Karimi hat trick
\nputs Iran into
\nAsian Cup semis<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse
\nJinan, China<\/p>\n
An Ali Karimi hat trick shot Iran into the Asian Cup
\nsemifinals on Saturday as the three-time champion came through a
\nseven-goal thriller to down South Korea 4-3.<\/p>\n
Karimi's third on 77 minutes finally put paid to some dogged
\nresistance from the 2002 World Cup semifinalist, which had three
\ntimes come back from a goal down.<\/p>\n
South Korea had threatened to pull off the greatest of escapes
\nafter Park Jin-sub's own goal early in the second half, with
\ndefender Kim Nam-il's speculative shot leveling the scores at 3-3
\nwith 20 minutes to go.<\/p>\n
But Karimi, whose first-half double had ignited the
\nquarterfinal, managed to get on the end of a free kick from Asian
\nPlayer of the Year Mehdi Mahdavikia to settle the encounter.<\/p>\n
The result sets up a mouth-watering semifinal between Iran and
\nhost China, whose coach Arie Haan was among the 31,500 crowd.<\/p>\n
The Asian giants, who have won the Asian Cup five times
\nbetween them, had earlier slugged it out to 2-2 at half-time with
\nthe Koreans twice pegging back goals from Karimi.<\/p>\n
Karimi put Iran ahead after just 10 minutes, nodding past
\nKorean 'keeper Lee Woon-jae after Hossein Kaebi hooked across the
\nface of goal.<\/p>\n
But South Korea hit back just six minutes later as Seol Ki-
\nhyeon volleyed home a Park Ji-sung cross from close range.<\/p>\n
Karimi placed another downward header past Lee before
\ntournament top-scorer Lee Dong-gook tucked away a left-footed
\nvolley from a deflected cross on 25 minutes.<\/p>\n
Also in the first half, Iranian defender Ebrahim Taghipour was
\ndriven out of the stadium in an ambulance following a sickening
\nclash of heads with Korean striker Seol.<\/p>\n
In Chongqing, holder Japan defeated Jordan to reach the final
\nfour of the tournament after a controversial penalty shoot-out
\nthat saw a switch of ends after heated protests by the champion.<\/p>\n
Goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was the hero for Japan,
\npulling off two stunning saves from Jordanian spot-kicks to put
\nhis team into a last four meeting with Bahrain on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The match had gone to penalties after an absorbing 120 minutes
\nof soccer saw the two sides locked at 1-1, Japan striker Takayuki
\nSuzuki's 14th-minute goal canceling out Jordan's early headed
\nopener by Mahmoud Shelbaieh.<\/p>\n
But the shoot-out exploded into controversy after Japan
\ndemanded a switch of ends after missing its opening two spot-
\nkicks, leaving Jordan fuming.<\/p>\n
Jordan squandered three penalties that would have won it the
\nmatch after Malaysian referee Mohd Subkhiddin ordered the change
\nof goals.<\/p>\n
Jordan coach Mahmoud Al-Gohary said the decision had cost his
\nteam victory.<\/p>\n
\"We need to have the players full concentration when they are
\ndoing the penalty kicks, but the referee switched the goals and
\nwe lost our concentration,\" complained Al-Gohary.<\/p>\n
\"I have never seen the switch of the goal mouths in the
\npenalty kicks just because the other side demanded it,\" said
\ndowncast Jordan coach Mahmoud Al-Gohary. \"We tried to move it
\nback but they said no.\"<\/p>\n
Al-Gohary's Japan counterpart Zico admitted the switch of
\ngoals was unprecedented in his career.<\/p>\n
\"I've never seen a referee change sides during the penalty
\nshoot-out, but the referee is the final judge and we should obey
\nhis decision,\" Zico said.<\/p>\n
Asian Football Confederation officials told AFP that damage to
\nthe penalty spot on the disputed side led to the decision to
\nchange sides.<\/p>",
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