U17 Saudi Arabia and U17 Japan’s quarterfinal match at the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup was a captivating contest that went down to the penalty shootout.
Playing at home, the Saudi Arabian U17 team confidently aimed to defeat the tournament’s defending champion, Japan. The home side created several dangerous chances early on.
However, Saudi Arabia’s eagerness led to mistakes. In the 6th minute, defender Saeed handled the ball inside the penalty area. After reviewing the VAR, the referee awarded a penalty to Japan. Seguchi converted the penalty, giving Japan a 1-0 lead.
Trailing, the West Asian team intensified their attack and equalized after just 8 minutes. The referee awarded a penalty to Saudi Arabia after a Japanese defender fouled a home player inside the penalty box. Saeed, taking the penalty, redeemed himself, scoring to level the score at 1-1.
The match entered a decisive phase as the home side maintained momentum and controlled the game. In the 36th minute, Sufyani’s pass allowed Dahal to score, giving Saudi Arabia a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
Japan pressed in the second half, seeking an equalizer. Hiroto Asada’s goal in the 72nd minute leveled the score at 2-2, pushing the match into a penalty shootout.
With home-field advantage, the Saudi Arabian U17 team demonstrated greater composure, winning the penalty shootout 3-2 and advancing to the semifinals of the AFC U17 Asian Cup. Japan’s title defense ended.
Uzbekistan, considered a strong contender for the title, subsequently secured a comfortable victory over UAE. Early dominance showcased their championship potential. An early scoring opportunity by Abubakir Shukurullaev was unfortunately missed.
Khasanov also had a chance, but his shot from outside the box went wide. Uzbekistan’s breakthrough came in the 14th minute. From a free-kick around 25 meters out, Aliev’s curler found the back of the net, putting Uzbekistan ahead 1-0.
Building on this momentum, Sodikov’s cross led to Aliev’s goal in the 35th minute to extend Uzbekistan’s lead to 2-0. Shortly after, Sodikov added another goal from a penalty in the 45th minute, making it 3-0.
Despite their lead, Uzbekistan maintained a high-press throughout the second half. Aliev aimed for a hat trick but his shot struck the head of Ahmed Ekramy, resulting in a brief interruption of play.
In the 66th minute, UAE’s Mohamed Buti Almarar scored from a free kick, reducing the deficit to 1-3. Uzbekistan maintained their defense to secure a 3-1 win.
Uzbekistan’s victory secured their place in the semifinals of the AFC U17 Asian Cup. Their next opponent will be the winner of the match between Indonesia and North Korea, scheduled for 10 PM on April 14th.
Saudi Arabia will face the winner of the Korea vs. Tajikistan match (10 PM, April 15th) in the semifinals. The semifinals are scheduled for the evening of April 17th.
