DOHA (Reuters) – Japan lifted the Under 23 Asian Cup after they beat Uzbekistan 1-0 on Friday, an injury time penalty save by Leo Kokubo securing the trophy for Go Oiwa’s side.
Substitute Fuki Yamada gave the Japanese the lead when he stroked his shot into the bottom corner of the Uzbek goal in the 91st minute, but a handball by Hiroki Sekine gifted Uzbekistan an opportunity to take the game into extra time.
Kokubo, however, dived to his right to keep out Umarali Rakhmanaliev’s spot kick and earn the Japanese their second under 23 title since 2016.
Japan and Uzbekistan went into the final at Doha’s Jassim bin Hamad Stadium having already claimed two of Asia’s three berths at the Olympics in Paris in the summer, with the tournament serving as the continent’s final eliminator for the Games.
Iraq took the third place on Thursday with an extra-time win over Indonesia, who will play Guinea on May 9 in a playoff for the last remaining spot at the finals.
(Reporting by Michael Church)
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