Yuya Osako had come into the side as Japan’s only change from their quarter-final and an inspired one it proved to be as he scored their opening two goals (56’, 67’) with Genki Haraguchi adding a late third (91’).

Iran had also made one change with Mehdi Taremi kept out having picked up his second yellow card and he was replaced by Vahid Amiri who returned following his own suspension. Osaka had replaced Koya Kitagawa up front.

Japan had said before the game that they would have to come out fast but neither team was able to take the ascendancy during the first quarter of an hour with the first real chance coming in the 17th minute when Japan’s captain Maya Yoshida headed past the far post direct from a corner.

Two minutes later and Ritsu Doan went even closer to the same upright but he was unable to make a clean enough contact with his left footed effort from the edge of the area.

Iran’s top scorer in the tournament, Sardar Azmoun, was already making a nuisance of himself up front and in the 22nd minute came close to breaking the deadlock.

He played a neat one-two with Ehsan Hajsafi but still had plenty of work to do when he managed to manoeuvre himself through the Japanese defence.

He then hit a shot that was heading for the far corner before Shuichi Gonda stuck out a leg to turn the ball for a corner. It proved to be the best chance of the half.

This spurred Iran into a period of pressure that Japan’s defence managed to withstand with Iran eventually changing tactics and pumping long balls up to Azmoun to chase.

Iran hadn’t been afraid to put in some stiff challenges and referee Chris Beath had to step in as tempers became overheated shortly before half-time with Omid Ebrahimi being shown a yellow card. It was going to be a busy night for the Aussie man in the middle.

Within two minutes of the restart Iran were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area after Hiroki Sakai handled but Ashkan Dejagah’s effort was well wide of Gonda’s left hand post.

In the 56th minute Japan took the lead and Iran could only blame themselves.

When Takumi Minamino went down at the edge of the area under a challenge by Hossein Kanaanizadegan five Iranian players began to surround Beath thinking that he was going to blow for a free kick.

However, he had waved play on and Minamino had already chased the ball to the goal line. He put in a delightful cross over three of the now retreating defenders to Osako who nodded the ball past Alireza Beiranvand (0-1).

The same two Japanese players were involved with their second goal. When Minamino tried to cross the ball from the left it struck Morteza Pouraliganji on the arm as he went to ground.

Beath immediately awarded a penalty and stuck to his decision after watching a replay following guidance from the Video Assistant Referee.

Four minutes after the original decision Osako stepped up and sent Beiranvand the wrong way for his second. It was the first time that Iran had let in more than one goal in sixteen games (0-2).

Despite winning all of their previous matches in the tournament Japan had been less than impressive but now they were full of confidence and started playing in their customary way.

The movement and quick distribution was back and they began to carve holes in Iran’s defence that hadn’t conceded at all during their first five games.

Eventually Iran started getting more possession but Japan’s defence was resolute and, in desperation, Team Melli were reduced to long range efforts all of which flew well wide or high.

In the first minute of stoppage time another neat interchange finished with Genki Haraguchi finding plenty of space to wrap things up for the Samurai Blue with a shot past Beiranvand at the near post.

This was a far more impressive Japan who have improved as the competition has gone on and now they have only one more hurdle to overcome if they are to take the Asian Cup for the fifth time out of the last eight tournaments.