Japan rally to break Iraqi hoodoo

Japan rally to break Iraqi hoodoo
AGENCIES

BEIRUT, OCTOBER 25: Japan came from a goal behind to outclass Iraq here on Tuesday beating them 4-1 in their Asian Cup quarter-final and avenging the 2-2 draw in 1993 that robbed them of a place in the 1994 World Cup finals. Japan, who were also recording their first ever win over the Iraqis in six meetings, will meet China in a mouthwatering semi-final here on Thursday. In another quarter-final clash spectacular golden goal by midfielder Nawaf Al-Temyat gave holders Saudi Arabia a thrilling 3-2 win over Kuwait.

An unstoppable 20-metre drive by Temyat 18 minutes into extra time his second goal of the match booked a last-four showdown between the three times winners and twice victors South Korea on Thursday.

The freescoring Japanese, who coach Philippe Troussier has said need to win this tournament to be regarded as a world force rather than just an Asian power, scored through a double by Hiroshi Nanami and one apiece from Naohiro Takahara his fifth of the campaign and right wingback Tomokazu Myojin.

The Iraqis, whose last minute goal in 1993 had eliminated the Japanese from going to the United States, had taken the lead through playmaker Abbas Obeid Jassim. Myojin, who had run the Iraqi leftback ragged in the first-half, got on the scoresheet himself with a sweet shot from the edge of the penalty area in the 63rd minute to put any vain hopes the Iraqis had of a revival to sleep.

The Iraqis had briefly threatened to reduce the deficit to just one in an early second-half rush of attacks. Jassim, who is their only player plying his trade abroad with Korean outfit Pohang, had forced a superb save out of Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi after latching on to hardman Ziyad Tariq's longball over the defence. Lone striker Qahtan Chatir, who scored in their opening match with Thailand, was also inches away from scoring but just missed from Adnan Mohammed's low cross three minutes into the second period. Japan too had missed their opportunities Nanami having his hat-trick denied him by a goaline clearance from his header.

The Japanese had been given a rude awakening when the splendid Jassim opened the scoring in the fourth minute crashing home a 20-yard shot after Japanese captain Ryuzo Morioka had failed to clear properly with his head. However, they showed the class of champions by levelling within four minutes working a beautiful freekick and totally fooling the Iraqi defence. Rather than floating it into the box Shunsuke Nakamura played it sideways to Nanami and he sent a searing effort past 'keeper Hashim Khamis. Three minutes later Japan had taken the lead as Hiroaki Morishima, named the 'Robot' by Troussier and playing in absent Italy-based star Hidetoshi Nakata's role, slipped the ball through Jassim's brother Haydar Obeid's legs and Takahara executed it in fine style. Obeid was replaced a minute later.

Nanami, who had played in all three group matches so he could get near full match fitness, turned on the style for the third in the 29th minute as he spotted Khamis off his line and chipped him taking a slight deflection on the way into the net. Morishima, who scored in the 8-1 humiliation of Uzbekistan, should also have got on the scoresheet but he headed the ball down from Myojin's curling cross to the backpost and it was hacked off the line. Takahara too had a shot cleared off the line but blotted his copybook when he elbowed the hyperactive Tariq which went unseen by the referee though the shaven-headed Iraqi defender got his own back early in the second half when he callously brought him down from behind.