Group D of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup was one of four groups of nations competing at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. The group's first round of matches were played on 12 January, the second round on 16 January, and the final round on 20 January. All six group matches were played at venues in Australia. The group consisted of title holders Japan, Jordan, Iraq and Palestine. Japan and Iraq advanced as group winners and runners-up respectively, while Jordan and Palestine were eliminated.
Teams Draw position Team Method ofqualification Date ofqualification Finalsappearance Lastappearance Previous bestperformance FIFA Rankings March 2014 Start of event D1 2011 AFC Asian Cup winners 25 January 2011 8th 2011 Winners (1992, 2000, 2004, 2011) 48 54 D2 Group A runners-up 4 February 2014 3rd 2011 Quarter-finals (2004, 2011) 66 93 D3 Group C runners-up 5 March 2014 8th 2011 Winners (2007) 103 114 D4 2014 AFC Challenge Cup winners 30 May 2014 1st — — 167 115
Notes
Standings
In the quarter-finals: Japan advanced to play United Arab Emirates (runner-up of Group C). Iraq advanced to play Iran (winner of Group C).
Matches Japan vs Palestine Japan kicked off the defence of their AFC Asian Cup title as Javier Aguirre's side notched up an empathic 4–0 win over tournament debutants and rivals Palestine at Newcastle Stadium. Yasuhito Endō, Shinji Okazaki, Keisuke Honda and Maya Yoshida were all on the scorer as the four-time continental champions showed their class to pick up all three points on a blustery evening.Japan far too strong for Palestine
Palestine, appearing in the competition for the first time after winning the AFC Challenge Cup in May 2014, finished the game with 10 men after Ahmed Harbi was sent-off for a late challenge on Shinji Kagawa that earned him a second booking after being cautioned in first half injury time. Aguirre made his intentions clear from the start by fielding a full strength line-up against Palestine and it took just eight minutes for the defending champions to notch their opening goal. Endo, earning his 149th cap for his country and making a Japanese record 18th appearance at the AFC Asian Cup, took aim from 25 yards out and his low left foot strike gave Ramzi Saleh little chance as it settled into the goalkeeper's bottom right corner. By the 25th minute, Japan had doubled their lead with Okazaki showing razor sharp reflexes to head Kagawa's shot from the edge of the area past Saleh. And just a minute before the half-time break Honda made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after Kagawa was brought down by Mus'ab Al-Batat. Palestine saw little of the ball in the opening 45 minutes, although Ismail Al-Amour fashioned a rare opportunity five minutes before the break, only to drag his effort from the edge of the area across the face of goal.Asian Cup: Japan thumps Palestine 4-0 to begin defence of continental crown
There was little let-up from Japan at the beginning of the second half with Endo trying his luck again from long distance – this time with his right foot – but Saleh was equal to the task, turning the ball around his right post. Seconds later, though, Yoshida headed home Japan's fourth, rising highest to nod in Kagawa's corner as the gulf in class between the teams became ever more apparent. Mahajna's sending off threatened to cause further problems for Palestine but, despite being down to 10 men, central defender Abdelatif Bahdari almost claimed a consolation goal eight minutes from time when his flying header went just wide. Gōtoku Sakai and Yoshinori Muto both tried their luck in the dying minutes to extend Japan's lead, but in the end the titleholders commenced their defence of the trophy in a convincing manner.Asian Cup: Japan's Keisuke Honda criticises standard of refereeing in Palestine encounter
GK 1 Eiji KawashimaRB 21Gōtoku SakaiCB 22Maya YoshidaCB 6 Masato MorishigeLB 5 Yuto NagatomoDM17Makoto Hasebe (c)RM 4 Keisuke HondaCM 10Shinji KagawaCM 7 Yasuhito Endō LM 18Takashi Inui CF 9 Shinji Okazaki Substitutions:MF 8 Hiroshi Kiyotake MF 14Yoshinori Muto FW 11Yohei Toyoda Manager: Javier Aguirre GK 21Ramzi Saleh (c)RB 18Mus'ab Al-BatatCB 4 Ahmed Harbi CB 15Abdelatif Bahdari LB 14Abdullah JaberCM 20Khader Yousef CM 23Murad Ismail SaidRW 10Ismail Al-Amour LW 7 Ashraf Nu'man SS 19Abdelhamid AbuhabibCF 16Mahmoud Eid Substitutions:MF 8 Hesham Salhe DF 12Tamer Salah DF 3 Hussam Abu Saleh Manager:Ahmed Al Hassan
Man of the Match: Shinji Okazaki (Japan)
Assistant referees: Taleb Salem Al-Marri (Qatar) Ramzan Saeed Al-Naemi (Qatar) Fourth official: Mohd Amirul Izwan (Malaysia) Fifth official: Mohd Yusri Muhamad (Malaysia)
Jordan vs Iraq Yaser Kasim scored a late winner as 2007 AFC Asian Cup champions Iraq produced a gritty 1–0 victory over 10-man Jordan at Brisbane Stadium to move level on points with Japan, and also became the first ever group stage loss of Jordanian team. Kasim struck with 13 minutes remaining in the crucial meeting between the Arab rivals ahead of their clash with Japan on 16 January. But while Iraq had more of the possession by a comfortable margin, both sides were starved for clear-cut chances in the opening half. Iraq thought they had created a chance in the 16th minute when Kasim picked out Younis Mahmoud, but Tareq Khattab came to the rescue by snuffing out the iconic striker with a sliding tackle.
