SPAIN beat Japan 1-0 after extra-time in their Olympic football semi-final in Saitama thanks to Marco Asensio’s late goal.
Follow all the action with our live blog below…
SPANISH EXUBERANCE
Quite excited it seems, the Spanish admin. Quite right, too.
GOING AGAIN
Both teams still have something to play for.
Japan will face Mexico on Friday for the bronze medal.
Saturday’s final will be Spain vs Brazil.
Good that all four teams experienced extra-time too, no excuses!
HALA MADRID
Two Madrid stars with the crucial moments of today’s semi-finals
OLYMPICS FINAL
So it’ll be Spain vs Brazil for the Olympic gold after this extra-time win.
Marco Asensio’s goal with a few minutes left of extra-time the difference.
What a final that promises to be!
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!
FULL-TIME: JAPAN 0-1 SPAIN AET
JAPAN 0-1 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
120+3′ Spain go up the park after winning the header and are 3v1! The final ball is poor and Japan clear up the park.
Yoshida is still up the park and flicks on for Ueda who flicks a cross in before the flag is up.
That should be that!
JAPAN 0-1 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
120+1′ Spain have a corner and continue to run the seconds away.
JAPAN 0-1 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
Three minutes added
JAPAN 0-1 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
117′ Rafa Mir is shown a YELLOW CARD before Spain win a free kick at their own corner flag.
Looking to run the clock down now the Spanish.
JAPAN 0-1 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
Booked for his celebration as he wheels away with his shirt spinning above his head!
A moment of class from the Real Madrid star.
He picks the ball up on the right side of the area, works it onto his left foot and bends it into the far corner away from Tani.
Superb finish from the only bit of quality in 117 minutes.
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL!!!!
MARCO ASENSIO LOOKS LIKE HE HAS WON IT FOR SPAIN!
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
114′ Oyarzabal with the ball on the left of the box and somehow works his way into the six-yard box but his final ball is blocked.
Great play but he should be doing better.
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
110′ Great chance for Japan!
Moncayola with a poor header away and it lands at Miyoshi’s feet inside the area. He takes one touch to steady himself then fires it at goal.
Moncayola makes amends with a great block, throwing himself in front of the ball.
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
110′ Soma with a burst of pace to go round the outside of Vallejo.
The full-back catches the winger with his studs on the bottom of the shin and gets a YELLOW CARD.
Dangerous position, wide on the left of the box.
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
108′ Itakura with another important touch from the next Asensio cross.
It comes back to Soler 25 yards from goal but his effort is wild and miles over the bar.
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
107′ Yoshida is forced out wide to deal with Asensio.
But the defender does well to block the attempted cross.
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
Spain change at the break:
- OFF – Cucurella
- ON – Miranda
PEEEEEEEEP!
Back under way. Prove me wrong chaps!
WE KNOW WHERE IT’S GOING
Just go straight to penalties now.
Neither side is going to score here.
PEEEEEEEEP!
HT in ET: JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
105′ Oyarzabal hangs a ball up this time and Tani collects comfortably.
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
One minute added
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
104′ Cucurella with another good ball from the left to pick out Rafa Mir.
The forward is on the penalty spot though and doesn’t generate enough power in the header and it’s an easy stop by Tani.
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
CLOSE!!
102′ It’s Japan who push forward this time down the left.
Maeda splits the centre-backs and meets the cross from the left, seven yards out and heads over under pressure!
JAPAN 0-0 SPAIN – EXTRA-TIME
101′ Great chance for Rafa Mir again.
He shows good power to drive into the box towards the right before striking at goal. A sliding Itakura gets in another fabulous block.
Rafa Mir again had Puado in space waiting for a pass across goal.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
