Agence France Presse
October 5

Japan defeated Uzbekistan 1-0 to qualify for the quarter-finals and set up a last-eight showdown with China in the Asian Games football tournament here Saturday.

A perfectly struck 40th-minute spot-kick from striker Satoshi Nakayama sealed victory for Japan, who were forced to put up with some rough-house tactics by the Uzbeks throughout the Group D game.

With Japan fielding a young squad made up mostly of players aged 21 or under, the Uzbeks appeared hell-bent on making their physical superiority count.

A series of niggling fouls pockmarked the first half, frustrating Japan's attempts to play their flowing passing game.

Japan had a goal disallowed and saw a shot hit the woodwork midway through the first half and for a while it looked as if Uzbekistan's tactics might pay off.

But Nakayama's spot-kick five minutes from half-time gave Japan the lead and Uzbekistan were unable to respond. In fact they appeared content to try and kick Japan out of the game in the second half.

An appalling tackle from defender Maksim Usmanov on Japanese midfield playmaker Keita Suzuki was the lowpoint.

Going in over the top of the ball with his studs up, Usmanov's challenge left Keita writhing in agony and needing to be stretchered off the field.

The Japanese player was subsequently replaced, and somehow Usmanov escaped with only a yellow card.

Again though, Japan's young squad showed impressive maturity in refusing to rise to the bait, and kept control for the remainder of the match to move into Tuesday's last eight meeting with China.

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