Roundup: Japan ease to third straight win in AFC Asian Cup

Japan produced an effortless display to sweep aside Jordan 2-0 in Melbourne on Tuesday, confirming they would qualify for the knockout stages of the AFC Asian Cup on top of Group D.

Goals in either half from Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa proved enough for Japan, who were barely forced to move out of second gear to defeat an industrious Jordan outfit.

Iraq would join Japan in progressing from Group D, overcoming a plucky Palestine side 2-0 in Canberra in the simultaneous fixture, thanks to second-half goals from Younus Mahmood and Ahmed Yasin.

The two results meant it was the first time in Asian Cup history that not a single draw was recorded throughout the group stages of the tournament.

Japan had already brought the sold out Melbourne crowd of 25,016 to their feet in the early stages of the match when Takashi Inui pierced the back of the net. However, the referee ruled the ball had gone out for a goal kick in the build up to the chance, silencing their vocal fans.

But they seemed destined to again unlock a brittle Jordanian defence. Amer Shafi turned Shinji Okazaki' s shot wide, but Honda was straight onto the rebound, touching home into an empty net.

Had it not been for Shafi, Japan could have been further in front. The Jordanian goalkeeper produced a fine reflex save to deny Masato Morishige's glancing header.

Japan continued to pepper the Jordanian goal, with Kagawa's fine pass setting Okazaki through for a second time. But the striker shot into the side netting, as Samarai Blue were forced to settle for a one-goal advantage at the break.

In Canberra, Iraq was hoping to follow Japan's lead. A surging run from Yasin resulted in a promising opportunity for Dhurgham Ismail, but the defender fired his shot over the bar.

Despite a scrappy Iraq side dominating the contest, they couldn't find a way past Palestine goalkeeper Tawfiq Abdulhammad, who was enjoying a fine half.

But that would change just moments after the restart. Following a number of chances, Mahmood' s luck finally changed and the Iraqi striker nodded home from a corner to all but guarantee his side' s spot in the quarter finals.

In Melbourne, a similar pattern was unfolding. Japan emerged from the tunnel looking to kill off the contest and nearly did through Okazaki. The striker' s fine turn fooled his marker, but a brave Shafi quickly closed down his shot.

In the nation's capital, the goal had stunned Palestine into life and now the Asian Cup minnows were attempting to secure their first ever point in the tournament.

Iraq had been sloppy and a misplaced back-pass created an opportunity for Ashraf Nu'man. However, the legs of Jalal Hassan brilliantly kept out his shot.

That wastefulness with soon translate to their play in the final third, with Mahmood missing a glorious chance to give Iraq a two-goal cushion.

Justin Meram had been fouled inside the area, but Mahmooud couldn't double his tally for the evening, with Abdulhammad producing a fine save to deny the spot kick.

In Melbourne, Jordan was beginning to trouble their highly fancied opposition, but yet it was still Japan who was enjoying the majority of the chances. Yasuhito Endo shot over the bar from 20 yards, before Honda and Kagawa were denied from similar distances, as Jordan held firm.

Palestine was also clinging to life in Canberra, with Iraq beginning to find their rhythm. Mahmood was in terrific form and quickly put the penalty miss behind him, seeing one shot blocked before his next was hacked off the line by Khaled Salem.

Eventually, after somewhat of a slog for Iraq, they doubled their advantage. Yasin was the scorer, hitting a sweet first-time effort that squeezed home from the edge of the area.

Finding the back of the net was proving easier in Melbourne. With Jordan sending numbers forward, Japan countered and found a second through Kagawa. On the receiving end of Yoshinori Muto's cross, the Borussia Dortmund attacker produced a routine finish from close range to make it 2-0.

Both Honda and Ali Adnan would come ever so close to adding a third late for their respective sides late in the match, but both were denied by the upright.

It made little difference, as Japan set up a quarter-final tie with the United Arab Emirates in Sydney. Meanwhile Iraq will face Iran in Canberra.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Japan manager Javier Aguirre was coy on his team's chances of securing back-to-back Asian Cup titles.

"From my experience at Copa Americas and World Cups, I say our chances are the same as the other seven teams," he said. "We start from zero. We must fight for 90 minutes and respect our opponent."

Meanwhile Jordan manager Ray Wilkins said the defeat showed the gulf in class between the two sides.

"Naturally I'm very disappointed to be heading back tomorrow, but we were beaten by an exceptionally good Japanese side," he told reporters after the match. "Their passing and movement was exceptional.

"It just showed the gulf in class of the two teams. That's what we have to aspire to, to be as good as those Japanese players and hopefully one day we can achieve that.

"It's going to take a very, very good team to beat them." Endit