Japan's national football team secured their place in the last 16 of the Asian Cup with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Indonesia. Ayase Ueda was the hero of the match, scoring two goals to contribute to Japan's success. The win means that Japan finishes as group runners-up behind Iraq, setting up a potential match against South Korea in the next round.
The Japanese team displayed their dominance throughout the game, with Ueda finding the back of the net in both halves. His goals, combined with a late own goal by an Indonesia player, sealed the victory for Japan. Sandy Walsh managed to score a consolation goal for Indonesia in injury time as the game drew to a close.
Japan will now face the winners of Group E, which includes South Korea. Under the guidance of coach Jurgen Klinsmann, South Korea currently sits second in the group on goal difference behind Jordan. They have one final group match against Malaysia to determine their ranking. The potential clash between Japan and South Korea adds an exciting element to the upcoming phase of the tournament.
Coach Hajime Moriyasu made several changes to the Japanese starting lineup following their unexpected defeat to Iraq. With eight changes, he introduced an entirely new defense while maintaining faith in goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, who had faced criticism and racial abuse in the aftermath of the previous match.
Notably absent from the match-day squad once again was Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, who continues to struggle with full fitness. Moriyasu opted to leave him out for the third consecutive game.
Japan started strongly, securing a penalty in the sixth minute after a VAR review determined that an Indonesian defender had impeded Ueda in the box. Ueda confidently converted the spot kick, beating the goalkeeper and putting Japan in the lead.
Despite their early advantage, Japan allowed the tempo of the game to drop, allowing Indonesia to create scoring opportunities. However, Japan regained control and nearly extended their lead when Keito Nakamura's powerful volley struck the post in the 35th minute.
After the break, Japan maintained their momentum, and Ueda found the back of the net again seven minutes into the second half. Ritsu Doan's impressive dribble set up the goal, as Ueda calmly tapped in his low cross.
With the match all but decided, Ueda aimed for a hat-trick, putting pressure on Indonesia defender Justin Hubner, who ultimately scored an own goal in the 88th minute. However, Indonesia managed to salvage some pride with a late consolation goal off the foot of Sandy Walsh in the 91st minute.
Japan's victory solidifies their place in the tournament's next phase, while Indonesia will have to wait until the first round concludes to see if they qualify as one of the four best third-place teams. The comprehensive win by Japan demonstrates their strength and potential to make a deep run in the Asian Cup. With their eyes set on the championship, Japan will now turn their attention to their upcoming matchup against the winners of Group E and the highly anticipated showdown with South Korea.