Japan defeated Syria 2-1 in their second-round Group B game in Qatar on Thursday thanks to an 82nd-minute penalty from CSKA Moscow star Keisuke Honda.
Captain Makoto Hasebe gave Japan the lead in the 35th minute but his side seemed to have thrown it away with a quarter of an hour to go when Eiji Kawashima was sent off and Firas Al Khatib scored the resulting penalty.
But Honda tucked away his penalty seven minutes later and Syria saw themselves reduced to 10 men in injury time as tempers frayed.
The win puts Japan on top of Group B with four points, ahead of Jordan on goals scored. Syria are third with three points while Saudi Arabia, Japan's opponents in their final group game, have lost both their games.
MOSCOW, January 14 (RIA Novosti)
