AC Milan midfielder Keisuke Honda admitted defending champion Japan only had itself to blame for its quarterfinal defeat at the Asian Cup on Friday and put the team's earlier-than-expected exit down to "naivety" and lack of a cutting edge in front of goal.
In a cruel twist, Honda and Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa — two of the team's biggest stars — both missed their spot kicks in a 5-4 sudden-death shootout loss to the United Arab Emirates, after a 1-1 draw the Japanese had largely dominated over 120 minutes at Stadium Australia.
Honda, who scored in all three of Japan's group games, including two penalties, blazed Japan's first spot kick over the bar and Kagawa hit his against the post before Ismail Ahmed slammed home the decider to set the UAE up with a meeting against host Australia in the semifinals.