[Live] Japan vs Iran

Qatar Japan opened the scoring against Iran thanks to a solo goal by midfielder Hidemasa Morita, in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Asian Cup.

First half statistics
Japan Parameter Iran
4 Finish 7
1 Shooting on goal 1
59% Ball possession rate 41%
2 Corner kick 0
0.49 Expected goals 0.20
45'+3
End of first half
Japan led Iran 1-0 thanks to Morita's goal.
43'
Azmoun missed the ball
Ghoddos received the ball on the left, hung it to the second post for Azmoun to rush forward and shoot but still couldn't hit the ball.
Azmoun's missed shot. Photo: Reuters
39'
Ghoddos' shot missed the post.
Receiving a pass from Shoja Khalilzadeh, midfielder Saman Ghoddos got past center-back Itakura into the penalty area, as three other Iranian players rushed in. But Ghoddos shot in a difficult position, the ball went wide.
Ghoddos' shot missed the post.
Right-back Ramin Rezaeian reacts after being penalized. Photo: Reuters
33'
Morita long shot
The two sides fought fiercely for the ball in front of the Iranian goal, causing the ball to bounce back for Morita to shoot from a distance of more than 25 meters, but the West Asian player rushed in to block the ball.
Japanese spectators cheered after the goal. Photo: Reuters
28'
Japan opened the scoring
Striker Ueda played a wall, passing the ball to Morita who rushed in from the left. The midfielder pushed the ball past three Iranian players into the penalty area, before shooting low past goalkeeper Beiranvand and into the net.
Morita plays for Sporting in Portugal, and he celebrated the goal like the club's striker Viktor Gyokeres, by clasping his fingers in front of his face. The Iranian defenders were disappointed and blamed each other after the goal.
Morita (number 5) celebrates the opening goal. Photo: Reuters
Japan opened the scoring
24'
Japanese midfielder received a yellow card
Iran counter-attacked, and midfielder Mohebi pushed the ball long from midfield past Itakura, forcing the Japanese centre-back to commit a foul and receive a yellow card.
19'
Japan first shot
Receiving the ball on the edge of the penalty area, midfielder Ritsu Doan shot the ball into the opponent's body and went out of bounds. Japan had 70% of the ball possession from the start of the match, but created fewer chances.

There are 3 new updates

Japan will meet Iran at Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan City, Qatar, in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Asian Cup at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 3, Hanoi time. Chinese referee Ma Ning will officiate the match.

An artist writes Iranian and Japanese calligraphy outside Education City. Photo: Reuters — An artist writes Iranian and Japanese calligraphy outside Education City. Photo: *Reuters*

Japan is ranked 17th in FIFA, four places above Iran. In terms of Elo, Japan is ranked 15th, five places above Iran. This match is considered world- class, at the stadium that will host the 2022 World Cup.

Japan is rated higher, with a 57% chance of reaching the semi-finals, compared to Iran's 43% chance of advancing. The last time the two teams met was in the 2019 Asian Cup semi-finals, when Japan won 3-0. Compared to that year's squad, Iran has not changed much, while Japan has changed about half of its personnel.

Iran is currently led by local coach Amir Ghalenoei. He led Iran to the 2007 Asian Cup, but lost to South Korea on penalties in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, coach Hajime Moriyasu has led Japan since the 2018 World Cup, helping the team often stand at the top of Asia.

The winner of this match will face either hosts Qatar or Uzbekistan in the semi-finals. The first semi-final has already been decided, between Jordan and South Korea.

Quang Dung - Hoang An

Source link