UAE hopes dashed by late Japan strike
Skorza’s side to battle for bronze against Vietnam
Alate winner from Ayase Ueda broke the hearts of UAE fans as their side went down fighting 1-0 to Japan in the semi-finals of the Asian Games football tournament in Indonesia yesterday.
Substitute Ueda was put through on goal after a great edge-of-the area challenge from Kouta Watanabe on Shaheen Al Darmki, before curling his effort in off the underside of the crossbar with just 12 minutes to spare.
Matiej Skorza’s side will now play Vietnam in Saturday’s bronze medal match from midday UAE time, after the latter lost 3-1 to South Korea in the other semi-final yesterday. South Korea and Japan will go for gold in the final from 3.30pm UAE time, also on Saturday.
The UAE got this far by scraping their way out of the group as the fourth of four best third-placed finishers following defeats to Syria 1-0 and China 3-1 either side of a 4-1 win over East Timor.
They then relied on spot-kick heroics from keeper Mohammad Al Shamsi to beat both hosts Indonesia and North Korea on penalties in the last 16 and quarter-finals, respectively. It had looked as if Al Shamsi would again save the day against Japan after he made two vital saves before the break, first denying a diving header from Daizan Maeda and a half volley from Yuto Iwasaki.
Both those efforts had come from Keita Endo crosses, which had been swung in from the left after his inspired bursts down the flank.
Endo hit the side netting immediately after the restart following a similar meandering run in from the wing, and Maeda struck wide after the hour after being thread through on goal by Ueda. Ali Eid got a foot to Rashed Musabbah’s cross just inside the last 20 minutes but his near post effort also arched wide in what was the UAE’s only notable attempt.
Element of luck
With the Junior Whites digging in for an unthinkable third successive bout of extra-time and penalties, Japan finally broke the deadlock on 78th minute. Watanabe’s perfect sliding tackle on Al Darmki enabled Japan to get the ball back into the box to Ueda who was free on goal and able to find the net with a little help from the woodwork.
The 1-0 loss echoed the UAE’s 2010 Asian Games final defeat to Japan by the same scoreline, which in seven previous appearances at this event remains the White’s best ever finish.
Now, they will have to make do with contesting for bronze, in what will be their second best ever finish at this event, against Vietnam on Saturday.
Earlier, South Korea beat Vietnam 3-1 in the first semi-final, thanks to two goals from Lee Seung-woo on seven and 55 minutes either side of Hwang Ui-jo’s effort just before the half hour. Vietnam got a consolation with 20 minutes remaining from Tran Minh Vuong but it was too little too late.
South Korea are the joint record winners of this tournament with Iran on four wins in 1970, 1978, 1986 and 2014, while Japan have only won it once in 2010.
Premier League legend Yohan Cabaye — the biggest name to join an Arabian Gulf League club this summer — will be great for Al Nasr, especially when it comes to inspiring youth, according to Blue Wave coach Ivan Jovanovic.
The 32-year-old French midfielder was a cult hero at Newcastle United and Crystal Palace, renowned for scoring from distance.
He also won league and cup titles while at Lille and Paris Saint Germain, and was part of Didier Deschamps’ France squad that finished runners-up to Portugal on home soil at Euro 2016.
“It’s not easy to bring to this league this level of player,” Jovanovic told Gulf News on the eve of his side’s season-opener at home to Ajman today, from 5.55pm. [The game will be played at Al Shabab’s former ground in Al Mamza due to the ongoing redevelopment of Al Nasr’s stadium].
“He’s a professional player, a big name and it’s very good for us at this club to have him here.
“Concerning the young players, he will be very important because they have to learn more about how to prepare for games, how they play the game, and they will learn also from the attitude of Cabaye.”
Cabaye joined Al Nasr on a two-year deal following his free transfer from Palace in July.
He lines up alongside Brazilian forwards Marquinhos Gabriel from Brazil’s Corinthians, Iury from Ukraine’s Zorya Luhansk, and Samuel Rosa from the UAE’s Hatta, in a complete overhaul of foreigners from the side that finished fourth last season.
Second spell
Jovanovic took over halfway through the season after replacing former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli, and has now done away with Brazilian forwards Wanderley, Marcelo Cirino, Moroccan centre Abdul Aziz Barrada and Lebanese defender Joan Oumari.
“We are a big club and have ambitions to fight in all competitions we participate in, but this period will be very difficult for Al Nasr because we have changed a lot,” said the Serbian, who is now in his second spell at the club, having previously led them to three cup titles in three years, also reaching the Asian Champions League quarters, between 2013 and 2016.
“We must change believing that we have a better and more productive team for the future.
“All the players we have brought in are very good but of course everyone is thinking about the conditions in which we will play,” he added of the heat and humidity.
“For the local players it will be a little easier because they are familiar with these conditions. Rosa is familiar, but with the other three, there is just one question over how they will behave.
“It doesn’t matter what I want or prefer, they have already decided this schedule and now we have to follow it,” he said.