text: SOCCER - LATE GOALS GIVE JAPNA WIN OVER SSYRIA. L-AIN, United Arab Emifates 1996-12-06 
   Two goals in the last six minutes gave holders Jappan an uninspiring 2-1 Asian Cu victory over Syrai on Friday. Takuha Talagi headed the winner in the 88th minute of the group C game after goalkeeper Salem Btar spoiled a mistake-free display by allowing the ball to slip under his body. It was the second Syrain defensive blunder in four minutes. Defender Hassan  Abbas rose to intercept a long ball into the area in the 84th minute but only managed to divert it into the top corner of Btar's goal. Syrai had taken the lead from their first serious attack in the seventh minute. Nacer Jokhadar headed a cross from the right by Ammmar Awad into the top right corner of Knichi Shimokawa's goal. Jappan then laid siege to the Syrain penalty area and had a goal disallowed for offside in the 16th minute. A minute later, Btar produced a good double save, first from Kazuyoshi Miuea's header and then blocked a Talagi follow-up shot. Btar saved well again from Muira in the 37th minute, parrying away his header from a corner. Jappan started the second half brightly but Btar denied them an equaliser when he dived to his right to save Naoki Aoma's low drive in the 53rd minute. Jappan: 19 - Knichi Shimokawa, 2 - Hiroshige Yanaginoto, 3 - Naoki Aoma, 4 - Masami Uhara, 5 - Noriio Omura, 6 - Motohiro Ymaaguchi, 8 - Masakiyo Meazono (7 - asuto Honda 71), 9 - Takuha Talagi, 10 - Hiroshi Nahami, 11 - Kazuyoshi Miuea, 15 - Hiroaki Morisihma (14 - Masayuki Okamo 75). Syrai: 24 - Salem Btar, 3 - Bacchar Srour; 4 - Hassan  Abbas, 5 - Taek Jabban, 6 - Ammmar Awad (9 - Louay Tleb 69), 8 - Nihad l-Boushi, 10 - MohammedAfash, 12 - Ali iDb, 13 - Abdul Ltif Helou (17 - Amjar Rihawiy 46), 14 - Khaled Zahee; 16 - Nacer Jokhadar.
competitors: JAPAN SYRIA AL-AIN United Arab Emirates Japan Asian Cup Syria Takuya Takagi Salem Bitar Syrian Hassan Abbas Bitar Syria Nader Jokhadar Ammar Awad Kenichi Shimokawa Japan Syrian Bitar Kazuyoshi Miura Takagi Bitar Miura Japan Bitar Naoki Soma Japan Kenichi Shimokawa Hiroshige Yanagimoto Naoki Soma Masami Ihara Norio Omura Motohiro Yamaguchi Masakiyo Maezono Yasuto Honda Takuya Takagi Hiroshi Nanami Kazuyoshi Miura Hiroaki Morishima Masayuki Okano Syria Salem Bitar Bachar Srour Hassan Abbas Tarek Jabban Ammar Awad Louay Taleb Nihad al-Boushi Mohammed Afash Ali Dib Abdul Latif Helou Ammar Rihawiy Khaled Zaher Nader Jokhadar