2023 AFC Asian Cup Group D

Group D of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup took place from 14 to 24 January 2024. The group consisted of Japan, Indonesia, Iraq and Vietnam. 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

Notes

Standings

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.

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.

Iraq vs Japan

The sides had last met in a competitive fixture during 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, with Iraq holding Japan to a 1–1 draw. Their most recent Asian Cup meeting was in 2015, where Japan won 1–0. Iraq had not defeated Japan since 1982, and had never won a competitive fixture against the side.

Iraq quickly applied pressure against a disorganised Japanese side in the first minutes, and it paid off when Ahmed Yahya received a pinpoint heading pass from Aymen Hussein which was quickly delivered to Ali Jasim, who snuck into the Japanese penalty area before putting in an impressive cross; despite initially being kept out by goalkeeper Zion Suzuki, the ball rebounded right to Hussein, who then converted a header to open the scoring for Iraq. The Japanese struggled against a highly cohesive Iraqi side, and while continuing to seek a equaliser during first-half stoppage time, Yahya once again overcame the Japanese players from midfield, before going on a darting run into the penalty area and sending another clinical pass to Hussein, whose header doubled Iraq's lead. Japan increased pressure in the second half, but couldn't respond with a goal until the third minute of stoppage time, when Wataru Endō converted from a header via a corner kick. This effort would ultimately be a consolation, as Iraq held on for an unexpected victory.

Considered the biggest upset of the competition up to that point, this victory was Iraq's first over Japan in a competitive tournament, having failed to come out on top in seven previous meetings, and their first win against the Japanese of any kind since 1982. This result also put an end to Japan's undefeated streak that had begun back in June 2023 with a 6–0 win over El Salvador. At the same time, this was the second consecutive tournament in which Japan lost during their second matchday, having suffered a 1–0 defeat to Costa Rica at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Vietnam vs Indonesia

Vietnam and Indonesia had met each other 27 times since Vietnam's unification, with both sharing an equal eight wins and eight losses each. However, their most recent competitive fixture was in 2021 as part of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, which Vietnam won 4–0. Vietnam had not lost to Indonesia since 2016. This was their first ever meeting at the AFC Asian Cup finals and was also the first ever Asian Cup match between two Southeast Asian sides.

The match started with high tempo but it was Indonesia who got the opportunities first, before Vietnam slowly reclaimed the game. However, as Vietnam and Indonesia were equally struggling, a pulling foul from Nguyễn Thanh Bình to Rafael Struick on Vietnam's penalty area at the 40th minute resulted in a penalty, which Asnawi Mangkualam converted for what turned out to be the only goal of the match, despite Vietnamese attempts to equalise due to their poor finishes. Asnawi's goal was Indonesia's first ever Asian Cup goal scored from the spot, and the first ever scored by a defender. At the first minute of the second half's extra time, Lê Phạm Thành Long fouled Marselino Ferdinan near Vietnam's penalty area as Ferdinand was pulling a phase against an almost empty Vietnamese defense, resulting in his second yellow card and dismissal. On the last minute of extra time, Vietnam got a last chance of a corner-kick, but failed to utilize it and consequently, ensured Vietnam's defeat in this match.

Following this outcome, Vietnam were assured to finish bottom of the group. This was the first time Vietnam failed to advance past the group stage of an AFC Asian Cup; previous participations of South Vietnam back in 1956 and 1960 only had one round-robin finals, while as a unified country, Vietnam were eliminated in the 2007 and 2019 quarter-finals, the country's best Asian Cup performance since the reunification; while Indonesia won against Vietnam for the first time since the 2016 AFF Championship semi-final first leg. This was Indonesia's first Asian Cup win since the 2007 first matchday win against Bahrain and only their third ever. It was also their first Asian Cup match to end in a shutout since 2000, their first ever Asian Cup win accompanied with a shutout, and their first Asian Cup victory happening after the first match.

On personal record, it was the third consecutive overall and second consecutive senior defeat to Indonesia for Vietnam's coach Philippe Troussier