Japan defeats Vietnam and enters the semi-finals of the Soccer Asian Cup, also thanks to the video evidence. Marcello Lippi fails with China.

Japan's national team has reached the semi-finals of the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

The record winner defeated surprise team Vietnam 1:0 (0:0) in Dubai. In the round of the last four, the Japanese will face Iran on Monday. The Iranians won 3:0 (2:0) against China with star coach Marcello Lippi on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.

Doan scores with penalty for Japan (Source)

Penalty after video proof

Ritsu Doan of the Dutch first division team FC Groningen scored the winning goal for Japan with a penalty kick (57th). Referee Mohammed Abdulla Hassan Mohamed (UAE) had allowed Doan to continue after a foul before the video referee (VAR) intervened.

The quarter-finals are the first round of the Asian Championship where VARs can be fielded. Haraguchi was in the starting eleven for Japan and was replaced after 78 minutes, Osako came on the field in the 72nd minute. Japan had already won the trophy in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011.

Queiroz defeats Lippi

Mehdi Taremi (18), Sardar Azmoun (38) and Karim Ansarifard (90) were successful for Iran. Iran's coach Carlos Queiroz, once responsible for Real Madrid among other things, thus won the duel of the top coaches against 2006 world champions Lippi. Iran and China last reached the round of the last four in 2004.

In Friday's quarter-finals, South Korea and Qatar will face defending champions Australia and hosts United Arab Emirates.