A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Group D of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup took place from 14 to 24 January 2024.[1] The group consisted of Japan, Indonesia, Iraq and Vietnam.[2] The top two teams, Iraq and Japan, along with third-placed Indonesia (as one of the four best third-placed teams), advanced to the round of 16.
Teams
| Draw position | Team | Zone | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Finals appearance |
Last appearance |
Previous best performance |
FIFA Rankings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2023[nb 1] | December 2023 | ||||||||
| D1 |  Japan |
EAFF | Second round Group F winners | 28 May 2021 | 10th | 2019 | Winners (1992, 2000, 2004, 2011) | 20 | 17 |
| D2 |  Indonesia |
AFF | Third round Group A runners-up | 14 June 2022 | 5th | 2007 | Group stage (1996, 2000, 2004, 2007) | 149 | 146 |
| D3 |  Iraq |
WAFF | Second round Group C runners-up | 15 June 2021 | 10th | 2019 | Winners (2007) | 67 | 63 |
| D4 |  Vietnam |
AFF | Second round Group G runners-up | 15 June 2021 | 5th | 2019 | Fourth place (1956,[nb 2] 1960[nb 2]) | 95 | 94 |
Notes
- ^ The rankings of April 2023 were used for seeding for the final draw.
- ^ a b As South Vietnam
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iraq
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Japan
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 6 | |
| 3 | Indonesia
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | |
| 4 | Vietnam
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 8 | −4 | 0 |
Matches
Japan vs Vietnam
This was the thirteenth meeting between the sides and the sixth since Vietnam's reunification, with their most recent encounter coming during 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, with Vietnam drawing 1–1 Japan away. Japan had won four out of five previous meetings, but three out of four of these victories were by just a one-goal margin; Japan's biggest win occurred back during the 2007 Asian Cup when they beat the tournament co-hosts 4–1. In the sides' most recent Asian Cup encounter in 2019, Japan also clinched a hard-fought 1–0 win.
Japan kickstarted their tournament with a perfectly coordinated corner kick, which Takumi Minamino wasted no time in converting to give Japan the lead in the 11th minute. However, Vietnam then staged a unexpected fightback, first with Nguyễn Đình Bắc's reverse header to equalise in the 16th minute, before a perfect set-piece attack from Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh saw Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki mishandle the ball to allow Phạm Tuấn Hải to convert into the empty net, giving Vietnam a 2–1 lead in the 33rd minute. However, Minamino would go on to restore balance with a low shot after an effort from skipper Wataru Endō in the 45th minute, before Keito Nakamura produced a brilliant long-range shot to beat Filip Nguyen, as Japan reclaimed their lead in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time. In the second half, Japan increased their pressure and put Vietnam on the defensive, but would not secure the victory until the 85th minute, when Ayase Ueda capitalised on poor defending from the Vietnamese to strike a fourth goal for Japan.
This was the first time since 2007 that Japan managed to defeat Vietnam by more than a one-goal margin and, within their eleven-match winning streak dating back to June 2023, this victory was the tenth time they scored four goals or more. Meanwhile, Vietnam became the first national team since Turkey in September 2023 (who also lost 4–2) to score two goals against Japan, but the first since Colombia in March of the same year to take the lead against the Japanese. Vietnam were also the first Asian national team to score at least two goals against Japan since Qatar did so in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup final.
| Japan | 4–2 | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
          Japan
|
   Vietnam
|
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
|
Indonesia vs Iraq
The sides had most recently met during 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, with Iraq securing a 5–1 victory. Iraq had never previously lost to Indonesia, with one draw and six wins, but this was the first time the two faced each other in the group stage of an Asian Cup.
The match started with a high tempo, with Iraq piling pressure against an energetic Indonesian side. In the 17th minute, an attempt to clear Amir Al-Ammari's pass by Justin Hubner ended up deflecting to Mohanad Ali, and Ali successfully overcame the two remaining Indonesian defenders to hit the target and give Iraq the lead. Indonesia would reply twenty minutes later, when Asnawi Mangkualam gave the ball to Yakob Sayuri, who then made a one-two play with Ivar Jenner, who took advantage of Iraq's free left side to deliver a lethal cross for Marselino Ferdinan to strike an equaliser. Ten minutes later, in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time, a fight for the ball between Indonesian and Iraqi players was seized upon by Iraq's Zidane Iqbal, who sent it to Ali Jasim. Jasim then took a powerful shot, and although it was initially denied by goalkeeper Ernando Ari, it deflected wide enough to allow Osama Rashid to score to regain Iraq's lead. In the 75th minute, Aymen Hussein won an aerial duel over Rizky Ridho via a high ball by Hussein Ali, before skilfully converting a decisive shot to secure Iraq the win.
Indonesia lost their opening match at an Asian Cup for the first time. In scoring their equaliser, Marselino became the youngest Indonesian to ever score at the Asian Cup and only their second ever midfielder to score an Asian Cup goal—after Ponaryo Astaman in 2004.
    Indonesia
|
     Iraq
|
