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Australia, Japan win last Asian Cup qualifiers

Australia qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup finals with a 1-0 defeat of Indonesia while Japan finished top in their group with a face-saving 2-0 against Bahrain on Wednesday.

Australia controlled possession for long periods of their lopsided match but had only defender Mark Milligan’s 42^nd-minute goal to show for all their dominance in Group B.

Australia ended the round with three wins, two draws and a defeat for 11 points, and Indonesia with a 0-3-3 record to be placed bottom.

In Toyota, Japan whipped Bahrain with forward Shinji Okazaki and Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda being on target in the 36^th minute and in injury time. Hong Kong drew with Yemen 0-0 at home.

Japan ended with five wins against one defeat for 15 points, ahead of Bahrain on 12 points, Yemen on seven and Hong Kong on one point.

Both Japan and Bahrain had already qualified for next January’s Asian Cup in Qatar.

“I can only be happy with the result, but of course we would have been happier if we had scored more goals,” Australia coach Pim Verbeek said.

“I think we tried everything to score more goals. Defensively we played concentrated and didn’t give anything away, but attacking-wise we know it’s difficult to play against a team that’s defending with nine players in their own half.”

With midfielder Jason Culina, leading his country for the first time and always on the ball, the Socceroos had virtually all the play but lacked the cutting edge against out-of-contention Indonesia.

Australia dominated the opening half, controlling possession and probing for openings, but engineered few definite scoring chances until Milligan’s opener three minutes before half-time.

Luke Wilkshire’s free kick hit Milligan’s shoulder and on to the bar before the Japan-based defender swivelled and rifled the rebound past goalkeeper Markus Harison for his first international goal.

The Australians almost doubled their advantage in added-on time when defender Simon Colosimo’s bullet-header off a corner was tipped over the bar by Harison.

The Indonesians’ best chances in the opening half came through Budi Sudarsono, but Eugene Galekovic had a quiet time in the Australian goal.

Japanese-based target man Josh Kennedy had several heading opportunities off crosses from promising 18-year-old debutant Tommy Oar and Dinamo Moscow utility Wilkshire, but was unable to convert any of the chances.

Meanwhile, Okazaki scored for Japan with a diving header in the 36^th minute, from a right cross sent into the penalty area by Grenoble midfielder Daisuke Matsui.

Two minutes into injury time, CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda headed Japan’s second goal, from an Atsushi Uchida cross.

“I missed a shot on Shunsuke Nakamura’s pass shortly before, so I was determined to score this time,” said Okazaki.

Honda said: “I missed so many shots so I feel relieved that I scored finally.”

Japan coach Takeshi Okada also appeared relieved after the team’s dismal performances at the East Asian championship, where they finished third place at home.

“We went into the game saying we have no excuse, we must win, and my players did exactly what I had asked them to do,” said Okada.

“But we had so many decisive chances. We should have scored more goals. But I’m satisfied that we scored another in the very end.

“Honda plays in quite a different style from old days. He also defended very well. His existence improves our performance,” added Okada.