HANOI — Japan coach Ivica Osim praised his players' powers of recovery after their come-from-behind 4-1 victory over cohost Vietnam on Monday sent the defending champions into the quarterfinals as winners of Group B with seven points.

Japan will play Group A runnerup Australia in their quarterfinal match in Hanoi on Saturday, looking to avenge the 3-1 defeat to the Socceroos at the World Cup finals in Germany last year.

"I rarely give my players credit, but we scored good goals today, though it wasn't a perfect game," said Osim.