Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Goa: Coach Yoshiro Moriyama praised his Japan players after Sunday's 1-0 win over former finalists United Arab Emirates secured a place in the semi-finals of the AFC U-16 Championship India 2016.
After a goalless half-hour at GMC Stadium, Ayumu Seko broke the deadlock from a corner in a quarter-final which Japan dominated for long stretches.
The second period also produced a succession of chances for the two-time winners but Taisei Miyashiro saw a penalty clatter against the upright and Seko hit the crossbar before Japan eventually saw out the tie.
And after converting a ninth AFC U-16 Championship quarter-final appearance into a return to the semi-finals for the first time since 2012, Japan also booked their place in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup as one of the four highest-placed teams.