Japan win 2024 Men’s AFC U-23 Title by beating Uzbekistan in final

Japan defeated Uzbekistan in the final to win the Men’s AFC U-23 Asian Cup for the second time. Japan had earlier won the tournament title in 2016.

In the final match played at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Japan won by a solitary goal and also qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics 

The 6th edition of AFC U-23 was held in Qatar from 15 April -3 May 2024. 

Gold for Japan, Silver for Uzbekistan, and Bronze for Iraq

Japan won the gold medal with the solitary goal scored by substitute Yamada in injury time.  The Japanese goalkeeper saved a penalty in the dying moments of the match to ensure the win for his team. He saved the penalty kick of Rahmonaliyev. 

With this win, the Japanese team won the gold medal, while the silver medal was awarded to the Uzbekistan team.

In the semifinal, the Iraqi team defeated the Indonesian team 2-1 to clinch the bronze medal.

2024 Paris Summer Olympic qualification  

 The 2024 Men’s  AFC U23 Asian cup was also a qualification tournament for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. The top three teams of the 2024 men’s AFC U23 tournament  were to automatically qualify for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

In the Olympics, football players under 23 years are allowed to participate. Japan has secured a spot in Group D of the Paris Olympics along with Mali, Israel and Paraguay.

Uzbekistan also qualified for the Paris Olympics and has been placed in group C along with Spain, Egypt and Dominican Republic.

Iraq has also qualified for the Paris Olympics.

Indonesia, which lost to Iraq in the semi-final, will now play Guinea to decide who will qualify for the Paris Olympics.

Performers at the  2024 AFC U 23  

• Fair Play Award - Uzbekistan. The award was received by Uzbekistan’s captain Jaloliddinov. 
• Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament-  Uzbekistan’s goalkeeper Nematov.
• Top Goalscorer of the Tournament -  Ali Jasim of Iraq. He scored four goals during the tournament.
• Most Valuable Player of the Tournament - Japanese team captain Fujita

2024 Men’s  AFC U 23 

• The 6th edition of the 2024 men’s AFC U-23 was held in Doha, Qatar, from 15 April -3 May 2024. 16 teams from Asia participated in the tournament.
• The 2024 Men’s AFC U 23  Asian Cup was organised by the Asian Football Confederation along with the host Qatar Football Association. 
• The men’s AFC U 23 is organised every two years. 
• The first championship was organised in 2013 in Oman which was won by Iraq. 
• In the 2022 championship, Saudi Arabia won the title.
• Japan is the most successful team, having won it in 2016 and 2024.