Honda, Mahmoud shine as Japan, Iraq progress
Print Edition
GOLDEN boys Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa fired holders Japan into the Asian Cup quarterfinals yesterday, as Iraq owed a debt of gratitude to evergreen striker Younis Mahmoud.
AC Milan’s Honda ran riot in the 2-0 win over Jordan, scoring the opener and hitting the post, while Kagawa got his first of the tournament late in the game.
Japan, which has won four of the last six Asian Cup titles, reached the last eight without conceding a goal and will face Mahdi Ali’s stylish UAE side in Sydney on Friday.
“It was an intense game,” Japan coach Javier Aguirre said. “We had to give maximum effort but deserved to win. Now everything starts from zero again. All the teams ... have equal opportunity to win the tournament.”
Iraq found Palestine a tough nut to crack but Mahmoud revived memories of his winner in the 2007 final, climbing to nod the opener from a corner.
The clubless veteran missed a second-half spot-kick but Ahmeed Yaseen sealed a 2-0 victory with a powerful low drive two minutes from time.
Iraq next take on neighbors and three-time champions Iran in Canberra in a quarterfinal which pitches together two of Asian football’s fiercest rivals.
“Younis is such an experienced player and so positive for the team,” said Iraq’s caretaker boss Radhi Shenaishil.
In Melbourne, Japan went ahead on 24 minutes when Shinji Okazaki’s shot was parried to Honda and the talisman snapped up the rebound for his third in three games.
Jordan came out a side revitalized after the break, but the reigning champions soon regained the upper hand and Yasuhito Endo nearly marked his 151st cap with a goal, but his fierce drive fizzed over.
But it was Kagawa who had the last word for Japan when he side-footed substitute Yoshinori Muto’s cross with enough power to go in off Jordan goalkeeper Amer Shafi.
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