The video assistant referee made a decisive debut in the Asian Cup on Thursday, playing a role in Ritsu Doan's penalty goal in Japan's 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Vietnam.
Groningen winger Doan gave Japan the lead 12 minutes after the break when he converted the first penalty kick decided by VAR in the history of the Asian Cup. The technology is being used for the first time at the tournament, starting from the quarterfinals.
Despite winning all four of its previous matches in the Emirates, Japan came into the clash at Al Maktoum Stadium without having played the free-flowing, attacking football it had displayed in a succession of friendlies prior to the tournament.