Women’s Jr Asia Cup: Defending champ India prevail 3-1 over Japan, reach final
India made a dominant start in the first quarter and bagged three goals to get an early advantage.
Takumi Minamino scored a brace as top seed Japan came back from behind to beat Vietnam 4-2 in the first round of Group D at the AFC Asian Cup here.
Minamino had put Japan in front in the 11th minute, but Vietnam stunned the four-time champions with two goals from Nguyen Dinh Bac and Pham Tuan Hai in the 16th and 33rd minute respectively, reports Xinhua.
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Japan fought back to equalize by Minamino in the 45th minute, before Keito Nakamura curled the ball home from distance five minutes later.
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The Japanese team controlled the second half and sealed the 4-2 victory thanks to a late goal in the 86th minute from substitute Ayase Ueda.
Minamino spoke highly of this young and resistant Vietnamese team: “I’ve been playing against Vietnam since I was young, so I know how good a team they can be. I am surprised by how good they are.”
Another Asian football powerhouse Iran began its AFC Asian Cup campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory over Palestine in Group C.
Iran now leads the group by goal difference after the UAE scored two penalties to edge the lowest ranked Hong Kong, China 3-1.
Chan Siu Kwan Philip scored in the first Asian Cup match for Hong Kong, China in more than 55 years, which also marked the 1,000th goal in this continental tournament.
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