Another U-23 Asian Cup quarter-final — the clash between Japan and Jordan — kept the suspense until the very end. No winner was found in regular time or extra time, as the teams drew 1:1. In the end, the outcome was decided by a penalty shootout, and in this “lottery” luck favored the “Samurai.”
The scoring was opened in Jordan’s favor in the 30th minute: Azaizeh put his team ahead with a precise strike. However, Japan increased the pressure in the second half and restored parity in the 50th minute thanks to Furuya’s goal. Both sides had chances afterward, but lacked the decisive finish — the score remained unchanged.
Extra time was just as intense: Jordan defended with discipline, while Japan searched for a winning goal. But the result stayed the same — 1:1. Then, in the penalty shootout, the Japanese showed trademark composure and accuracy to win 4:2.
An interesting detail — the match was officiated by an Uzbek refereeing team. Asker Najafaliyev served as the main referee, assisted on the flanks by Ruslan Serazitdinov and Bakhtiyorxo‘ja Shavkatov. VAR duties were handled by Firdavs Norsafarov. In short, not only the teams but also our referees left their mark on the international stage.
U-23 Asian Cup
Quarter-final
Japan – Jordan 1:1 (4:2 on penalties)
Goals: Furuya 50’ – Azaizeh 30’
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