kuryu-Hosoya Mao-Hirakawa Yu-Ohata Ayumu-Takai Kota.
Starting with goalkeeper Hussein Hasan, Iraq started with Joseph Al-Imam-Ahmed Markenge-Zaid Tashin-Hussein Amer-Ali Jasim-Ali Al-Mosawi-Karar al-Mukhtar-Mustafa Sadun-Salem Ahmad-Zayed Ismael.
Japan opened the scoring with Hosoya’s shot in the 10th minute of the first half. Hassan was blocked but it was a sharp attack. Kokubo blocked Jasim’s mid-range shot a minute later. In the 19th minute of the first half, Araki’s mid-range shot went straight to Hassan’s head.
In the 28th minute of the first half, Hosoya shot Fujita’s long pass with a nice turn and opened the Iraq goal. Then, starting with Ohata in the 42nd minute of the first half, Japan won 2-0 with Fujita’s pass and Araki’s finish.
Japan was already ahead 2-0, but the team remained under pressure throughout the second half. From the 48th to the 49th minute in the second half, the team had three critical chances. Hassan blocked Hosoya’s pass, Matsuki’s mid-range shot, and Ohata’s cross and Yamada’s shot were saved. Hosoya’s mid-range shot went over the goal one minute later.
Hassan also blocked Matsuki’s mid-range shot in the 53rd minute of the second half. Then, two minutes later, Kokubo defended Iraq’s counterattack and Padil’s header, overcoming the crisis.
Japan missed the opportunity to score additional points in the 66th minute of the second half when Hirakawa’s cross and Hosoya’s header hit the post. And starting with the 74th minute of the second half, Mohammed’s cross and Hasan’s shot hit the defense and hit the post, resulting in no Iraq scoring.
The fierce second half ended and Japan eventually won and reached the final.
Meanwhile, Japan will compete with Uzbekistan for the top of the tournament. 안전놀이터
