Japan's players (in blue) and Iran's players (in white) stand for their national anthems before the start of the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup quarter-final football match at Education City Stadium. (Photo by Hector Retamal / AFP)
Doha, Qatar: Iran and Japan lock horns for a high-octane clash in the quarter-finals of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup that will begin in a few minutes from now, at 2:30pm Qatar time, at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar.
While this is Japan's ninth consecutive appearance in the Asian Cup quarter-finals, it is Iran's eighth in a row.
Stay tuned as we bring you match highlights and a glimpse of the football atmosphere at the Education City Stadium.
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Iran To the semi finals
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GOAL! 90+6'
Iran 2-1 Japan
Iranian Captain Alireza Jahanbakhsh successfully converts the penalty, sending a precise shot into the right corner from the spot
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90+4': The referee has awarded Iran a penalty shot following Ko Itakura's tackle against Iran's Hossein Kanaani.
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ATTENDANCE
The official attendance at the Education City Stadium for this quarterfinal is 35,640.
There are a few empty seats but the fans have ensured that there is no dearth of noise.
Intense match!
After the equaliser, the match intensity has noticeably increased from both sides.
They will want to try and settle this in regulation and avoid the dreaded penalties.
Iran equalises
GOAL!
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
???? 55'
Iran 1 - 1 Japan
Mohammad Mohebi (IR Iran) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/j0z2RPZPI2
Second Half begins
The players have regrouped and are raring to go.
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Japanese fans at the stadium
???????? Fans. Forever behind their nation. No matter the age!
— #AsianCup2023 (@afcasiancup) February 3, 2024
Watch Live ???? https://t.co/Wvc1BBMMBe#AsianCup2023 | #HayyaAsia | #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/xf5uQ3AlPC
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Snaps of action from the first half!
Action from the first half
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
Iran 0 - 1 Japan
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/1yRwAY2IjP
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HALF TIME!
Iran have been all over Japan in the last 15 minutes.
They have sent in ball after ball, but haven’t quite managed to equalise.
Japan will be content with their lead, but will also be concerned about the recent trend in play as the players break for the interval.
We should be in for an intriguing 45 minutes ahead.
HALF TIME
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
45+4'
Iran 0 - 1 Japan
We should be in for an intriguing 45 minutes ahead.
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/4EVDrDgaY6
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Morita scores for Japan
Japan's midfielder #05 Hidemasa Morita as he scores his team's first goal during the Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup quarter-final football match between Iran and Japan at Education City Stadium in al-Rayyan, west of Doha.
GOAL
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
???? 28'
Iran 0 - 1 Japan
Hidemasa Morita scores with a right footed shot for Japan from the centre of the box.
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/LQbYVlomma
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Football fans add to the cheer at the Education City Stadium
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MATCH STARTS
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WARMUP!!!
Pregame warm up of Iran players
Iran players warm up ahead of their face-off with Japan
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/ZYhu9f9LKf
Japan team
Japan team heads to the pitch for a warm up
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/GLDTmhGpVo
Japan supporters optimistic
#Japan fans optimistic of a win ahead of their team's face-off with #Iran
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/HIHAFzfBPo
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Iranian fans set the mood at Education City Stadium
Iranian fans at the Education City Stadium ahead of the #IRNvJPN match
— The Peninsula Qatar (@PeninsulaQatar) February 3, 2024
Live match updates: https://t.co/FPpBL2bSWc#Qatar #AFCAsianCup2023 #AsianCup2023 #Qatar2023 #HayyaAsia pic.twitter.com/WCjmxZ82qo
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Education City Stadium is geared up for today's epic showdown! Are you ready for the match?
????️ Education City Stadium is all set for today’s blockbuster clash!
— #AsianCup2023 (@afcasiancup) February 3, 2024
Where will you be watching from?#AsianCup2023 | #HayyaAsia | #IRNvJPN pic.twitter.com/4Gs396WqNw
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Preview: Iran versus Japan
There have been 18 previous clashes between Iran and Japan, and interestingly, both sides have won six times over each other, while seeing six draws.
This time, Hajime Moriyasu expects his Japan side to advance to the semi-finals of the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023, just as they did in five of the last six editions of the continental showpiece.
On his part, the Iran coach Ardeshir Ghalehnoy, in a pre-match press conference, said: “Eighty million people are following the result of the national team and the players know that. We will give everything for the national team."
Iran and Japan's last clash also occurred in the AFC Asian Cup, where the Samurai Blue (Japan national football team) beat Team Melli (Iran national football team) 3-0 in the semi-finals, in January 2019.
Iran's last win over Japan came in March 2005 in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. Read more
