Japan 4-2 Vietnam: Samurai Blue come from behind to win six-goal thriller
Japan came from behind to defeat Vietnam 4-2 in their Asian Cup Group D opener on Sunday at Al Thumama Stadium, with five goals scored in the first half and Takumi Minamino scoring twice.
Japan, four-time champions who last won the Asian Cup in 2011, were shocked into action when Vietnam took a 2-1 lead, but the Samurai Blue responded with two goals just before halftime.
"I know people in Japan wanted to see a game where we overcome our opponents with great power, but opening games in tournaments are always difficult and that's what we saw today," Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu told reporters.
"When we lost the lead in the first half the players were very calm, they knew they had the whole 90 minutes to play for the win. They managed to do that in the end of the first half."
Vietnam's initial resistance when the game began lasted only 10 minutes before Japan scored, with Minamino pounced on a rebound and guided it through a crowd of players into the goal.
But five minutes later, Vietnam stunned Japan with an equaliser from a corner, when Nguyen Dinh Bac, running away from goal, directed a glancing header that looped over the keeper and into the far post.
As the game progressed and both teams created chances, Vietnam took the lead from another set piece when Bui Hoang Anh headed the cross to the far post, where Japan's keeper Zion Suzuki failed to deal with it and Pham Tuan Hai scored.
The goal sparked wild celebrations, and Vietnam coach Philippe Troussier, who has previously guided Japan to the title in 2000, cracked a wry smile when they went ahead 2-1.
However, their lead did not last long, as Minamino scored again before halftime after being released into the box by skipper Wataru Endo, with the AS Monaco midfielder guiding a low shot past the keeper.
Japan rediscovered their urgency and quickly restored their lead just before halftime, with Keito Nakamura curling a shot into the top corner past the keeper's outstretched hand.
The goal took the sting out of Vietnam, and they were unable to mount any attacks in the second half as Suzuki was the only player in Japan's half, with the majority of the action taking place on the opposite side of the pitch.
Japan then put the game out of reach when Ayase Ueda scored their fourth goal in the 85th minute, securing three points for Moriyasu's side, but Troussier said he was 'satisfied' with the outcome despite the defeat.
"It's not a knockout match, if we win or we lose it's clear the competition is not finished for us, or for Japan," he said.
"Today we got no yellow cards, no red cards and we scored two goals. I prefer to lose 4-2 than 2-0."
SportsLigue