Jordan coach Ray Wilkins had said a day earlier that if his team failed to qualify for the quarter-finals it would not be because of a lack of effort, and his troops proved the former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder right with an industrious performance right down to the final whistle. But equally, Jordan struggled over the last third of the pitch, missing that touch of creativity necessary to penetrate Iraq's defense as striker Odai Al-Saify was free in front of goal a minute before the hour mark only to float a back-header over the crossbar. During the following sequence, Mohammad Mustafa had another chance for Jordan from the heart of the penalty area, but mishit the ball, shooting harmlessly into the arms of goalkeeper Jalal Hasan.Jordan 0-1 Iraq: Kasim steals win with late goal
But just when a draw appeared to be on the horizon, Iraq put an end to the stalemate in the 77th minute through Kasim, who slashed his way into the penalty area from right angle before pulling the trigger and seeing his shot deflected off Khattab to wrong-foot goalkeeper Amer Shafi. The momentum continued to swing in Iraq's favor as in the 84th minute Jordan defender Anas Bani Yaseen was given his marching orders after collecting a second booking for a late shoulder charge on Saad Abdul-Amir.Asian Cup 2015: Iraq take points against Jordan in lacklustre game
GK 1 Amer Shafi (c)RB 11Oday ZahranCB 3 Tareq KhattabCB 19Anas Bani Yaseen LB 21Mohammad Al-DmeiriDM 5 Mohammad MustafaRM13Khalil Bani Attiah LM 18Ahmed Elias AM 9 Ahmed Sariweh CF 10Ahmad HayelCF 8 Odai Al-Saify Substitutions:MF 23Yousef Al-Rawashdeh FW 7 Mahmoud Za'tara MF 14Abdallah Deeb Manager: Ray Wilkins GK 12Jalal HasanRB 23Waleed SalemCB 2 Ahmad IbrahimCB 14Salam ShakerLB 15Dhurgham IsmailCM 5 Yaser Kasim CM 21Saad Abdul-AmirRW 7 Amjad Kalaf AM 17Alaa Abdul-Zahra LW 11Humam Tariq CF 10Younis Mahmoud (c) Substitutions:FW 8 Justin Meram MF 9 Ahmed Yasin MF 13Osama Rashid Manager:Radhi Shenaishil
Man of the Match: Yaser Kasim (Iraq)
Assistant referees: Badr Al-Shumrani (Saudi Arabia) Abdulah Al Shalwai (Saudi Arabia) Fourth official: Hettikamkanamge Perera (Sri Lanka) Fifth official: Palitha Hemathunga (Sri Lanka)
Palestine vs Jordan Hamza Al-Dardour became only the fourth player in the history of the AFC Asian Cup to score four goals in a single game as two-time quarter-finalists Jordan kept their knockout stage hopes alive with a resounding 5–1 win over Palestine. Yousef Al-Rawashdeh's eye-catching strike 12 minutes before half-time at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium settled any nerves for Jordan, who had previously not won a match since their final AFC Asian Cup qualifier in March 2013 having suffered a 1–0 defeat by Iraq in their tournament opener.Asian Cup 2015: Jordan beat Palestine 5-1, as Hamza Aldaradreh bags four goals
And with recalled striker Al Dardour netting twice inside the final ten minutes of the first half before scoring twice inside the final 15 minutes, Jordan would remain in Melbourne to face defending champions Japan on 20 January still in contention to maintain their 100% record of qualifying for the quarter-finals. Debutants Palestine, though, would travel to Canberra to face Iraq facing an uphill battle to still progress having earlier lost 4–0 to Japan despite Jaka Ihbeisheh netting their historic first AFC Asian Cup goal with five minutes remaining.Asian Cup 2015: Palestine 1-5 Jordan
