Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Melbourne: Keisuke Honda scored for the third consecutive game as defending champions Japan finally confirmed their place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 as Tuesday’s 2-0 win over a brave Jordan completed a 100% record in Group D.
Match highlights: Japan 2-0 Jordan
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The four-time winners only needed a point in front of a 25,000 crowd at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium having earlier beaten Palestine and Iraq, but Honda’s 24th minute strike and a late second from Shinji Kagawa saw Javier Aguirre’s side claim the win.
Having ended Jordan’s hopes of an appearance in the last eight as Iraq claimed second place in Group D after beating Palestine in Canberra, Japan will face Group C runners-up the United Arab Emirates in Sydney on Friday for a place in the semi-finals.
Japan coach Aguirre named the same side for a third consecutive game with the defending champions only needing a point to qualify for the quarter-finals as Group D winners, while opposite number Ray Wilkins made one change with Anas Bani Yaseen returning from suspension to replace Saeed Murjan.
And with Jordan needing to at least avoid defeat to keep their quarter-final hopes alive, Wilkins’ side showed their intentions, lining up in an attacking 4-3-3 formation and pressing Japan from the first whistle.
Jordan’s plans, though, were almost dealt a huge blow after just 10 minutes as Takashi Inui smashed home Kagawa’s pull-back only for the assistant referee's flag on the near side to rule the ball had crossed the line prior to the delivery from the Borussia Dortmund midfielder.
But Japan eventually took the lead midway through the first half as Jordan goalkeeper Amer Shafi could only parry Shinji Okazaki’s angled strike from Inui’s clever pass across goal and Honda was on hand to net from a tight angle.
Shafi, though, denied the defending champions a second five minutes later as the Jordan goalkeeper showed superb reflexes to push Masato Morishige’s point-blank header from Honda’s vicious corner over the crossbar as Japan continued to control the game and restrict their opponents to rare forays forward.
Needing to at least avoid defeat, striker Ahmad Hayel and midfielder Munther Abu Amarah were introduced at half-time for Jordan, and the move paid off as Wilkins’ side started the second 45 minutes with added vigour after Japan had enjoyed nearly 75 percent possession in the first half.
Japan, though, still remained the more likely to add to their lead and Shafi had to be on his toes to push away Honda’s strike from just outside the area with 19 minutes remaining, with Jordan beginning to tire as the half progressed having valiantly tried to keep up with their opponents’ superior passing and movement.
The Japanese made sure of the three points with eight minutes remaining when a cross from substitute Yoshinori Muto found the onrushing Kagawa close to the penalty spot and Shafi was only able to help the first-time strike into the back of the net.
Japan came close to adding a third in the first minute of stoppage time, but Honda was unfortunate to see his low drilled strike from inside the area crash into the post with Shafi rooted to the spot.
Photo: WSG