In the final match, the South Korea`s U-23 team emerged as champion by defeating the Japanese U-23 team 2-1 with extra time.
The South Korea`s first goal was scored by Lee Seungwoo in 93rd minute and then doubled by Hwang Hee Chan in 101st minute.
Meanwhile, Japan only scored one goal through Ayase Ueda`s header in 115th minute.
In the extra time round, Japan seemed to change strategy by replacing defender Daiki Sugioka with midfielder Keita Endo. The Japanese formation at the beginning of the first half seemed to only put three players in defense, whereas South Korea appeared without change.
Although Kim Hak Bum`s team dominated more by carrying out attacks more frequently, Japan`s very tight defense showed the same quality as the South Korea.
South Korea launched seven experimental shots with one of them heading towards goal. While Japan only released three attempts to kick and one that led to the goal.
South Korea started the game by directly building an attack that threatened the Japanese defense several times. During the first round, South Korea dominated possession with 66 percent compared to 34 percent of Japanese ball possession.
However, in Palembang, South Sumatra, the Japanese women`s soccer team won the 2018 Asian Games` gold medal after defeating China, with a score of 1-0 at the Sriwijaya Jakabaring stadium on Friday.
The single goal in the final match was created through Sugasawa Yuika`s header at the end of the second half, or in the 87th minute.
In the final match, the two teams looked stunned by presenting a classy game. Japan, with its 6th FIFA rank, appeared with its ideal formation by stacking five midfielders and four defenders to withstand the onslaught of China. The best Asian team only plotted a striker in front, Iwabuchi Mana.
Meanwhile, China put three attackers to continue dismantling the Japanese defense.
In the early minutes, Japan played more defensively, while China was very keen to attack.
In the 14th minute, China got a golden opportunity through its striker Wang Shanshan.
However, an unexpected thing occurred. When the match seemed to be moving into extra time, a goal was created in the final minute. Japan`s superiority as the best team in Asia was finally proven.
In the meantime, the U-23 United Arab Emirates (UAE) men`s soccer team won the bronze medal after conquering Vietnam, with a total score of 5-4 (1-1 normal time), in the match for a third place marked by a penalty shootout on Saturday afternoon.
During the match at the Pakansari Stadium, the UAE took the lead through a goal scored by Ahmad Alhashmi in the 17th minute. Vietnam scored with a goal through Nguyen Van Quyet in the 27th minute.
Four UAE players, namely Ahmad Alhashmi, Zayed Alameri, Khaled Aldhanhani, and Shaheen Aldarmki, scored successfully while on penalties, which ended 4-3, to win.
In the Vietnamese camp, three of the five kickers who managed to score goals were Vu Van Thanh, Ha Duc Chinh, and Phan Van Duc.
Vietnam fielded the mainstay senior player who was also captain Nguyen Van Quyet since the first minute. Senior Vietnamese players Do Hung Dung was sidelined due to injury.
The UAE, like Vietnam, also played one senior player from the start, who was Mohammed Almesmari while his 25-year-old colleague Salem Alsharji waited on the bench.
Under these conditions, Vietnam took the initiative to attack even the first 15 minutes. But instead they conceded first.
Through a counter-attack in the 17th minute, UAE striker Ahmad Alhashmi led up to the Vietnam penalty box and fired a shot when the ball was unable to stem from Vietnam goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung.
After that, Vietnam again attacked the UAE in order to get a goal to balance the fight. The hope was realized in the 27th minute.
It was captain Quyet who fired the ball into the opponent`s goal via close range.
The 1-1 score boosted the intensity of the game, but both teams failed to add goals until the break.
In the second half, it was the UAE`s turn to start the attack, but it failed in the Vietnam defense.
Final match of the men's soccer took place a day before the 18th Asian Games closing ceremony.
The 25 soccer teams contesting in the Asia`s largest sporting events namely Indonesia, Hong Kong, Laos, Chinese Taipei, Palestine, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Qatar, China, Timor-leste, Syria, Japan, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal, South Korea, Kyrgistan, Malaysia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirate, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Myanmar were divided in six groups (from A to F).
It is the second time that Indonesia host the Asia`s largest multi-sport event after its debut in 1962.
The Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang in South Sumatra Province co-host the quadrennial Asian Games from Aug. 18 to Sept. 2, 2018, which was participated by thousands of athletes and officials from 45 Asian countries.
(B003/B/E002)
Editing by Eliswan Azly
Reporter: Bustanuddin
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
