NewsClick

NewsClick
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • International
  • Sports
  • Podcasts
  • Articles
  • Videos
search
menu
  • All Podcasts
  • All Articles
  • Newsclick Articles
  • All Videos
  • Newsclick Videos
  • हिन्दी
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Science
  • Culture
  • India
  • Sports
  • International
  • Africa
  • Latin America
  • Palestine
  • Nepal
  • Pakistan
  • Sri Lanka
  • US
  • West Asia
About us
Contact us
Subscribe
Follow us Facebook - Newsclick Twitter - Newsclick RSS - Newsclick
close menu
sports
International

AFC Asian Cup: How Japan Drew Triangles Around Linear Iranians to Repeat History

Yuya Osako scored twice as Japan beat Iran 3-0 to enter the final of the AFC Asian Cup, outfoxing one of the favourites to continue their domination in the continental football showpiece.
Vaibhav Raghunandan
29 Jan 2019
Yuya Osako of Japan football team at the AFC Asian Cup semifinal
Yuya Osako (centre) of Japan football team celebrates with teammates after scoring against Iran in their AFC Asian Cup 2019 semifinal match on January 28 (Pic: AFC Asian Cup, Twitter).

The news. Japan are through to another AFC Asian Cup final. Their fifth final in their last eight appearances at the tournament. Their fifth in fact in the last eiht editions of Asian Cup — since they won the continent’s premier football tournament for the first time in 1992.

Now for the numbers, the meaning, repercussions and ramifications, and the whatnot.

Iran haven’t been to the final of the tournament since 1976. 43 years now extended to 47. They have never scored against Japan, although, Japan for their part, have scored just once against them in the three matches played before the 2019 edition semifinal at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium in Al Ain, the UAE, on January 28. The last goalscorer for Japan before Monday was in the 1992 edition, by  the 51-year-old Kazuyoshi Miura, who, by the way, is still plying his trade in professional football in Japan. Part of that team was Hajime Moriyashu, coach now, only a year older to Miura. More numbers? More data to confirm the result, before we discuss it?

Also Read | Japan, Asian Football’s Perpetual Rising Sun

Japan’s record at the Asian Cup this century,  is incredible — one loss in 33 matches. So there we have it. The match between the perennial favourites against the tournament favourites ended 3-0.

Life is, they say, a series of moments. In the DVD version of yours or mine — played by Christian Bale or Ranveer Singh dependent on your degree of absurd  and budget of course — there won’t be a firm recollection of everything. It will, instead be the moments. And it is in these moments that Monday’s match swung from a tightly fought contest to a 3-0 blowout that sparked a mass brawl and some Iranian fury and disappointment.

Carlos Queiroz and Co. will know those moments perfectly. The first was Sardar Azmoun, brilliantly weaving away from three Japanese defenders, nutmegging two, to fire a shot destined for the bottom corner of the Japan goal. However, Shuichi Gonda wasn’t just making up the numbers. He flung out a foot to go with his arm, and made an incredible save.

The second moment was schoolboy. It is one of the basic tenements of football. Play to the whistle. Takumi Minamino was brought down on the edge of the Iran box by Hossein Kanani. Instead of playing to the referee, three Iranian players strode out of position in protest — Morteza Pouraliganji’s charging 10 yards of out of position to wave a finger, the biggest mistake made all night. Minamino got up, collected the ball and crossed into the space Pouraliganji was previously occupying. Yuya Osako duly nodded in. For the first time in 2019, Iran had conceded a goal.

Video | AFC Asian Cup 2019 Indian Football Team Review, Life After Stephen Constantine

A few minutes later, Osako and Japan doubled it. Puraliganji slid in blindly, Minamino’s cross hit his arm, referee went to VAR and penalty. Osako had a second.

In the aftermath, Carlos Queiroz — who has now stepped down as coach — admitted that his players lost their heads after conceding the opener. “That moment [the first goal] created an emotional breakdown for my team and after that there was only one team on the pitch.”

But in truth, barring a 20 minute spell in the first half, Japan were the only team on the pitch. Iran had outscored everyone at the tournament, but they had done so with a counter attacking physical attitude, where everything went through and to Sardar Azmoun.

