Three teams from Asian Football Confederation reach round of 16 for first time ever

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Three teams from Asian Football Confederation reach round of 16 for first time ever

Published: 04 Dec. 2022, 16:39 Updated: 04 Dec. 2022, 17:23

Argentina's Lisandro Martinez, right, vies for the ball with Australia's Mathew Leckie during the World Cup round of 16 match between Argentina and Australia at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday. Argentina eventually won 2-1. [AP/YONHAP]

Hwang Hee-chan celebrates at the end of the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group H match between Korea and Portugal at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha, on Friday. [AFP/YONHAP]

After Korea beat Portugal Friday night and Japan stunned Spain Thursday, the 2022 World Cup is going down in history as the first time that three countries from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) reached the round of 16.

Though beaten 2-1 by Argentina in the round of 16 on Saturday, Australia, also a member of the AFC, had advanced to the knockout stage on Dec. 1 after beating Denmark, a team ranked 28 places above the Socceroos in the FIFA World Rankings.

Then on Thursday, Japan beat Spain 2-1 and knocked Germany out of the World Cup with the Samurai Blue topping Group E as Germany failed to advance to the round of 16 for the second consecutive time despite beating Costa Rica in their final game.

In the match between Japan and Spain, it was Spain that drew first blood. Just 11 minutes into the match, Alvaro Morata jumped to head a cross home for his third goal of the 2022 World Cup.

But Japan rallied after half time as Ritsu Doan equalized in the 48th minute, shooting with his left foot from outside the box just three minutes after being substituted on.

It seemed Japan had figured out their opponent as, just three minutes later, Ao Tanaka was back at it, adding another goal for Japan from close range to take the score to 2-1.

What eventually became Japan’s winning goal was a controversial one, as the ball had appeared to have crossed the line and gone out before being picked up by Doan on the right-edge of the penalty area and fired toward the goal. Tanaka’s knee connected with the ball and drove it into the net.

The linesman had flagged the ball to be out, but referee Victor Miguel de Freitas Gomes checked with the VAR room through his earpiece to award the goal without actually checking the monitor himself.

The ball is defined to be out according to the International Football Association Board (IFAB) when it has wholly passed over the goal line or touchline on the ground or in the air. That includes the curvature of the ball, meaning that even if the part of the ball touching the ground is completely over the line, any part of the sphere still inside the lines is in.

Controversial or not, that goal gave Japan their ticket to the knockout stage, the team’s fourth time ever, and an easier route through the round of 16 as the top-place finishers. Japan had advanced in 2002, 2010 and 2018.

While Japan has never gone further than the round of 16, this may be the year that they have a chance, after already beating strong countries like Germany and Spain. On Nov. 23, Japan had also come from behind to beat Germany 2-1 with both goals scored in the second half.

Japan will next face Croatia in the round of 16 on Monday morning at Al Janoub Stadium, with Korea’s round of 16 match against Brazil following in the afternoon at Stadium 974.

Japan's Ritsu Doan celebrates after the match as Japan qualify for the knockout stages after beating Spain on Thursday at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

The Netherlands beat the United States 3-1 to reach the round of eight alongside Argentina on Saturday. France will face Poland and England will face Senegal on Sunday. Morocco will face Spain on Tuesday before Portugal face Switzerland the following afternoon.

BY YUN SO-HYANG [yun.sohyang@joongang.co.kr]

korea joongAng daily

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Three teams from Asian Football Confederation reach round of 16 for first time ever

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