With both sides looking to bounce back from opening defeats, 2014 AFC Challenge Cup winners Palestine almost opened the scoring after just five minutes as only an alert one-handed save from Jordan goalkeeper Amer Shafi turned Hesham Salhe's vicious dipping strike from 25 yards onto the crossbar. Jordan did settle into the contest as the half progressed, although Palestine goalkeeper Ramzi Saleh remained largely untested as Abdallah Deeb flashed an effort just wide of the post midway through the opening 45 minutes. But Saleh could do little 12 minutes before half-time as Jordan quickly worked the ball across and into the left hand corner of the penalty area for Ahmad, and with the midfielder given time to steady himself and pick his spot, he expertly curled the ball into the top corner past the despairing dive of the Palestine goalkeeper.Asian Cup: Japan hold off Iraq as Jordan hammer Palestine
Less than two minutes later Saleh was again beaten as the custodian was drawn out of position by Deeb as the striker charged into the area before the Jordan forward played the ball across the six yard area for Al Dardour to slide in bravely at the back post. And with the last kick of the first half Jordan added a third in stoppage time as Al Dardour, who did not feature during the opening defeat by Iraq, stabbed home from close range as Saleh was unable to cut out Odai Al-Saify's drilled first-time cross. Palestine looked to recover from a disastrous end to the first half and came out strongly after half-time, with only a superb one-handed block from Shafi denying Abdelhamid Abuhabib, although at the other end, Saleh had to be on his toes to push Oday Zahran's lofted effort over the crossbar. Ahmed Al Hassan's side continued to press in the closing stages, but with 15 minutes remaining, Al Dardour completed his hat-trick with a superb solo goal as the striker coolly beat Saleh having picked the ball up just inside Palestine's half. And five minutes later, Al Dardour joined Iranian duo Behtash Fariba and Ali Daei and Bahrain's Ismail Abdul-Latif on the list of players to score four goals at the AFC Asian Cup as the striker stabbed home Zahran's cross from just outside the six yard area. There was, though, still time for Palestine to net their first AFC Asian Cup goal as Ihbeisheh netted from close range with five minutes remaining.Jordan thrash winless Palestine 5-1 to keep hopes aliveAsian Cup: Jordan hammers Palestine 5-1 as Hamza al Daradreh scores four goals
GK 21Ramzi Saleh (c) RB 18Mus'ab Al-BatatCB 15Abdelatif BahdariCB 12Tamer SalahLB 14Abdullah JaberRM 3 Hussam Abu Saleh CM 8 Hesham Salhe CM 23Murad Ismail SaidLM 13Jaka IhbeishehSS 19Abdelhamid AbuhabibCF 7 Ashraf Nu'man Substitutions:FW 10Ismail Al-Amour FW 16Mahmoud Eid MF 20Khader Yousef Manager:Ahmed Al Hassan GK 1 Amer Shafi (c)RB 11Oday ZahranCB 3 Tareq KhattabCB 5 Mohammad MustafaLB 21Mohammad Al-DmeiriDM 18Ahmed EliasRM 8 Odai Al-SaifyLM 23Yousef Al-Rawashdeh AM 6 Saeed Murjan CF 20Hamza Al-Dardour CF 14Abdallah DeebSubstitutions:MF 13Khalil Bani Attiah MF 9 Ahmed Sariweh MF 15Mohammad Al-Dawud Manager: Ray Wilkins
Man of the Match: Hamza Al-Dardour (Jordan)
Assistant referees: Jeong Hae-sang (South Korea)