AFC Asian Cup 2015 Australia    Group Stage 2nd Match
Fri. 16 January 2015    Kickoff 19:00    Playing time 90min
Brisbane Stadium (Brisbane／Australia)

SAMURAI BLUE(Japan National Team) 1-0(1st 1-0、2nd 0-0)　 Iraq National Team

Scores
23min　HONDA Keisuke (SAMURAI BLUE)

Starters
GK：KAWASHIMA Eiji 
DF：NAGATOMO Yuto, MORISHIGE Masato, SAKAI Gotoku, YOSHIDA Maya
MF：ENDO Yasuhito, KAGAWA Shinji, HASEBE Makoto
FW：HONDA Keisuke, OKAZAKI Shinji, INUI Takashi

Substitutes
GK：NISHIKAWA Shusaku, HIGASHIGUCHI Masaaki
DF：UEDA Naomichi, OTA Kosuke, SHIOTANI Tsukasa, SHOJI Gen 
MF：KIYOTAKE Hiroshi, KONNO Yasuyuki, SHIBASAKI Gaku
FW：TOYODA Yohei, MUTO Yoshinori、KOBAYASHI Yu

63min　ENDO Yasuhito　→　KIYOTAKE Hiroshi
63min　INUI Takashi　→　KONNO Yasuyuki
89min　HONDA Keisuke　→　MUTO Yoshinori

Match Report

The Japan men's national team, or SAMURAI BLUE, post a 1-0 win over Iraq, the champions of the 2007 edition, with a goal from a penalty kick by AC Milan forward HONDA Keisuke in their second group stage match in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup on 16 January Brisbane, Australia. Japan's notched their second straight win and improved to six points in the tournament. Honda was chosen the man of the match after the game.
In the other Group D match, Jordan crushed Palestine 5-1 and earned three points for the first time in this tourney.
With the outcomes, Japan is atop in the standings of the group with three points ahead of the second-place Jordan and third-place Iraq. If Japan caps a draw or better against Jordan in their final game in the group stage on the 20th in Melbourne, they'll clinch a berth for the quarterfinals as the first seed from the group.

Japan entred the Iraqi game with the same starting members from their Palestine game, and got a pace with passing of midfielder ENDO Yasuhito.
On 11th minute, midfielder KAGAWA Shinji received from Honda, who was in the right side, and cut in the penalty area to launch a shot, but it went outside of the goalmouth. Six minutes later, Honda headed a cross from defender NAGATOMO Yuto but it hit the right post.

On 22nd minute, Endo made a through pass and forward INUI Takashi got it and penetrated in the left side. Inui passed it inside for Kagawa. Kagawa fired a shot and it was deflected by Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan. Yet Honda picked it up and was fouled by two Iraqi players to earn a penalty kick. A minute later, Honda netted it kicking it to the opposite side of the goalkeeper for Japan to take a lead.

Japan kept threatening on the Iraqi goal with fast lateral attacks with Inui and Kagawa. On 31st, Okazaki headed a cross of defender SAKAI Gotoku, but it was stopped by the goalkeeper.
For Iraq, Ahmed Ibrahim headed a corner kick from the right on 15th and Younis Mahmoud, the scoring champion in the 2007 Asian Cup, fired a shot with a cross from Amjed Kalaf on 43rd. But Japan goalkeeper KAWASHIMA Eiji made fine saves on both shots.
In the second half, Iraq made some rallies, but Honda's middle-range shot hit the bar and Japan wouldn't let the momentum get away from themselves.

On 65th, Kagawa attacked and then midfielder KIYOTAKE Hiroshi, who came in the pitch as a late substitution, launched a cross. Honda tried to put it in but the shot was again deflected by the goalpost.
Two minutes later, Kagawa again brought the ball dribbling and sneaked between defenders with his sharp moves to take a shot with his left foot, but it was saved by the Iraqi goalkeeper Hassan.

Although Japan retained their momentum afterward, they weren't able to add a goal. But they did add three more points and stepped forward to advance to the knockout stage and their fifth Asian Cup title and consecutive championship.
After the contest, Endo along with his teammates went before the stands for the Japanese supporters behind a goal, and he was handed a national team jersey with a number ''150,'' which meant the numbre of games he's played on the team, and a bunch of flowers. Endo was also tossed in the air for four teams by his teammates.

Comments

Javier AGUIRRE Head Coach
Because Iraq played good defence and we were not able to get in the high spots, it was a very difficult game for us. We had a few opportunities to extend our leads, but weren't able to make it happen. But after all, we earned three points and didn't have any injuries, and it was good. Compared with our Palestine game, we had fewer crosses but raised our qualities instead, while we played in a better tempo and were able to play more effectively with fewer touches with the ball. Because Iraq's midfield was very good, we told Endo and Kagawa to take care of their defensive midfielders, and they did great. The two showed good players when they had the ball, so we are content with that. I think our team's been very composed. I was telling the players who experienced the tournament four years ago to talk to our younger players on it. And guys like HASEBE (Makoto), who went through tough times four years ago, are definitely guiding the team.

FW HONDA Keisuke（AC Milan）
It was great that we scored the first goal in the important time, but we could have a lot more better players and we are not content with how we played. It was great that I made big chances for three times (but hit the bars), but you've got to make them. I want to put them in next time. Our condition is improving and we are feeling it. Sakai (Gotoku) is a player who can use both his legs and plays with confidence behind us so he won't let his opponents create chances. The more we play, the better plays we are putting up (in terms of our combinations).

Radhi SWADI　Iraq National Team Head Coach
I think Japan played a good game. We knew they were good and came in the game having studied their tactics, but Japan played a modern football, put a lot of pressure on our offensive corps and their six offensive players, including their wingers, were dangerous. We let them create a lot of chances. We had some chances as well, but weren't able to capitalize on them. I think that our team played as good as we could at the moment. But we had only a short time to prepare for the tournament and weren't able to develop our players into the same level, so some of our players didn't last the 90 minutes. It's how we'd predicted that whether we can advance to the quarterfinals or not will depend on our final game in the group stage. I believe that it's going to be a difficult game, but we want to raise the level of our players as much as possible and do our best so we can make the final eight.

Click Here For The Photo Gallery