Doha (AFP)
Japan began its journey to a fifth continental title, with a thrilling victory over Vietnam 4-2, at Al Thumama Stadium, in the fourth group of the Asian Football Cup currently being held in Qatar.
Takumi Minamino (11 and 45), Keito Nakamura (45 + 4) and Ayase Ueda (85) scored the goals of Japan, and Dien Yak Nguyen (16) and Tuan Hai Pham (33) scored the goals of Vietnam. The group also includes Iraq and Indonesia, who will meet on Monday.
The victory is the eleventh in a row for the Japanese team in recent months, and 49 goals were scored during these matches.
Japan entered the match as favorites to win, but Vietnam, led by former Japanese coach Philippe Troussier, was a stubborn opponent, especially in the first half, when it led them by two goals, before the “Blue Samurai” responded with two quick goals at the end, and added a fourth in the second half. To emerge victorious.
Japan had a high percentage of possession of the ball, and succeeded in opening the scoring from a corner kick, which the Vietnamese goalkeeper misjudged, and after a “drack” inside the area, the ball reached Minamino, the French striker of Monaco, and he followed it into the net “11”.
However, Japan did not enjoy its progress for long; Because Vietnam equalized four minutes later, through Dien Yak Nguyen from a header, taking advantage of a corner kick, to deceive goalkeeper Zion Suzuki “16”.
The Vietnamese team withstood its more experienced Japanese counterpart. Given that most of his players defend the colors of clubs in the five major European leagues, he even advanced him through Tuan Hai Pham with a ball that came to him from a free kick, and he followed it from close range into the net (33).
The Japanese team remedied the situation within four minutes at the end of the first half, and in the last minute of the first half, the “Samurai Blue” succeeded in equalizing, through Minamino again, and in the fourth minute of stoppage time, they took the lead again, through Keito Nakamura with a shot from outside the area. It reached the top corner of Vietnam's goal, following a decisive pass from Minamino.
The pace of the match declined in the second half, until Japan succeeded in settling the result once and for all in its favor when the “substitute” Iase Ueda scored the decisive goal “85”.
Japan beat Vietnam twice in the Asian Cup, 4-1 in the group stage of the 2007 edition, and 1-0 in the quarter-finals of the last edition.
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