Saudi Arabia set up a quarterfinal clash with UAE after a 1-1 draw with Japan in the AFC Youth Soccer Championship at the Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd Stadium in Dammam on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia finished the Group A matches on seven points in the second spot on goal difference to Japan. With this draw, Saudi Arabia plays its GCC neighbor UAE which topped Group B with a 2-0 over Syria at Prince Saud Bin Jalawi Stadium. South Korea, which beat Iraq 2-0, joined the last eight to meet Japan in the next round. Wednesday matches will decide Group C and D winners after China earlier progressed to the quarterfinals. Uzbekistan, Australia, Tajikistan and Thailand will compete to seal one of the three remaining tickets. Saudi Arabia and Japan fielded without some of their key players as the two coaches opted to give enough rest for their main stars ahead of the final stages. From the Saudi side, Abdul Rahim Jizawi, Nawaf Al-Abid, Mohammed Abu Saba'an and goalkeeper Hassan Shaian were rested. Japan took the early possession of the game and created several threats. The first real attempt came from Kogure Fumiya who took a brilliant free kick in the midway of the first half but Saudi goalkeeper Abdullah Al-Sudairi saved it conceding a corner. In the 36th minute, Shimoda Kohei blasted from about 20 yards but again Sudairi averted the danger. After the break, Saudis stormed the rival area and pressed forward to dominate the early minutes of the second half. In the 55th minute, an unmarked Kota's shot from close hit the Saudi right post. Two minutes later, Mohammed Al-Qarni pounced on a rebound from the right post to hit the opener for Saudi Arabia. Japan responded quickly after six minutes when Kota's shot from right shook the net of Sudairi. Saudi Arabia almost doubled the lead in the 71st minute when Salman Al-Faraj sent a cross into the box to find Al-Khodari who deflected the ball but Japanese goalkeeper blocked the Saudi attempt. In another match in same group, Iran recorded a consolation 2-0 victory over Yemen at the Prince Saud Bin Jalawi Stadium in Al-Khobar. Moosavi Seyediman scored the opener for Iran in the first half before Jalalaldin Ali Mohammadi sealed the win. Both Iran and Yemen have been earlier eliminated following their defeat at the hands of Saudi Arabia and Japan in the group matches. In UAE match, Hamdan Ismaeel broke the deadlock against Syria after 53 minutes before substitute midfielder Mohammed Fawzi sealed the win in the last minute. In another match, Kim Bo-kyung netted South Korea's opener against Iraq in the fist half while his teammate Moon Ki-han made it 2-0, 12 minutes from close. With this second win Korea advanced to quarterfinals behind the United Arab Emirates. __