Japan negated that, and went a different way. Iran played in straight lines. Japan played in triangles. At times, even for a neutral, it was difficult not to be mesmerised by the way Japan opened up Iran’s defence by forcing them into tight areas, and then suddenly spreading the play wide. It was maddening and incredibly astute football.

Also Read | Stephen Constantine’s Exit Can Be a Blessing for India’s Footballing Future

After the double blow, Iran were chasing shadows. Instead of pressing as a team, they went individual. Players were dragged out of position with regularity as Japan held poise. Genki Haraguchi will officially go down as the last Japanese to score against Iran, his stoppage time goal a body blow, that completely blew Iran’s players heads.

It ended much as it did in 1992. Japan victorious, Iran rebellious. Azmoun sparked a mass brawl at the end, and should have got a red, where he did get a yellow. It didn’t matter though. Japan had their victory. Iran’s wait continue.

Awaiting Japan now are either the hosts or their noisy frantic, counter-attacking high-speed neighbours Qatar. The ‘Blockade Derby’ kicks off today. Manchester City vs Paris Saint Germain. The hosts of now, against the hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Japan will go in as favourites, of course. Ominously enough, they have never lost a final in this tournament.

Read more sports stories from Newsclick

AFC Asian Cup 2019
AFC Asian Cup
Asian Cup football
Japan football team
Iran football team
Iran vs Japan
Japan Asian Cup
Iran vs Japan football
AFC Asian Cup final
AFC Asian Cup semifinal
UAE vs Qatar
Football
Hajime Moriyashu
Carlos Queiroz
Morteza Pouraliganji
Takumi Minamino
Japan national football team
Hossein Kanani
Yuya Osako
Genki Haraguchi
Related Stories
Qatar vs India FIFA World Cup qualifier football preview

Qatar vs India Preview and Tactical Analysis with Qatar Expert John Wilkinson (420 Grams S-1, Ep.3)

Indian football team´s Sunil Chhetri and Oman´s Mohammed al Musallami vie for the ball in their FIFA World Cup qualifying match

Highlights - India Go Down to Oman in FIFA World Cup Qualifying Campaign Opener

India vs Oman FIFA World Cup football match preview

India Look to Overcome Rust in FIFA World Cup Qualifier

Young Indian footballers Kabir Nath, Lunki Seigoulun Khongsai "Gogou" and Kabir Kohli, who have been signed by Spanish club CD Olimpic de Xativa

Interview: Kabir Kohli, Signed by Spanish Football Club CD Olimpic de Xativa (420 Grams Shorts)

Spanish football club CD Olimpic de Xativa signs young Indian players

Chasing the Dream: Spanish Third Division Club Signs Young Indian Footballers (420 Grams)

Transfer Ban on FC Pune City For Illegal Poaching of Nestor Gordillo from Chennai City FC

Durand Cup Despatch: Fogged Up Vision for a Goal Flourish by a ‘Poor, Middle-Class Club’

Mohammedan Sporting vs Aryan Club Calcutta Football League match

Durand Cup Despatch: Slush Hour Dates With the Big Three of Kolkata

Kids training football in Kolkata

Surface Tension in Kolkata: The Pain of Football in the Rain

East Bengal vs Army Red 2019 Durand Cup match

Durand Cup Despatch: Lunch at Mohammedan Sporting, Dessert with East Bengal


Related Stories

Football Referees
Newsclick Production

Referees: Football’s Silent Minority (420 Grams Season 2 Episode 15)

13 December 2019
Incidents over the course of the current season of the Hero Indian Super League have put the focus back on those officiating the sport.
I league
Newsclick Team

Hero I-League: A New Season Begins

30 November 2019
The original I-League boys are back with Part Two of the 420 grams preview of the new season.
Indian football team´s FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign
Newsclick Report

FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: How Draw vs Qatar Opens Up Indian Football Team's Chances to Progress

12 September 2019
On September 10, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu led from the back, while the Indian football team showed remarkable composure in holding Qatar to

Pagination

  • Next page ››

More

  • Jamia's proctor has denied giving

    Police Run Riot in Jamia?

  • CAA Protest: Jamia Campus, Nearby Areas Turn Battlefields After Violence

    CAA Protest: Jamia Campus, Nearby Areas Turn Battlefields After Violence

  • Kissago

    Stories Come Alive Through Storytellers

  • Panipat

    What Is True Story of Panipat?

  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with
about
contact