Japan U23 v Spain U23s - as it happened
Join us for live coverage of the men's Olympic semi-final between Japan and Spain at the Saitama Stadium. The winners will face Brazil in the final!
List of goalscorers
Match report in news
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120'FT: Japan 0-1 Spain! A lonely goal by Marco Asensio in the 115th minute is enough to avoid penalties and send Spain through to the final of the Olympic Games. Japan had a good game and will fight for the bronze medal against Mexico. Brazil already has an opponent for the final on 7th August, SPAIN!!. Thank you very much for joining us and see you next time!
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120'120+1: It could be Japan's last chance, many players in Spain's box.
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120'Three added minutes!!
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119'Spain are just trying to waste as much time as possible while Japan are looking for an equaliser.
Substitution
at Japón U23
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118'Last Japan sub: Hashioka on for Tanaka.
Yellow card
a España U23
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116'Rafa Mir is cautioned for fouling Japan's goalkeeper.
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115'Yellow card for Asensio for taking off his shirt in celebration.
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114'ASENSIOOOOOOOO'S GOAL!!!!! The Real Madrid player has caught the Japan defence off guard and scores with a left footed shot beyond Kosei's reach. Japan 0-1 Spain! 5 minutes to go.
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109'Vallejo is cautioned after catching Soma in the face with his arm.
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108'Another chance for Spain, first for Rafa Mir and then Carlos Soler, but neither finds the back of the net.
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106'Underway again! 15 minutes or we'll go to penalties!
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106'Spain HT in ET sub: Miranda on for Cucurella.
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105'HT in ET: Japan 0-0 Spain!! That was very uneventful, to be honest. I'd be very surprised if this doesn't go to penalties. One chance for each team and not much more.
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105'105+1: One added minute!!
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102'Maeda's header almost ended up as a goal!!! It went over the crossbar. Clear chance for Japan who almost scored!!
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100'Good chance for Rafa Mir who crashes his strike at Itakura. Good chance for Spain.
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98'First yellow for Japan. Sakai is cautioned after a hard foul on Cucurella!
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96'Last Spain sub: Moncayola is coming on for Zubimendi.
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95'Remember that both teams are coming from extra-time in the quarter-finals as well.
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94'The two teams who are playing for a place in the final are very nervous.
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91'Spain get us underway in extra-time!
Substitution
at Japón U23
Substitution
at Japón U23
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91'Double change for Japan: Miyoshi on for Take Kubo and Maeda on for Doan.
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90'End of regulation: Japan 0-0 Spain!! We're going to extre-time!! Spain could have scored in the last few minutes but the Japanese goalkeeper prevented them from doing so. Spain played well, but Japan also wanted to win the match and go through to the final. Another 30 minutes of excitement.
Yellow card
a España U23
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90'Zubimendi gets a yellow to prevent Doan from going through on his own in front of the goalkeeper.
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90'Japan is taking no risks and hopes that the match will go to extra-time.
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90'Four extra minutes.
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89'Another chance for Spain, now it was Oyarzabal and again Kosei.
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88'Two missed chances for Spain, very well saved by Kosei. First Zubimendi and then Rafa Mir could have scored to avoid extra-time.
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82'Spain sub: Asension on for Pedri.
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77'Good chance for Kubo who gets the first shot on target so far in the match for Japan.
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75'Rafa Mir almost scored but Kosei again made another great save to keep it out.
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71'Only one shot on target for Spain so far in the match. And Japan still haven't had a shot on target!!!!
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70'Foul by Doan on Oyarzabal.
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68'Carlos Soler tries to surprise the Japanese defence but they are defending very well today.
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64'Double change for Japan: Soma on for Hatate and Ueda on for Hayashi.
Substitution
at España U23
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59'Double change for Spain: Carlos Soler on for Mikel Merino and Puado on for Dani Olmo.
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55'Yoshida fouled Merino and the referee gave a penalty and the centre-back was shown a yellow card.
