Extra-time goals from Mao Hosoya and Kotaro Uchino ensured Japan squeezed past 10-man Qatar and into the semi-finals of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 with a 4-2 win over Ilidio Vale’s side at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Thursday.Hosoya slipped the ball under substitute goalkeeper Ali Korayem to break Qatar’s resistance 11 minutes into extra-time and Uchino added the fourth with seven minutes left as Go Oiwa’s side moved a step closer to claiming the title.“The red card was the turning point as it was very difficult to play with 10 players,” Qatar coach Ilidio Vale said after the match.“I want to congratulate the players for their high fighting spirit. We are dejected to miss a chance for qualifying for Olympics but I am sure the team and Qatar football have a great future ahead,” he added.Fuki Yamada had given Japan a second minute lead before Ahmed al-Rawi levelled with a superb header 22 minutes later, the Qataris then shrugging off Yousef Abdullah’s 41st minute red card to go in front four minutes into the second half through Jassem Gaber.But Seiji Kimura’s 67th minute header restored parity while Hosoya and Uchino struck late to take their nation into the last four as the Japanese seek to maintain their record of qualifying for every Olympic Games since 1996.Japan’s late show came in contrast to their rapid start, the Samurai Blue taking the lead on their first foray forward.Qatar gifted Oiwa’s team the opener after Hiroki Sekine’s hopeful long ball saw Saif Eldeen Hassan under-hit his pass and Yamada collected possession to smash a left foot shot into the top corner of Abdullah’s goal.Japan were in control, with Rihito Yamamoto and Joel Fujita dictating the tempo and Kuryu Matsuki busy, the FC Tokyo playmaker thumping his attempt from outside the area over the crossbar.However, the Qataris steadily asserted themselves and, in the 24th minute, Vale’s team pulled level. The ball found its way to Abdulla al-Yazidi on the right after Kein Sato fell in an attempt to cut out possession and the Qatari’s centre was met unchallenged by al-Rawi, who bulleted his header home.Hosoya should have restored Japan’s lead seven minutes before the break, shooting wide on the stretch from close range after Matsuki’s incisive ball across the face of goal.Moments later Abdullah was seeing red, dismissed after referee Hanna Hattab consulted the pitchside monitor following a clash with Hosoya, the Qatari guilty of lashing out at the Japan striker as he leapt to clear a high ball.Qatar refused to be despondent despite being down a man and, four minutes after the restart, the home side went in front. Moustafa Meshal’s pinpoint free-kick delivery landed squarely on the head of Gaber and he made no mistake.With a quarter of regular time remaining, though, the Japanese were level when Kimura nodded home Yamamoto’s in-swinging corner from close range to set up a finish that saw Sato force replacement goalkeeper Ali Korayem into a save while Shota Fujio headed over. Oiwa’s side were unable to find a way through again in regulation time, but in the 101st minute Hosoya was fed by Ryotaro Araki and he slid his shot under Korayem while Uchino tapped in after the goalkeeper parried Sota Kawasaki’s shot to break home hearts.Indonesia advance after shootout dramaIndonesia stunned South Korea after they pulled off a 11-10 win on penalties after they were tied 2-2 after extra time to seal a historic semi-final place at the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024.Pratama Arhan producd the decisive spot-kick in a marathon shootout to cap a hard-earned triumph for the tournament debutants, who were pegged back twice in regulation time despite playing with a one-man advantage from the 70th minute onwards.For Hwang Sun-hong’s charges, who have made the last four on four out of the five previous editions, more than any other team, the defeat ended their hopes of making the Olympic Games for a 10th time. (the-afc.com)

Experienced allrounder Jimmy Neesham kept his cool to defend six off the last ball to clinch a four-run victory for New Zealand on Thursday in the fourth Twenty20 international against Pakistan in Lahore.Pakistan needed 18 off the last over in their chase of 179 but Neesham came out in flying colours despite being hit for a boundary off the first ball, giving a packed Gaddafi Stadium crowd heartbreaks.Opener Tim Robinson hit a maiden half century to lift New Zealand to 178-7 in 20 overs before pacer William O’Rourke claimed 3-27 to keep Pakistan down to 174-8.Returning allrounder Imad Wasim (22 not out) managed to hit the last ball for a single as New Zealand take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series with the last game tomorrow, also in Lahore.Pakistan also lost the third match by seven wickets after winning the first by the same margin while the first match was abandoned after just two balls – all three in Rawalpindi.The defeats are a jolt to a full-strength Pakistan side in their preparations for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the United States and the West Indies in June.New Zealand, missing a host of players due to Indian Premier League, injuries and unavailability, can feel elated at their bench strength going into the World Cup. Pakistan sensed they were in with a chance when Fakhar Zaman, who made 45-ball 61 with three sixes and four boundaries, lifted Pakistan from 79-4 with a 59-run stand for the fifth wicket with Iftikhar Ahmed who made a 20-ball 23.But O’Rourke, playing only his fourth T20I, dismissed Ahmed to add to his wickets of Babar Azam (five) and Saim Ayub (20) to give New Zealand a boost.Fellow pacer Ben Sears (2-27) claimed Zaman’s wicket with 33 needed off 14 balls.Earlier, Robinson batted with aggression. Robinson’s 36-ball 51 with two sixes and four fours lifted New Zealand – who were sent in to bat – to 93-1 in 10 overs before Abbas Afridi’s career best 3-20 helped Pakistan pull back. New Zealand started briskly with Robinson and Tom Blundell, who made 28 off 15, putting on 56 for the opening stand in five overs.But from 94-1 New Zealand lost three wickets, including that of dangerman Mark Chapman for eight, as Pakistan’s fielders held catches to back some good bowling by Abbas. Dean Foxcroft chipped in with 34 off 26 deliveries and skipper Michael Bracewell added 27 to keep the scoreboard ticking as New Zealand managed 43 in the last five overs.BRIEF SCORESNew Zealand 178-7 in 20 overs (T. Robinson 51, D. Foxcroft 34; Abbas Afridi 3-20) v Pakistan 174-8 in 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 61; W. O’Rourke 3-27)Result: New Zealand won by four runsToss: PakistanSeries: New Zealand 2, Pakistan 1, No result 1