Dramatic quarter-final wins at the ongoing AFC U-20 Asian Cup have secured Japan and Korea Republic tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup Chile 2025™. Both nations overcame regulation time deficits to ultimately win on penalties and ensure a fourth consecutive qualification for the global finals, with Japan seeing off IR Iran and Korea Republic downing the defending continental champions Uzbekistan.
Iran had strolled through the groups with three straight victories, including an impressive win against Uzbekistan, and they clicked straight into their groove in southern China. Relentless pressure off the ball forced a harried Japan into a loose pass that Reza Ghandipour smashed home from inside the box in just the fifth minute.
In a tournament that’s been lit up by outstanding long-range strikes, Kosei Ogura added another to that collection as he drew Japan level on the half hour with a rocket from all of 30 yards that pierced four defenders as it flew fly past a despairing Arsha Shakouri in the Iran goal.
Thereafter Japan’s probing possession and constant off-the-ball movement saw them take control of things with Aren Inoue and Rei Umeki both coming close in the second half; the latter’s stoppage-time effort being superbly cleared off the line by Hesam Nafari.
Ultimately it would take penalties to split the sides though and there, after Iran had missed their first two efforts, captain Rion Ichihara converted Japan’s fifth to book their passage to Chile.
The last of the four quarter-finals got off to an electric start with Uzbekistan awarded a penalty inside the first 45 seconds. While captain Mukhammadali Urinboev squandered that chance he redeemed himself shortly after by delivering the corner that saw Asilbek Jumayev nod home the opener.
Central defender Shin Minha then became the unlikely game changer for Korea as he pounced on two set pieces, the first a tidy prod home from close range after a corner and the second a powerful header via a Yoon Doyong free-kick, to put the east Asian side 2-1 up.
A chipped finish from captain Kim Taewon in the 61st minute looked to have wrapped things up for Korea, only for Uzbekistan to strike twice right at the death through Urinboev in the 90th minute and then Abdugafur Khaydarov four minutes later to force the contest to extra time.
With that additional period still unable to split the sides, once again things went to penalties. After Hong Seongmin had saved two of Uzbekistan’s first four efforts, substitute Ha Jeongwoo then converted Korea’s fifth to seal the win that sees them qualify for a fourth straight U-20 World Cup.
