Scored:
Iraq U20: Ali Jasim (12′), Mohammed Jameel (103′)
Japan U20: Einaga (83′), Naoki Kumata (118′)
Being rated as superior, Japan U20 played proactively right after the opening whistle, but suddenly they received a “cold water” in the 12th minute.
Starting from the corner kick, Ali Jasim hit the header to hit Japan’s U20 net, opening the score for Iraq U20.
Japan U20 and Iraq U20 created a dramatic chase in 120 minutes.
Unexpectedly leading the goal, “Green Samurai” tried to corner the opponent to find an equalizer but could not succeed in the first half.
After the break, Japan U20 continued to play hard, but it took until the 83rd minute to equalize the score. Einaga was the one who put his name on the scoreboard.
Inconclusive in the official 90 minutes forced the two teams to play two extra periods to determine the winner. Here, the West Asian team once again took the lead.
In the 103rd minute, it was still Ali Jasim who broke through from the left wing before stretching smoothly for Mohammed Jameel to come up and put the ball in, sinking the ball to re-establish the lead for Iraq U20.
The drama did not stop there when Japan U20 found a 2-2 equalizer in the 118th minute. Naoki Kumata scored the goal for the team from the land of cherry blossoms.
Iraq U20 surprised when the Japanese U20 champion candidate was eliminated.
120 minutes ended with a 2-2 draw, sending the two teams into a penalty shootout. In a series of brainstorming “gunfights”, Iraq U20 won with a score of 5-3 to won the first ticket to the final of the AFC U20 Championship 2023.
Coming to the 2023 Asian U20 Finals, Japan U20 aims to be the championship, not just stopping at the U20 World Cup. After passing the group stage with a winning record, coach Koichi Togashi’s team continued to show their superior strength when convincingly winning Jordan 2-0 in the quarterfinals, but if the goal is better, the Japanese must score more. a few more tables
Japan U20 may be physically inferior to Iraq U20, but the “Young Samurai” play style is more disciplined and scientific, certainly in defense and sharp in attack.
Meanwhile, Iraq U20 surprised by defeating its more appreciated neighbor, Iran U20 thanks to a late goal in the 90’+1 minute in the quarterfinals.
After having tickets to the semi-finals and tickets to the FIFA U20 World Cup 2023, Iraq U20 comfortably entered the semi-finals. It should be remembered that the last time they were in the fourth round of the strongest teams in the Asian U20 Championship in 2012, Iraq U20 went to the final and lost to Korea U20, but Iraq’s opponent in the semi-finals of this year’s tournament also from East Asia, Japan team.
The starting lineup of Iraq U20 vs Japan U20.
Libra | 19:48 03/15/2023
