November 30, 2006	Thursday	Ziqa'ad 8, 1427

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DOHA, Nov 29: Asian football powerhouse Japan won their first match 3-2 at the Asian Games here on Wednesday but only after being given a big scare by Pakistan.

Having led 2-0 and 3-1, thanks to goals by Keisuke Honda and a double by Hiroyuki Taniguchi, they were pegged back to 3-2 with eight minutes remaining.

Their nerves were not helped by the sending off for a second bookable offence of Naoaki Aoyama.

The Japanese, runners-up in Busan at the last Games in 2002, took only two minutes to open their account as Keisuke Honda's delightfully curled freekick – after 16-year-old Ali Abbas had fouled Chikashi Masuda – beat Pakistani goalkeeper Jaffar Khan.

The Japanese pressed the Pakistanis hard in the opening 10 minutes but their shooting let them down.

Their opponents almost made them pay by nearly levelling in the 11th minute as a good move ended with captain Muhammad Essa volleying just wide.

Young J-League player of the year in 2005 Robert Cullen had gone close a couple of times but the 21-year-old Jubilo Iwata marksman – scorer of 13 goals last season – turned provider in the 32nd minute as his deft volleyed pass found Taniguchi, whose shot went in off the post.

Taniguchi added his second 11 minutes into the second-half reacting well to a miscued shot by Shinji Tsujio as the 21-year-old headed past Khan.

Four minutes later, though, Pakistan hit back as Muhammad Rasool's freekick took a slight deflection off a Japanese player in the wall and beat goalkeeper Kenya Matsui, who dived too late.

Pakistan almost had it back to just a goal between them with 15 minutes remaining but veteran Tanveer Ahmad saw his header flash past the post with Matsui beaten.

Japan should have had it all wrapped up a minute later as a great break down the left by Honda saw the 20-year-old deliver an inch perfect cross only for Tsujio to head straight at a grateful Khan.

That miss was made worse as Naveed Akram struck with eight minutes remaining, having been found unmarked by an excellent crossfield pass by Abdulaziz Aziz the 22-year-old hammered home a shot from outside the area which went in at the far post.

Results of other matches played on Wednesday:

India vs Hong Kong 1-1; Oman bt Malaysia 3-1; Japan bt Pakistan 3-2.—AFP