The Asian Cup Final: Australia vs. Japan

The 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar comes to an end today with the final between Australia and Japan at the Khalifa Stadium. The final between the three time former champions Japan and first timers Australia marks the end of the three week tournament.

The two sides had different paths to the final. While Australia waltzed past Uzbekistan in a 6-0 semifinal trashing, the Japanese needed a classy performance from goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima in the penalty shootout to get past archrivals South Korea.

But the final will be a new game altogether and it starts at 0-0 with both sides eyeing the title. What Australia has in experience, the young Japanese side make up in enthusiasm; but going into the game both sides lack the big match experience.

Australia are match fit with no injury worries with coach Holger Osieck likely to send out the same starting eleven as against Uzbekistan. That won't be to the liking of Blackburn Rovers star Brett Emerton, but Osieck will go with the line of "never change a winning team".

At the pre-match press conference Osieck was very relaxed and the German looked forward to meet Japanese players like Hasebe and Hosagai who played under him while he was club coach in Japan.

Japan meanwhile paid a heavy price for their semifinal win against South Korea. Young sensation Shinji Kagawa is out of the final breaking his fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. Kagawa has flown back to Germany and his club Borussia Dortmund isn't amused either as the 21 year old midfielder is likely to be out for the rest of the Bundesliga season.

In Doha meanwhile Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni didn't want to disclose whom he is set to field in place of Kagawa. He only said, "I have made up my mind on who I will play for Kagawa, but I won't announce it just yet. You will see tomorrow."


Australia's passage to the final

The Australians topped the group of death, Group C. They opened with an easy 4-0 against minnows India, where lucky to hold South Korea to a one-all draw before winning their crucial final group game 1-0 against Bahrain. Then they won in the quarterfinal 1-0 in extra-time against defending champions Iraq. This was followed by the 6-0 demolition of Uzbekistan.


How Japan made it to the final

Japan made a slow start into the tournament. They starred at defeat in their opening Group B game against Jordan but were able to get a late equaliser. In their second match they came out 2-1 winners against Syria though some controversial referee decisions went against them. And then they trashed a pathetic Saudi Arabia 5-0 in their final group game. This set-up a quarterfinal clash with hosts Qatar and Japan prevailed 3-2 in an entertaining, but often close contest. In their semifinal game Japan won 3-0 on penalties after the match had ended one-all in regulation time and two-all after extra-time at the Al Gharafa Stadium.

Qatar: Asian Cup as World Cup trial

The 2011 AFC Asian Cup started last night. Qatar lost 0-2 against Uzbekistan, but as a nation they are ready to host though the country is one big construction site and it will get even more over the next decade. The capital Doha is decorated in the tournament colours, draped in flags of participation nations, while at night there are fabulous lighting displays across town highlighting the tournament.

One can feel that the importance of the tournament for the Qataris has grown since being awarded the 2022 FIFA World Cup with the signage of the bidding campaign still visible across the city.

And with now bigger international media attention on the tiny Gulf state, the organisers are doing whatever they can to please their foreign guests. And those guests be it from the football industry or the media are liking what they are seeing.

Italian Nicola Antognetti, who works in the football business and travels for that around the world, told us about his experiences in Doha over the last decade, "It's not changing as much as you would think – not as much as Dubai – but I think they are just taking things a bit more slowly, with more strategy behind. It's a great place."

While Australian journalist Scott Macintyre is back in Doha after 18 months and is seeing massive changes, "The landscape and the skyline are changing almost constantly and I'm sure there will be more positive signs in the build-up to 2022."

First time visitors like myself are often saying they expected Qatar to be more advanced, but it isn't a copy of Dubai which I feel is good. The city has its own charms and has character, which I feel is very important.

The beautiful Khalifa Stadium hosted a great opening ceremony and more then 37,000 spectators turned up but after conceding the first goal the people started going home.