Holder Japan held off Iran to pick up the point it needed to finish top of Group D after a 0-0 draw at the Asian Cup in Chongqing on Wednesday evening.
Takayuki Suzuki shows his disappointment after missing an open goal in the first half of Japan's Asian Cup match against Iran in Chongqing, China. The matched ended in a scoreless draw.
Japan topped the group on seven points following wins over Oman and Thailand with Iran two points behind. Oman's slim chances of reaching the last eight ended despite a 2-0 win over Thailand in Chengdu.
Zico's men survived intense second-half pressure from Iran after the interval but held steady in sweltering conditions thanks to solid defending and a series of important saves from Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.