Japan trounce hosts 4-0 in Ha Noi

Hosts Viet Nam lost 0-4 to Japan in the AFC”s final qualifying round for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Ha Noi”s My Dinh Stadium last Saturday.

Lee Tadanari scored a pair of goals and then Honda Keisuke made it 3-0, successfully converting a spot kick, before half-time, while substitute Hosogai Hajime added the fourth in the second half.

Goalie Tran Duc Cuong made a good save, diving to his right to save Honda”s second penalty kick during the second half.

Viet Nam coach Alfred Riedl lined up his strongest squad for the match against Japan as he wanted to test his men just prior to the forthcoming SEA Games; however, the Vietnamese side were down a point only after eight minutes. It was Japan”s Lee that opened the scoring spree.

Seventeen minutes later, Lee scored his second goal, also with a header.

Honda made it 3-0 for Japan six minutes from half-time, sending Duc Cuong the wrong way after Mai Xuan Hop fouled on Okazaki Shinji in the box.

Viet Nam had a chance through Phan Thanh Binh”s effort.

The Dong Thap striker”s bicycle kick after Nguyen Vu Phong”s cross went just wide.

After the break, the Vietnamese side increased the pace of their game and Thanh Binh came close twice but his finishes went wide.

Skipper Le Cong Vinh forced Nishikawa Shusaku to turn the ball aside the post as the Vietnamese skipper produced a quick header after Vu Phong”s cross.

“Despite our best efforts, we aren”t strong enough to play Japan. They are at a higher level than us,” said Vinh, who was replaced in the 68th minute.

“Frankly, Viet Nam created several threatening chances but we could not convert them goals,” he added

According to Riedl, “The level difference between the two sides can be seen clearly through this match. Viet Nam suffered some losses that should not have happened, but I don”t blame my players.”

“I am not satisfied; we lost this match. But in the SEA Games there are no rivals as strong as Japan, and I therefore believe that we will play well after these practical matches against strong rivals such as Japan,” Riedl was quoted as saying in The Thao Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon”s Sports) newspaper.

The Japanese were dangerous in counter-attacks. Umesaki Tsukasa hit the post at 74 minutes and Okazaki Shinji took the rebound, but failed to outmanoeuvre Duc Cuong.

Hosogai headed home for the fourth four minutes from the end before Nguyen Thanh Long Giang fouled a Japanese player in the box.

Honda targeted Duc Cuong”s right-hand side and was thwarted when he dived and rejected the kick.

“I did not think we would win 4-0. I think that Viet Nam are not as strong as before,” said Yasuharu Corimachi, the Japanese coach.

“My strategy was to score as much as possible to force Viet Nam into a difficult situation, and we succeeded, but I think we can do it better. The victory is wonderful for us. We will try our best in the last round to enter the Olympics and we hope Viet Nam will do the same.”

In the later match of the group, Saudi Arabia beat Qatar 2-1.

The victory leaves Japan on 10 points in Group C, followed by Saudi Arabia on eight and Qatar on seven. Viet Nam are on the bottom with two.

The Vietnamese Olympic team will play their final game in Qatar on Wednesday before starting their SEA Games campaign in Thailand on December 1. Meanwhile Japan will face with Saudi Arabia in Tokyo.

In other matches, Australia beat Iraq 2-0 in Gosford last Saturday after goals by Adrian Leijerr and Mark Milligan, leaving them needing only a point from their final clash with North Korea in Pyongyang on Wednesday to confirm their place.

Australia”s men have never missed an Olympics since football was opened to professionals in 1988, but this will be the first time they have qualified through Asia.

Iraq could still qualify if Australia lose and they beat Lebanon.

Group B is a tighter affair after South Korea only scratched out a goallesss draw with Uzbekistan in Tashkent. But their cause was helped by Bahrain also playing out a scoreless draw at home to Syria.

It leaves the Koreans on 11 points to Bahrain”s 10, with the decider between the two teams at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday.

VNS