India run into formidable Japan in Asian Games football

Malaysia (Group A),Vietnam (Group B) and Uzbekistan (Group E) also made it to the round of 16 as other third-placed teams.

The top two teams from each of four groups and the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the Round of 16.

Asian powerhouse Japan,who topped Group A this time,had susprisingly not won Asian Games title not even once. Their runners-up finish to Iran in 2002 Busan edition was their best so far in the competition while they had also bagged the bronze on two occasions — in 1951 (New Delhi) and 1966.

India,on the other hand,had won the title twice – in 1951 at home and in 1962 in Jakarta — and a bronze in 1970 in Bangkok. Since then they have reached the knock-out stage only once — in 1982 at home again — before this edition. India and Japan have met five times against each other in the Asian Games so far. India had won twice — in 1954 (3-2) and in 1962 (2-0) — when the country was an Asian powerhouse.

Japan won in 1966 (2-1),in 1970 (1-0) and in 1998 (1-0).