Iraq and UAE into semis
January 23, 2015
Iraq and the United Arab Emirates booked their places in the semi-finals of the Asian Cup with wins on penalties on Friday and have set up the prospect of an all-Arab final.
With Australia and South Korea safely through, Iran took the lead in what would turn out to be an enthralling encounter through Sardar Azmoun after 24 minutes with a lovely header.
Their joy was short-lived, however, when right-back Merhdad Poolardi was sent off just before the break. Iraq used their one-man advantage and equalized ten minutes into the second half through Ahmed Yasseen. The score remained 1-1 to seal what was the first draw of the tournament so far and the tournament's first spell of extra-time.
Iraq then took full advantage of Poolardi's red card and went ahead thanks to a powerful Younis Mahmood header, just three minutes into extra-time; but it didn't end there. With just two minutes left in the first half Iran brought the tie level through Morteza Pouraliganji.
Tensions between the two rivals continued to rise and a third goal was scored in what had already been an encapsulating period of extra-time. Yasar Safa Kasim was brought down in the box by Pouraliganji and Ismael Dawood slotted home what was surely the winning goal for Iraq.
However with just a minute left, Iran found an extra ounce of energy and Reza Ghoochannejhad scored the fourth goal of extra-time to send this incredible game to penalties.
Both sides missed their first spot-kicks and Younis Mahmood scored a courageous panenka with the game on the line to continue the shoot-out. No penalties were missed until sudden-death, when Vahid Amiry sent his penalty wide and left Iraq with a chance to win the tie.
Salam Shakir made no mistake and set up the first semi-final between Iraq and South Korea, to be played on Monday.
Kagawa and Honda miss, Japan exit
Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa and AC Milan's Keisuke Honda missed crucial penalties in the shootout as the Samurai Blues were dumped out of the competition by the United Arab Emirates.
The UAE, led by starman Omar Abdulrahman, took an early lead thanks to Ahmed Mabkhout's fourth goal of the tournament. The score remained the same for the majority of the match, with Japan's five starting Bundesliga players - Kagawa, Hasebe, Inui, Okazaki and Sakai - unable to get Japan level.
With under ten minutes to play however, the pre-tournament favorites did equalize. Gaku Shibasaki with a lovely finish at the near post sent the game into extra-time for another exciting climax a match in this exciting tournament.
Japan dominated the majority of the added period, but couldn't find a winning goal against a stubborn UAE side. For a second time in the day, penalties would decide the fate of the two sides.
In the end, two of Japan's most experienced players cost them a place in the semi-finals when you would expect them to step up the most. Keisuke Honda missed the opening penalty of the shoot-out, with Omar Abdulrahman taking advantage with the second delightful panenka of the day.
Khamis Esmail then missed with the score at 2-2 before Shinji Kagawa sent a crucial sudden-death penalty wide off the post to give the UAE a chance for a famous upset. Ismail Ahmed fully abliged and sent the United Arab Emirates to the semi-finals, where they will face hosts Australia.