Japan blasts Asian Cup ‘stupidity’

ABU DHABI: Japan captain Maya Yoshida has warned that problems on and off the pitch are embarrassing the Asian Cup as the Blue Samurai prepare to face Qatar in Friday’s final.

The Southampton defender called on tournament organisers to deal swiftly with incidents of “stupidity” that, according to Yoshida, risk damaging the reputation of Asian football. His plea came as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) confirmed to AFP that it had received a protest over the eligibility of two Qatari players from host country the United Arab Emirates and were investigating.

“I think the AFC should control stuff about penalties and suspensions,” Yoshida said Thursday, noting also that Japan’s tempestuous 3-0 semi-final victory over Iran had ended with rival players almost coming to blows.

“But I would mention that if (the tournament) is broadcast all over the world, you don’t want to see any stupid things, especially after the game,” he added. The tournament slogan has rung hollow in the Emirates, where finalists Qatar have been frequently abused by hostile local fans over the Gulf blockade of the tiny, energy-rich state.