Japan edge Iran at AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2025

TEHRAN – Rion Ichihara scored the winning penalty as Japan defeated Iran 4-3 on penalties after their AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2025 quarter-final ended 1-1 at the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Centre Stadium on Sunday.

Japan will face Australia in the semi-finals with the win also confirming them a place in the FIFA U20 World Cup Chile 2025.

Japan were struggling to cope and Iran took advantage of free space down the middle in the fifth minute, Reza Ghandipour pouncing on the rebound following Gholizadeh’s attempt from inside a packed box to squeeze the ball into the bottom right corner.

It came in the 30th minute when Kose Ogura had time and space to line up his shot from distance, with the ball taking a deflection off Amirmohammad Razzaghini to beat a fully stretched Arsha Shakouri.

Japan started the first period of extra-time just as they had ended the second half as they peppered the Iran goalmouth with shots, with only some steely defending keeping them at bay.

Iran continued to live dangerously as they conceded a free-kick at the start of the second period of extra-time but Shakouri pulled off another full length save to deny Ryunosuke Sato from just above the box, the-afc.com reported.

With both sides unable to find the winner, the tie went to penalties and despite Shakouri’s best efforts – scoring one and saving Japan’s third in the shootout – Iran’s Erfan Darvish Aali and Pourya Shahrabadi missed the opening two efforts with Ichihara netting the winning spot-kick as Japan advanced to the semi-finals.