Japan took a one-zero lead after the first round of the shootout when Mohammad Taha's shot to the right corner was saved by Rui Araki. In the second round, Yutaka Michiwaki's shot to the left corner was blocked by goalkeeper Abdel Al Talalga. The Jordan goalkeeper immediately rushed forward to celebrate, but he was careless. By the time he realized his mistake, the ball had already bounced into the net, leaving him stunned.

Michiwaki breathed a sigh of relief, having not missed his shot. In the stands, a Japanese fan laughed and then applauded, while Jordan fans clutched their heads in regret over the unusual play.

Japanese midfielder Shusuke Furuya (center) scored in the 50th minute during the one-one draw against Jordan, followed by a 4-2 penalty shootout victory in the U23 Asia 2026 quarterfinals, at King Abdullah Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 16/1/2026. *Photo: AFC*

This rare incident boosted Japan's confidence. Ryunosuke Sato and Tokumo Kawai successfully converted their kicks in the next two rounds, while Mohammad Al Shatti failed to beat goalkeeper Araki in the fourth round. Japan secured a 4-2 overall victory.

Japan, despite fielding an U21 squad, was considered the stronger team in the quarterfinals. They had previously defeated Syria 5-0, UAE 3-0, and Qatar 2-0 in the group stage.

The first 20 minutes of the match saw intense pressure from the East Asian representative, but their strikers squandered several opportunities. In the 30th minute, Jordan launched a quality counter-attack, resulting in a goal by captain Ali Al Azaizeh. Japan finally equalized in the 50th minute through Shusuke Furuya, also following a moment when Jordan's defense unexpectedly pushed high.

From the 65th minute, the pace of the game slowed as player fatigue set in. The match extended to extra time, with Japan dominating possession and pressing forward, while Jordan sought counter-attacking chances. Both teams had opportunities but failed to convert, forcing the game into a penalty shootout.

The victory propels Japan into the semifinals, where they await the winner of tomorrow evening's 17/1 match between South Korea and Australia. This marks Japan's fourth, and third consecutive, appearance in the U23 Asia semifinals. In the previous tournament, the "blue samurai" warriors claimed the championship title.

Meanwhile, Jordan was unable to replicate their semifinal achievement from the inaugural tournament in 2013. Many of coach Omar Najhi's players were seen crying on the King Abdullah Stadium pitch after giving their all in a high-quality match against Japan.

Trung Thu