China held 2-2 draw with Japan
(footballasia.com)
Updated: 2005-08-04 08:56

DAEJEON - Japan salvaged a late 2-2 draw in their Asian Cup final rematch with China as Tatsuya Tanaka scored his first international goal with just three minutes left of the sides' East Asian Football Championship encounter on Wednesday.

China's forward Li Jinyu (L) celebrates with team mate Ji Mingyi after scoring against Japan in the first half of their East Asian Football Championship match in Taejon, South Korea August 3, 2005. China tie 2-2 with Japan in the match. [Reuters]

The Urawa Reds striker fired a searing drive past Chinese goalkeeper Li Leilei from almost 25 yards out to maintain Japan's slim hopes of winning the title, although those could evaporate altogether on Thursday evening if DPR Korea defeat Korea Republic in their first meeting in almost 12 years.

Li Jinyu and Zhang Yonghai had given China a 2-0 lead at half time only for Teruyuki Moniwa to pull one back for Zico's side 14 minutes after the restart.

Moniwa struck from close range when he was first to react to Li Leilei's parry after the goalkeeper beat Yuki Abe's 59th minute free kick away from goal. But the FC Tokyo defender was free to head home and, crucially, halve the Chinese lead.

It had all seemed so different at half time when, after making 11 changes to the starting line up, Japan looked set to slip to a second successive defeat despite dominating large periods of possession and creating the bulk of the game's chances.

The Brazilian fielded a hugely inexperienced side and that almost proved costly, especially in front of goal where the Japanese failed once again to turn their domination of possession into goals.

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