Japan lift U-19 cup

Manama : Japan last night made history after winning its first-ever AFC U-19 Football Championship, which concluded at the National Stadium in Riffa following a 5-3 penalty shoot-out after the match ended in a draw.

The win will allow Japan to  participate in the FIFA U-20 World Cup next year in South Korea alongside Saudi Arabia, Iran and Vietnam as Asia’s five representatives.

Officiated by Qatari referee Khamis Al Marri, the championship finale saw both teams play a good tactical game and keeping clean sheets with some solid defending and well-organised teamwork.

With neither side able to break the deadlock at the end of 90-minute regular time as well as the 30-minute extra time period, the match went towards the deciding penalty shoot-outs.

From the penalty spot, Japan scored all five kicks through Daisuke Sakai, Ritsu Doan, Keita, Endo, Shinta Nakayama and Koki Ogawa, while the Saudis were successful through Nasser Al Dawsari, Naif Kariri and Abdul Rahman Al-Yami. But after Abdullah Magrshi missed his team’s fourth kick Ogawa scored the deciding penalty in the final round of spot kicks, sending Japan players and hundreds of their supporters in the stadium stands into celebration.

The final match was held under the patronage of His Majesty the King representative for Charity Works and Youth Affairs, Supreme Council for Youth and Sports chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee president HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Asian Football Confederation President and Supreme Council for Youth and Sports General Secretary Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa the finalists. Bahrain Football Association president Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Bahrain Youth and Sport Affairs Minister Hisham Al Jowder and Saudi Arabia Football Federation President Ahmed Eid were among other high-ranking sports officials attending the final.

Individual trophies were also presented afterwards as Japan’s Sakai won the tournament’s best player, Saudi Arabia’s Sami Al Naji claimed the top scorer trophy, while Japan won the fair play team award.