Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Ras Al Khaimah: Iraq set up a semi-final showdown with Australia after edging Japan 2-1 in a thrilling AFC U-19 Championship 2012 quarter-final on Sunday.
Mohammed Jabbar opened Iraq's account in the 34th minute only for Japan to hit back three minutes into the second half through Shinya Yajima. Defender Ali Adnan Kadhim headed the match-winning goal in the 53rd minute to send the sizable contingent Iraqi supporters at the Emirates Stadium into rapture.
Iraq's victory also booked their place in next year's FIFA U-20 World Cup alongside the Young Socceroos and Sunday's other quarter-final winners Korea Republic and Uzbekistan while Japan's defeat extended the six-time beaten finalists' wait for the coveted title for at least another two years.
Japan had a lacklustre group stage campaign and their struggles continued in Sunday's quarter-final as Iraq totally dominated the first-half, with the East Asians failing to create a single opportunity throughout the opening 45 minutes.
In contrast, Iraq signalled their attacking intent as early as the fourth minute when Qasim Mshari, coming into the squad for suspended Saif Salman, setting up Mohammed Jabbar whose shot went straight into the arms of Japanese keeper Masatoshi Kushibiki.
Mshari missed a golden opportunity two minutes later when his skied a point-blank effort from inside the six-yard area before Japan needed a timely intervention from defender Takuya Iwanami to deny Ammar Abdulhussein in the 25th minute.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 34th minute when Mohanad Abdulraheem's trickery took him past two defenders before Iraq's leading scorer in the tournament slipped the ball to Jabbar, whose powerful drive flew past the diving Kushibiki and into the top of the Japanese net.
Whatever Japan coach Yasushi Yoshida said to his players at half-time did the trick as they equalised just three minutes after the restart when Yajima's mistimed shot rolled past a static Mohammed Hameed in the Iraq goal as Japan rekindled their hopes of a semi-final spot.
But Iraq had other ideas and reclaimed their lead in the 53rd minute when defender Kadhim got his head on the end of a scintillating Ali Faez Atiyah free-kick delivered perfectly into the six-yard area.
Iraq had other ideas as they regain their lead in the 53rd minute thorough a scintillating freekick at the deep by Ali Faez Atiyah. Defender Kadhim managed to put his head on the freekick that was well delivered at the centre of the six-yard area.
Both sides had their chances but Iraq held firm for the 2-1 victory and a place in Wednesday's semi-finals.