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50'Mikel Merino is booked after a foul on Nakayama.
Substitution
at España U23
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46'Spain HT sub: Vallejon is coming on for Oscar Gil.
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46'Japan get us going again!
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46'We're back underway!
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45'HT: Japan 0-0 Spain!!! Half-time in Saitama and it was a fairly quiet first half, with a few chances for both teams, but without much danger. It's all to play for in the second half and the final is at stake to fight for the gold and silver medals.
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45'45+1: Last chance for Spain from the corner, but Kosei clears without problems.
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45'One added minute.
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43'Good move by Kubo who tries to cross but the Spanish defence clears it. Corner for Japan.
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40'Another foul by Zubimendi on Tanaka.
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36'Good chance for Rafa Mir who was alone in front of the goalkeeper but Kosei made a good save.
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34'Good cross from Nakayama which Endo tries to get on the end of but fails to score.
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30'Good ball from Pedri to Oscar Gil who crossed for Oyarzabal but he shot over the crossbar. Another good chance for Spain, who are once again hanging around the box.
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28'Rafa Mir's attacking foul as he tried to head in a good cross from Cucurella.
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26'Merino fouls Doan and it's a Japan free-kick.
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23'Now it seems that it is Japan who have the initiative and are trying to reach Unai Simon's goal.
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20'Foul by Cucurella on Sakai.
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15'First 15 minutes of the match and both teams have had a clear chance, they are still respectful of each other and we are waiting for the first goal.
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14'Offside Hayashi who was alone in front of the goalkeeper.
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12'First yellow card of the match for Oscar Gil for a foul on Endo.
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10'It should be remembered that these two teams met in a friendly on 17th July and the match ended 1-1 with goals from Doan and Soler.
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8'Both teams started well, but Spain took the initiative and Japan hardly had any ball possession.
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5'Mikel Merino almost scored after a defensive mistake that the Spaniard took advantage of. He was alone in the box but his header went over the crossbar.
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4'First foul by Hayashi on Pau Torres.
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3'First corner for Spain after Endo's clearance. Spain start attacking!!
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1'Japan get us going from right to left in blue!! Spain wears all white!
Start of match
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PRVWYoshida and Merino, the two captains, come together for the coin toss and we're about to start!
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PRVWThe anthems have been played! The match is about to start.
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PRVWThe players are out here and we are ready for the anthems!
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PRVWWe already know the team that will wait for Japan or Spain in the final, Brazil has beaten Mexico in the penalty shootout 4-1! First finalist of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games!!!
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PRVWWe'll have ET and penalties if required.
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PRVWIt's 29 degrees and sunny in Saitama for this one at 7.45pm.
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PRVWThe referee for the match will be Kevin Ortega from Peru, with New Zealand's Mark Rule on VAR.
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PRVWSpain also made three changes, the two full-backs and Rafa Mir for Asensio after his hat-trick in the quarter-finals.
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PRVWJapan have changed almost the whole defence from the last match, with only Yoshida repeating in the starting XI.
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PRVWSpain, however, drew two group matches and won another. In the quarter-finals they managed to beat Ivory Coast 5-2 in extra time. The Spaniards will try to fight for a place in the final.
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PRVWJapan have won all their games at these Olympic Games, the last one against New Zealand on penalties. Good run for the hosts who will be looking to beat Spain to advance to the final.
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PRVWSpain XI: Unai Simon (GK); Cucurella, Pau Torres, Eric Garcia, Oscar; Merino, Zubimendi, Pedri; Oyarzabal, Rafa Mir, Dani Olmo.
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PRVWJapan XI: Kosei (GK); Nakayama, Itakura, Yoshida, Sakai; Hatate, Endo, Kubo, Tanaka, Doan; Hayashi.
Pre-match
03 August 2021, 13:00
Referee: Kevin Ortega | VAR: Matt Conger
Stadium: Saitama Stadium 2002
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PRVWHello and welcome to live coverage of the men's Olympic semi-final between Japan and Spain!