‘Korea-Japan Final’ becomes a dream again… Japan ‘busts out’ of Asia’s top two… South Korea faces Jordan in quarterfinals

The Japan-Iran final is a dream again.

Japan suffered a shocking 1-2 defeat against Iran in the quarterfinals of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) 2023 Qatar Asian Cup at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on Wednesday (June 3).

It was a shocking result for Japan, who were one of two finalists at this year’s Asian Cup, as they were knocked out in the quarterfinals for the first time in nine years since the 카지노사이트 2015 tournament in Australia.

Japan got off to a flying start with a first-half goal from Hidemasa Morita. They dominated in both attack and defense against Iran, who were missing Taremi due to accumulated cautions.

But Iran’s second-half attack, which utilized Godos and Azmoun, was fierce, and their physicality was too much for Japan to handle, and they eventually collapsed.

Japan was actually closer to self-destruction than Iran. A missed kick by goalkeeper Zaion Suzuki late in the game led to a counterattack that didn’t need to be given, and Azmoun’s kill pass and Mohebi’s shot opened the door for a 1-1 tie.

After conceding the tie, Japan’s performance hit rock bottom. They were outnumbered by the Iranian offense, which dominated the flow of the game. They still managed to hold on, but a dangerous tackle by Ko Itakura led to a buzzer-beating penalty just before the end of the game. Jahanbakhsh then scored a ‘theater goal’ to send Japan to defeat.

Japan has never conceded a goal, let alone lost, against Iran in a series dating back to 1988. This time, however, they were humiliated, not only conceding their first goal but also suffering their first defeat.

In the 68-year history of the Asian Cup, which began in 1956, South Korea and Japan have never met in the final. And this time, if the odds were in their favor, we could expect a Korea-Japan final.

Of course, both South Korea and Japan deviated from the traditional scenario. Both teams underperformed in their respective group stages, and their tournament brackets were staggered, but the possibility of a Korean-Japanese final was still there.

South Korea defeated both Saudi Arabia and Australia in overtime and penalty shootouts to reach the quarterfinals. They were just two steps away from the much-anticipated Japan-Korea final, but Japan collapsed in the quarterfinals. Iran proved to be stronger than expected and eventually collapsed before they had a chance to fully utilize their strength.

Japan’s loss is shocking. But for South Korea, it’s not a bad thing. If anything, it takes the pressure off and allows them to prepare for what’s next. Now it’s time to focus on regaining the top spot in Asia after 64 years since 1960.

South Korea will face Jordan in the quarterfinals on July 7. They have overcome all sorts of jinxes to get to this stage. If they can get past Jordan, they’ll be on their way to the top of Asia.