Japan advance to AFC U-16 final

KUALA LUMPUR: Two-time champions Japan advances to the Under-16 (U-16) Asian Football Confederation final for the fourth time after overcoming Australia 3-1 in their first semi-final at Bukit Jalil National Stadium here yesterday.

For the record, Japan emerged champions in 1994 and 2006 and also emerged as runner-up in 2012.

In the action yesterday, Japan was down 1-0 due to a penalty kick by Noah Botic in the eighth minute after he was dropped inside the penalty box by Japanese player Sako Maaya.

Botic, who took the penalty kick, easily beat Japanese goalkeeper Masato Sasaki and the score remained until the end of the first half of the match.

Once the match resumed, the Japanese team under Yoshiro Moriyama launched continuous attacks and managed to equalise in the 59th minute through Shoji Toyoma, who completed a short pass from substitute Ryuma Nakano.

Toyama fired a second personal goal in the 69th minute which resulted from the action of Australian goalkeeper Adam Pavlesic who mistakenly gave the ball to an opponent who passed it to Toyama to put Japan ahead.

Japan confirmed the ticket to the final when Shunsuke Mito easily pushed in a teammate’s cross in the 78th minute and the 3-1 result remained until the end of the match.

For the record, Japan and Australia advanced to the U-17 World Cup in Peru next year after reaching the semi-finals of the tournament.