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Noor Sabri is the keeper of Iraq’s fortunes

Saudi Arabia beats Japan by the odd goal in five to enter final

KUALA LUMPUR: Noor Sabri made the crucial save and Iraq advanced to its first Asian Cup final by winning a penalty shootout 4-3 over South Korea on Wednesday.

It will meet Saudi Arabia, which reached the final for the sixth time in seven tournaments with a smash-and-grab 3-2 win over Japan in Hanoi.

In the South Korea-Iraq clash, with the shootout tied at 3-3, the Iraqi goalkeeper tipped Yeom Ki-hun’s left-foot stab around the right post to give his side the edge in the shootout, after regulation and extra time failed to produce a goal.

After Iraq converted its fourth penalty, Kim Jung-woo had to convert to keep the game alive, but his shot hit the right post, prompting the Iraqis to swamp Sabri in celebration.

Iraq missed the go-ahead goal by an inch late in the first period of extra time when Hawar Mulla’s shot from Lee Woon-jae’s fingertip deflection hit the near post and Kim Jin-kyu cleared it off his line.

Ahmed Menajed created a chance in the second period of extra time as Lee rushed forwards, but his cross was poor and missed Younis Mahmoud in good position.

Neither team dominated the first half in greasy conditions after a pre-match downpour, although Mahmoud angled his left-foot shot wide and across the goal just before half time.

Relentless push

The Koreans pressed relentlessly in the second. Lee Chun-soo volleyed into the side netting in the 70th minute and Yeom missed with his first-time free kick and a rebound from the edge of the area in the last seconds.

But as the Koreans started to tire, the Iraqis started to find space and were unlucky not to clinch it in extra time.

In the encounter at Hanoi, the Saudis relied on their thrusting, rapier counter-attacks to mug the Japanese who dominated the ball without often threatening to turn possession into goals.

Livewire forward Malek Maaz netted a brace with strike partner Yasser Al Qahtani also scoring to set up the final against Iraq.

The first half hour contained nothing more than some gentle Japanese probbing with Saudi Arabia content to sit back and hope for a moment of inspiration from their talented front pairing of Maaz and Al Qahtani.

The game got the goal it desperately needed on 35 minutes. Adulrahman Al Qahtani won a free-kick on the left after somewhat typically throwing himself theatrically to the ground.

Taisir Al Jassam rose highest to meet his cross and the ball dropped kindly to Yasser Al Qahtani who needed no second invitation to rifle home.

That seemed to wake up the Japanese who were level just two minutes later.

Centre-back Yuji Nakazawa ran unchecked from deep onto Yasuhito Endo’s corner and headed powerfully home from six yards, without even a hint of a Saudi challenge.

The second period was not allowed to settle into a pedestrian affair as the Saudis broke the deadlock two minutes after the restart.

Taisir Al Jassam released Ahmed Al Bahri down the right and his pinpoint cross was headed home by Maaz at the near post.

Once again it took a goal to awake the Japanese and they drew level again after another six minutes.

Nachiro Takahara rose highest to head back Endo’s corner for Yuki Abe to volley home acrobatically.

As with the first half Japan dominated the ball but the Saudis were always dangerous on the break.

And on 57 minutes they went in front again through a brilliant individual strike from Maaz, who twisted and turned two defenders before finishing with the outside of his boot. — Agencies

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