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AFC U23 Asian Cup
Having suffered a premature exit two years ago, Oiwa will lead his Young Samurai Blue squad to face Uzbekistan in a mouth-watering AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024™ final at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Friday.
Oiwa’s side were shown the door by Uzbekistan in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition but Doha has fond memories for the Japanese as this was where they won their only AFc U23 Asian Cup title in 2016.
Having started his playing career with Nagoya Grampus Eight in the mid 90s, Oiwa was a centre-back of some pedigree with two Emperor’s Cup titles (1995,1999) in his six seasons with the club before a short sojourn with Jubilo Iwata (2000-2002) and then Kashima Antlers.
It was at Kashima that Oiwa proved his playing pedigree - winning four J1 League titles (2002, 2007, 2008, 2009) and two Emperor’s Cup (2007, 2010).
Succeeding Masatada Ishii as head coach in 2017, Oiwa took charge of Kashima for 143 matches between 2017 and 2020 where he took the Aichi Prefecture-based club to glory on the biggest stage in Asian club football, the AFC Champions League™.
Finishing as runners-up in the 2017 J1 League earned Kashima a spot in the AFC Champions League 2018 where Oiwa guided his side to the knockout stage after finishing second in Group B behind Suwon Bluewings.
Kashima knocked out Chinese clubs Shanghai Port and Tianjin Tianhai in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals respectively before a titanic semi-final battle with familiar opponents Suwon saw them emerging 6-5 aggregate winners.
Oiwa’s side were imperious in the final against Islamic Republic of Iran’s Persepolis FC, winning the first leg 2-0 and following that up with a goalless draw in Tehran to become champions of Asia, a triumph which earned him the 2018 AFC Coach of the Year award.
Now 51, Oiwa took over as Japan’s U23 head coach in 2021 and having been denied glory by Uzbekistan two years ago, the canny tactician will expect to see his team lift the trophy on Friday.
Photos: AFC, AFP
