Doha: A 10-man Japan beat Syria 2-1 to stay unbeaten at the Asian Cup on Thursday.
Japan moved to the top of Group B on goals scored. It and Jordan each has four points, one more than Syria. Only the top two advance to the quarterfinals.
Midfielder Keisuke Honda scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 82nd minute after a foul on striker Shinji Okazaki.
Japan midfielder Makoto Hasebi opened the scoring off a pass from Daisuke Matsui in the 35th, but Syria striker Firas al-Khatib leveled with a penalty in the 76th after Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima was sent off for bringing down striker Sanharib Malki in the box.
Japan's players fiercely protested the referee's decision to award a penalty and hand a red card to Kawashima, claiming the linesman flagged offside before the foul was called.
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said the referee, Torky Mohsen of Iran, overruled the linesman's call because "the Syrian player was not offside and that our player was the last to play the ball."
Six minutes after the controversy, Mohsen awarded Japan a penalty after Syria defender Bilal Abduldaim fouled Okazaki.
Syria was also reduced to 10 in injury time when Nadim Sabag received a second yellow card.
"It was not a tough game," Zaccheroni said. "With 10 players we played like with 11 players."
Zaccheroni said the team recovered from the embarrassing 1-1 draw against Jordan on Sunday in the opening match and showed improvement.
"We could have scored (more) in the first half, but we didn't and it was still a one-sided game for Japan," he said.
He added he felt "the potential for Japan to go to the next round."
Syria stunned Saudi Arabia 2-1 on Sunday but squandered momentum by playing very defensively.
Despite the loss, Syria coach Tita Valeriu was satisfied.
"I was not hoping for a draw, I was hoping to win the match," Valeriu said. "We played very well and we were looking for three points, but we'll do our best (to get them) in the next game (on Monday against Jordan)."
The Romanian was confident Syria can beat Jordan to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
"After the match with Jordan we will qualify to the next stage," Valeriu said.
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