JAPAN LIMPS INTO PLAYOFFS

GENKI Haraguchi smashed home a controversial penalty yesterday as Japan scraped a 1-0 win over Oman in Abu Dhabi to book its place in the last 16 of the Asian Cup.

Haraguchi had appeared to go down easily under minimal contact from Oman captain Ahmed Al-Mahaijri.

Earlier, Almoez Ali plundered four goals for Qatar as the 2022 World Cup host hit North Korea for six to progress from Group E.