Japan rout Saudi to meet Qatar in quarters

By Suman Malla/Doha

Japan’s forward Shinji Okazaki celebrates after scoring a goal against Saudi Arabia during their 2011 Asian Cup group B football match at Al-Rayyan Stadium yesterday

Shinji Okazaki scored a brilliant hat-trick as Japan inflicted an embarrassing 5-0 defeat on Saudi Arabia at the Al Rayyan Stadium yesterday to enter the Asian Cup quarter-finals, sending out an ominous warning to rivals.
Japan finished as Group B winners on better goal difference after they were level on seven points Jordan who beat Arab neighbours Syria 2-1 in the other match.
Japan will now meet hosts Qatar in the tournament’s first quarter-final on January 21 at Al Gharafa Stadium. Group A winners Uzbekistan meet Jordan in the other last eight match later on the same day at the Khalifa Stadium. 
Okazaki put Japan into a 2-0 lead, scoring twice inside the first 13 minutes at the Al Rayyan Stadium. And he added another in the 79th minute to complete his hat-trick. Ryoichi Maeda also scored a brace in the match, with his first in the 19th minute giving Japan a 3-0 half time lead. His second goal came in the 51st minute.
It was Japan’s fourth win in the Asian Cup finals, improving their win-loss record to 7-3 against fellow three times Asian Cup champions in 11 meetings. Saudi Arabia’s stop-gap coach Nasser al-Johar’s promise of a strong display proved hollow as the Green Falcons, who also lost two previous matches in the group, appeared more keen to fly back home than taking the fight to the Samurai Blue.
Apart from a few sporadic moves on the either side of the break, Saudi Arabia were restricted to their own territory.           Yasher al-Qahtani did have an early chance after controlling a free-kick from Mohammed al-Shalhoub. But the striker was wide.
Japan coach Alberto Zachheroni rested his star midfielder Keisuke Honda, bringing on Yosuke Kashiwagi. But Honda was rarely missed as Japan, after beginning slowly, revved up their tempo. Okazaki failed to get to the end of a Yuto Nagatomo cross in the third minute. But he made no mistake five minutes later to put Japan 1-0 up.
Saudi’s defensive frailty was exposed as Yasuhito Endo beat their offside trap with a long chip to pick out the unmarked Okazaki. The forward, after beating the advancing Saudi goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah, calmly slotted the ball home. 
Saudi Arabia tried to respond to the goal but lost possession to Japan to find themselves 2-0 down in the 13th minute.Midfielder Shinji Kagawa centred a measured ball into the box which caught the Saudi defence napping and Okazaki nodded home from close to put Japan 2-0 up, and in total command.Japan sustained the pressure as Okazaki almost found his third but wasted the chance, shooting a left footer wide of target amid a goalmouth scramble.
In the 19th minute, the Saudis lost the ball too easily in their own half and Japan capitalised it to extended their lead to 3-0. Defender Yuto Nagatomo, after making a surging overlap down the left flank, centred a low cross into the box. And striker Ryoichi Maeda met the ball ahead of’keeper Abdullah, side-footing the ball home.
Japan held their camp in the Saudi territory to force another chance in the 26th minute. Kagawa, making a run down the right flank, shot at goal. But the headed clearance from Saudi midfielder Ahmed Ateef landed on the path of surging Makoto Hasebe. But the Japanese captain miscued his half volley which bounced over the bar.
The Saudis tried to impose themselves on the game but midfielder Taiseer al-Jassam’s 33rd minute shot posed no problem to Japan goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa.
The Japanese were back into attack, but their lead remained 3-0 at half time after Kagawa wasted a brilliant opportunity, losing control of the ball after rounding ’keeper Abdullah.       The players were greeted by a light drizzle when they returned for the second half.
In the 51st minute, Maeda put the match out of the Saudi reach when he scored Japan’s fourth goal, heading home from close range after being fed by a cross from Masahiko Inoha.
The Saudi defence was put to sword again, 11 minutes from time following a brilliant understanding between Maeda and Kagawa.
Kagawa, after taking a pass from Maeda, on the edge of the Saudi area, passed the ball back to the striker with a defence splitting. And Maeda put it away with his left shot to complete the rout.