Asian Cup: Syria 1 Japan 2

Japan needed a penalty in the last 10 minutes to defeat a brave Syria side in Doha in Group B of the Asian Cup on Friday.

As Asia’s premier soccer tournament continued, Keisuke Honda’s 82nd minute spot-kick ensured victory for the favourites in a terrifically entertaining match.

Despite a disappointing 1-1 draw with Jordan in their first group match, Japan boss Alberto Zaccheroni made no changes to his side, while Samer Awad was introduced into the Syria team in place of Sanharib Malki.

Japan had the best chance of the early stages and Ryoichi Maeda should have done better with his header after 12 minutes but he failed to turn Atsuto Uchida’s cross into the net, instead seeing his effort flash wide.

Both sides struggled to create goal-mouth opportunities in a cagey opening, summed up by the fact there were eight fouls in the first 15 minutes of play.

Syria impressed in keeping their more-fancied opponents at bay, but they had no answer for an incisive move that provided the game’s opening goal.

Japan – regularly attacking down the right – opened the scoring when Honda dropped his shoulder, got to the byline and cut back for Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa.

Kagawa received the ball at full pace and drew defenders to him, before cutting back on his left foot and firing at Mosab Balhous in the Syria goal.

But Balhous made a brilliant save from close range, only to see the rebound fall to Daisuke Matsui. He passed to Wolfsburg’s Makoto Hasebe, who calmly side-footed the ball into the back of the net.

Matsui and Maeda went close for Japan before half-time, but the three-time Asian Cup champions went into the break happy with their first-half efforts.

But Syria, buoyed by a large percentage of the crowd’s support, upped their intensity dramatically in the second half and created a host of chances.

After a superb tackle from Nadim Sabagh denied the profligate Maeda, Syria began to cause problems from their set-pieces, with corners and long throws appearing problematic for Japan.

Ali Diab met a corner well after 63 minutes but failed to get the power required on his header to trouble Japanese goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, who was about to steal the limelight.

Seven minutes later, an errant Japan backpass gifted the ball to Syria and Kawishima brought down substitute Malki, who had just been ruled offside by the linesman’s flag.

After minutes of deliberation, referee Mohsen Torky pointed to the spot after discussions with his linesman saw him come to the conclusion that the last touch had actually came from Japan’s Yasuyuki Konno, meaning Malki was not offside and a penalty should be given.

Debate over the decision continued for more than five minutes after the penalty was actually given, with lively substitute Firas Al Khatib eventually stepping up to hit an excellent strike into the bottom left-hand corner of the net, giving substitute goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa no chance.

But the controversy did not end there.

Just two minutes after he saw his goal-bound shot terrifically saved by Balhous, Honda scored the goal that would eventually separate the two sides.

Diab and Shinji Okazaki were fairly tussling for the ball before Belal Abduldaim stopped the Japanese player’s run with a clear foul.

Torky again gave a penalty and Honda – with the hopes of a nation on his shoulders – calmly slotted the spot-kick down the middle to restore Japan’s lead.

It was a lead they held onto, despite the best efforts of Al Khatib – who twice tested Nishikawa.

In the dying stages, Nadim Sabagh was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in as many minutes, as Japan celebrated a hard-fought victory.