FOOTBALL – Four-time champions Japan put on a display of precision football to defeat a battling Bahrain side, 3-1, in their round of 16 game of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup at the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, yesterday to move into the quarter-finals.
Having led 1-0 at half-time, courtesy of a 31st minute goal by Ritsu Doan, Japan doubled their lead in the 49th minute through some smart thinking by Takefusa Kubo.
The right-winger, who plays for La Liga club Real Sociedad, took possession about 25 yards away from the Bahrain goal before passing the ball to striker Ayase Ueda just inside the box.
But, as the ball rolled past Ueda, Bahrain defender Hazza Ali deflected it towards the left of the goal straight to Kubo who sent it crashing into the right corner of the net, past the outstretched left leg of goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla – only for the referee to whistle offside.
A VAR review, however, resulted in the goal being awarded to Japan, with the scoreboard showing them leading 2-0.
Just seven minutes later, Japan had the chance to go 3-0 up when Ueda found himself in the Bahrain box with only Lutfalla to contend with only to see his powerful shot ricochet off the goalkeeper’s right leg and roll over the sideline.
A stroke of luck in the 64th minute cheered up the several thousand Bahrain fans in the 45,000-seat stadium when a mix-up between Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and Ueda allowed the Reds to get up on the scoreboard.
Bahrain defender Sayed Baqer headed the ball towards the Japan goal from inside the box off a free kick with Suzuki punching it straight up in the air but, as the ball looped back down towards the goalkeeper’s waiting hands, Ueda tried to head it away only to see it fall across the goal-line.
There was a spring in the step of the Bahrain players now but it didn’t last very long as, in the 72nd minute, Ueda ran down the right into the box and unleashed a powerful, right-footed shot that went straight through Lutfalla’s legs for Japan’s third goal of the day.
Later, with 10 minutes of stoppage time added after the regulation 90-minutes were up, Japan forward Takuma Asano had the chance to score a fourth goal for his team when he lined up a shot with only Lutfalla between him and the goal but the ball went straight into the goalkeeper’s arms.
Earlier, Japan had made their intentions known in the ninth minute when Ueda headed the ball towards the Bahrain goal off a corner kick by Kubo but Lutfalla managed to tip it over the bar.
Three minutes later, Bahrain had a great opportunity to take the lead when midfielder Ali Madan pass the ball to star forward Abdulla Yusuf Helal but the striker took too long to load up his shot before hitting it straight to Suzuki.
Just past the half-hour mark, Japan finally went 1-0 ahead with Doan pouncing on a rebound off the goal-post from a strike by defender Seiya Maikuma from 25 yards away to hit it home past Lutfalla.
Japan will now play Iran, who defeated Syria, 5-3, on penalties after regulation and extra time ended with the two teams tied 1-1, in the final round of 16 match last night, in their quarter-final on Saturday.
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