Sydney (dpa) - Holders Japan crashed out of the Asian Cup 5-4 on penalties against the United Arab Emirates after a 1-1 draw Friday while Iraq produced a thrilling performance to upset 10-man Iran 7-6 from the spot after a 3-3 deadlock.
Japan were dominant throughout the game in Sydney having fallen behind to Ali Mabkhout's clinical strike in the seventh minute. But they missed a host of chances before and after Gaku Shibasaki's 81st minute equalizer.
As the penalty shoot-out entered sudden death following misses from Keisuke Honda and Khamis Esmaeel, Shinji Kagawa struck the post and Ismail Ahmed stepped up to lash home the winner.
The shock victory earned the UAE a semi-final with hosts Australia on Tuesday.
"I would like to congratulate the players, team and staff for winning this game," UAE coach Mahdi Ali said.
"I told the players today it is not always nice football that wins the game, sometimes you have to play with heart and spirit. We worked very hard to win this game."
Iran and Iraq meanwhile missed their opening attempts in the shoot-out in Canberra as Iran's Ehsan Hajsafi shot over and Iraq's Saad Abdulameer went wide. The rest were scored until Iran's Vahid Amri struck the post, leaving Salam Shakir to guide home a calm kick to settle the tie and set up a semi-final with South Korea on Monday.
Sardar Azmoun had opened the scoring for Iran in the 24th minute but, after Mehrdad Pooladi saw a second yellow card on the stroke of half time, Ahmed Yasin levelled in the 56th.
Iraq went in front when captain Younus Mahmood stooped to head home three minutes into extra-time only for Morteza Pouraliganji to reply 10 minutes later. Dhurgham Ismail then converted a penalty to put Iraq ahead again but Reza Ghoochannejhad headed a sensational equalizer with a minute left to force the shoot-out.
"We worked hard, me and my team-mates, to give something to our country," Ismail said. "Every respect to the Iran team who are not an easy team.
"Our country needed the win. The next match is a very important match and we're there to bring happiness to our country."
There was little quality on display in the opening exchanges and Iran took the lead with the first clear chance. Vouria Ghafouri swung over an enticing cross and Azmoun powered an unstoppable header past goalkeeper Jalal Hassan.
But things turned against Iran shortly before the interval as Australian referee Ben Williams deemed Pooladi's slight contact with Hassan to merit a second booking. Hassan escaped unpunished for shoving Pooladi to the ground in retaliation.
Iraq's pressure told when Ahmed Yasin fired in Alaa Abdul Zahra's cross at the back post in the 56th.
And Iraq seized the initiative in extra-time as Mahmood headed in the rebound from Marwan Hussein's shot. But just 10 minutes later Iraq let the lead slip as a corner was headed in by defender Pouraliganji.
Iraq edged in front again when Pouraliganji's tackle ended Yaser Kasim's run in the box and Ismail sent Haghighi the wrong way from the spot.
Iran levelled again to force the shoot-out when Ghoochannejhad leapt high to nod home although the ball may have crossed the line previously as it bounced down from the bar following a scramble.
Japan fell behind to the UAE as Amer Abulrahman fed Mabkhout, who killed his pass with a superb first touch before firing home his fourth goal of the tournament.
The Japanese responded strongly as Honda, Takashi Inui, Kagawa and Yoshinori Muto missed a series of excellent chances.
But the UAE could escape their own half and finally Japan levelled when Shibasaki played a neat one-two with Honda and curled in from the edge of the box.
Yet more opportunities were spurned, both in regulation and in the extra period, by the wasteful Japanese and they paid the price in the shoot-out when the misses of Honda and Kagawa ended Japan's reign as Asian champions.
Japan were dominant throughout the game in Sydney having fallen behind to Ali Mabkhout's clinical strike in the seventh minute. But they missed a host of chances before and after Gaku Shibasaki's 81st minute equalizer.
As the penalty shoot-out entered sudden death following misses from Keisuke Honda and Khamis Esmaeel, Shinji Kagawa struck the post and Ismail Ahmed stepped up to lash home the winner.
The shock victory earned the UAE a semi-final with hosts Australia on Tuesday.
"I would like to congratulate the players, team and staff for winning this game," UAE coach Mahdi Ali said.
"I told the players today it is not always nice football that wins the game, sometimes you have to play with heart and spirit. We worked very hard to win this game."
Iran and Iraq meanwhile missed their opening attempts in the shoot-out in Canberra as Iran's Ehsan Hajsafi shot over and Iraq's Saad Abdulameer went wide. The rest were scored until Iran's Vahid Amri struck the post, leaving Salam Shakir to guide home a calm kick to settle the tie and set up a semi-final with South Korea on Monday.
Sardar Azmoun had opened the scoring for Iran in the 24th minute but, after Mehrdad Pooladi saw a second yellow card on the stroke of half time, Ahmed Yasin levelled in the 56th.
Iraq went in front when captain Younus Mahmood stooped to head home three minutes into extra-time only for Morteza Pouraliganji to reply 10 minutes later. Dhurgham Ismail then converted a penalty to put Iraq ahead again but Reza Ghoochannejhad headed a sensational equalizer with a minute left to force the shoot-out.
"We worked hard, me and my team-mates, to give something to our country," Ismail said. "Every respect to the Iran team who are not an easy team.
"Our country needed the win. The next match is a very important match and we're there to bring happiness to our country."
There was little quality on display in the opening exchanges and Iran took the lead with the first clear chance. Vouria Ghafouri swung over an enticing cross and Azmoun powered an unstoppable header past goalkeeper Jalal Hassan.
But things turned against Iran shortly before the interval as Australian referee Ben Williams deemed Pooladi's slight contact with Hassan to merit a second booking. Hassan escaped unpunished for shoving Pooladi to the ground in retaliation.
Iraq's pressure told when Ahmed Yasin fired in Alaa Abdul Zahra's cross at the back post in the 56th.
And Iraq seized the initiative in extra-time as Mahmood headed in the rebound from Marwan Hussein's shot. But just 10 minutes later Iraq let the lead slip as a corner was headed in by defender Pouraliganji.
Iraq edged in front again when Pouraliganji's tackle ended Yaser Kasim's run in the box and Ismail sent Haghighi the wrong way from the spot.
Iran levelled again to force the shoot-out when Ghoochannejhad leapt high to nod home although the ball may have crossed the line previously as it bounced down from the bar following a scramble.
Japan fell behind to the UAE as Amer Abulrahman fed Mabkhout, who killed his pass with a superb first touch before firing home his fourth goal of the tournament.
The Japanese responded strongly as Honda, Takashi Inui, Kagawa and Yoshinori Muto missed a series of excellent chances.
But the UAE could escape their own half and finally Japan levelled when Shibasaki played a neat one-two with Honda and curled in from the edge of the box.
Yet more opportunities were spurned, both in regulation and in the extra period, by the wasteful Japanese and they paid the price in the shoot-out when the misses of Honda and Kagawa ended Japan's reign as Asian champions.
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