Host?Japan will play reigning champion?South Korea for Asian Games men’s soccer gold after winning a nail-biting semifinal 9-8 on penalties against Uzbekistan on Wednesday.
Japan was heading out before Sena Ishibashi pounced with two minutes left of normal time to make it 1-1 and force extra time.
Uzbekistan, which?had taken the lead after only eight minutes through Sardorbek Bakhromov, hung on through the extra period to take the contest to penalties.
But Japan held its nerve to win it from the spot, sparking gleeful celebrations and leaving some of the young Uzbek players in tears.
Asian Games men’s soccer consists of under-23 squads with three overage players.
In the first semifinal, South Korea scored with eight minutes left to seal a 2-1 win over China.
The Koreans are pursuing a fourth title in a row.
Bae Jun-ho was the?hero, ghosting in at the back post to head in a dramatic 82nd-minute winner at Nagai Stadium in Osaka.
“We were expecting a challenging match, but we persevered,” South Korea coach Lee Min-sung said.
“We conceded first to make it even harder, but our team fought back, and I’m happy with that.”
Lee’s side is attempting to bring some cheer to South Korean soccer fans after a disappointing World Cup that saw the senior team exit in the group stage.
China’s men have never won Asian Games soccer gold and were contesting their first semifinal since 1998.
History looked to be in the cards when Wang Yudong finished off a smart team move with an emphatic finish to put China ahead in the?22nd minute.
In an entertaining encounter in front of a sparse crowd, Lee Young-jun hit back for South Korea 11 minutes later with China goalkeeper Li Hao getting a hand to his header but unable to keep the ball out.
Both sides had chances in the second half, before Stoke City’s Bae popped up with the winner.
China coach Antonio Puche will now have to rally his men with a bronze medal on the line against Uzbekistan.
“I spoke with the players and what I said is that even though we lost, the important thing was that we fought,” he said.
“We lost, but we are proud.”
The men’s decider is on Saturday.
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