Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Rio de Janeiro: Japan, Korea Republic and Iraq edge ever closer to their opening Men's Olympic Football Tournament Rio 2016 matches, the-afc.com takes a look back at previous Asian exploits on one of the world's biggest stages.
Asia's Opening Games at Rio 2016
August 4 13:00 Iraq v Denmark (Brasilia)
August 4 21:00 Nigeria v Japan (Manaus)
August 4 20:00 Fiji v Korea Republic (Salvador)
Korea Republic's bronze medal-winning performance at the 2012 Olympic Games in London equaled Asia's best performance in the men's football tournament at the Olympiad after emulating Japan's 1968 sucess in Mexico City.
Kunishige Kamamoto famously scored twice in the third place play-off against the hosts to secure Japan's - and Asia's first Olympic media in football and earn a place in Asian football's pantheon of greats
And Park Chu-young and Koo Ja-cheol added their names to that list after scoring against Japan at the same stage in London as Korea Republic etched their names in the history of Asian football.
Before Japan’s 1968 triumph, the closest the continent had come to securing a medal was in 1956, when India finished fourth in Melbourne after seeing off hosts Australia in the quarterfinals in a tournament that featured only 11 teams.
Japan then reached the knockout phase on home soil in 1964, but it was in Mexico City that Kamamoto and company excelled, with the forward finishing as the tournament’s top scorer.
Despite the lack of medal-winning success, though, there have been a number of standout performances during the intervening years before 2012 in London.
Iran and DPR Korea both reached the quarterfinals in 1976, while Kuwait matched that feat in Moscow four years later.
Japan famously handed a Brazil team tipped for the gold medal and which featured the talents of players such as future FIFA Player of the Year Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos a surprise 1-0 defeat at Miami’s Orange Bowl in 1996.
However it was not enough to take Japan into the knockout phase of the competition as Akira Nishino’s team ultimately missed out on goal difference behind the South Americans and a Nigeria side that would eventually go on to win the gold medal.
Four years later, it was Japan who went closest again but were denied in the quarter-finals when they were defeated by the United States.
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