I must admit that due to time difference and media coverage in this part of the world, I have not seen any matches of the 2011 Asian Cup in the future World Cup hosts of Qatar. However, I will have to try to watch the final this next Saturday against two giants that I have found excellent to watch in the last two World Cups: Australia was great in 2006, barely losing to Italy, and fought well in a difficult group in 2010. Although they only recently became part of the Asian football Federation, I think this has only made Asian (and Australian) football stronger.
Japan has been in every World Cup since 1998, and been steadily improving, this last World Cup beating Denmark and playing an intense match with Paraguay in the last-16, only being eliminated on penalty kicks.
In fact, the two teams faced one another in the 2006 World Cup, with a resulting 3-1 victory for Australia.
Japan is in the final after an intense match with another of Asia's giants and their close rival, South Corea. The match ended 2-2, with a last minute equalizer from the Coreans, but the Japanese were coolest from the penalty spot, where South Corea missed every single kick! Australia on the other hand trashed one of the surprises of the tournament, Uzbekistan, 6-0.
The final between these nations should be a great match, and I hope to be able to watch it!
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