The Samurai Blue, Japan National Men’s Football Team beat Bahrain 3-1 in the Round of 16 to advance to the Quarter Finals for the 8th time in the country’s history. The AFC Asian Cup 2024 game took place at the Ahmed Ali Stadium.
The Maikuma unleashed a shot from outside the area, struck the post, and the rebound fell to Doan. Doan slotted the ball home from inside the penalty area, giving Japan the lead at the 31st minute.
Kubo added one more right after the half-time and extended the Japanese lead. However, the opponents scored a bizarre goal, giving them a glimmer of hope.
Ueda who enabled the own goal for Bahrain took a redeeming act and scored one not ten minutes later. Ueda Goal gave Japan sort of a control over the game once again.
The Samurai Blue have only once failed to qualify for the QFs, the debuting season. They have consecutively managed QFs since 1984. The four-time champions and the defending runners-up also hold the record for most Asian Cup titles.
They will face the winners of Iran v Syria in Quarter Finals. The match-up will be heavily interesting in case if Iran, another tournament favs qualifies. The game will take place on 3rd February.
Bahrain, playing their sixth AFC Asian Cup, are making their second straight R16 exit. The 2004 semifinalists have never made it past the R16 ever since their miracle run in China that year.
