The record number of consecutive games without a draw at a major tournament set at the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 was extended to 24 on Tuesday as the competition’s group stage concluded.
Japan’s 2-0 Group D victory over Jordan, and Iraq’s defeat of Palestine by a similar scoreline, ensured that Asia’s premier competition stretched the sequence of positive results yet again after surpassing the original record on Sunday, and then adding to it a day later when both Iran and Bahrain recorded three-point hauls.
The 16th edition of Asia’s premier tournament etched itself into the record books at the weekend when the run of winning games reached 20 with victories for Korea Republic and Oman beating the previous mark of 18 that the 2015 Asian Cup had shared with the 1930 FIFA World Cup.
Milestone
No major tournament, including FIFA World Cups, European Championships, Copa Americas, CONCACAF Gold Cups and Africa Cup of Nations, in the ensuing eight decades saw the number of games without a draw set at the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay equaled, until the AFC Asian Cup matched and then surpassed that milestone over the past four days as the competition continues to showcase entertaining and exciting football.
Keisuke Honda scored for the third consecutive game as defending champions Japan finally confirmed their place in the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 with a 2-0 win over a brave Jordan in Group D.
Jordan’s hopes of an appearance in the last eight ended as Iraq claimed second place in Group D after beating Palestine in Canberra; Japan will face Group C runners-up the United Arab Emirates in Sydney on Friday for a place in the semi-finals.
In the other match, goals from Younus Mahmood and Ahmed Yasin led Iraq into the A quarter-finals and a meeting with arch-rivals Iran, after a 2-0 victory against Palestine at Canberra Stadium.
