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AP National Sports

World Cup redemption for Japan coach 29 years later in Qatar

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Published 3:49 PM

By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

AL RAYYAN, Qatar (AP) — The “Agony of Doha” came 29 years ago and Hajime Moriyasu experienced it first-hand as a midfielder on Japan’s national soccer team. He’s now the coach and he’s made amends. Moriyasu was thinking about a World Cup qualifying match in Qatar against Iraq in 1993 that cost the team a spot in the next year’s tournament as time was winding down against Spain. Moriyasu says “I remembered the tragedy in Doha.” This time it was different. This time the defense held it together. This time the 54-year-old Moriyasu got his Hollywood ending by winning Group E.

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