Host China advanced to the Asian Cup final yesterday with a dramatic 4-3 penalty shootout win against Iran after tying 1-1 in regulation time.

　　With the win, China sets up a grudge match against Asian rival Japan.

　　With past champion Iran reduced to 10 men for much of the match, Arie Haan's team pressed the attack, but weren't able to break the deadlock in extra time.

　　Victory came when Chinese goalkeeper Liu Yunfei batted down Yahya Golmohammadi's chipped penalty shot, setting off a delirious celebration among the more than 50,000 fans in Beijing's Workers' Stadium where the final will be played on Saturday.

　　"We fought and we fought and we never gave up. Now we've got to be ready for Japan who are definitely the strongest team in the region," said midfielder Shao Jiayi, who scored China's sole regulation time goal.

　　Shao found the net in the 19th minute, setting off a frenzy in the stands. Collecting a pass from Li Jingyu, veteran Hao Haidong ran the ball down to the lefthand corner and shook off three defenders before cutting back up field and passing to Shao who made no mistake with his shot.

　　Minutes later, Hao was brought down by a vicious tackle in front of the Iranian goal, but Lebanese referee Talaat Najim called no foul. Bleeding from the head, Hao had to be taken out of the stadium on a stretcher, with Manchester City defender Sun Jihai taking his place.

　　Iran equalized in the 38th minute when Sayyed Mohammed Alavi pounced on a short pass from Mehdi Mahdavikia, striking a rocket from the edge of the penalty box.

　　Iran was reduced to 10 men shortly after the start of the second half when Sattar Zare was sent off for fighting with Shao.

　　China has defeated Japan only twice in their last 10 meetings, but will enjoy a major home advantage.

　　In an earlier game in Jinan, Keiji Tamada scored two goals, including the extra-time winner, yesterday as defending champion Japan advanced to the final with a comeback 4-3 win over Bahrain.

　　Underdog Bahrain took the lead twice only for Japan - playing most of the match with 10 men - to equalize both times and then score the decisive goal in extra time.

　　Bahrain, which had figured in Asia's premier soccer tournament only once before, took a 3-2 lead five minutes from fulltime when substitute Duaij Nasser slotted a shot past Japanese 'keeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, sparking a roar from the 32,000 spectators at Shandong Stadium.

　　But with only seconds remaining in regulation, Japan's Yuji Nakazawa leveled at 3-3 with a bullet header from the near penalty spot off Alessandro Santos' pass from the left.

　　Three minutes into extra time, Tamada received a long pass in front of the penalty area after his marker Hussain Baba stumbled and fell. Tamada made no mistake as he ended his solo run and chipped the ball past an advancing Ali Saeed.

　　"We were at a great (numerical) disadvantage, but our players maintained formation and did their best," Japan's Brazilian-born coach Zico said after the match.

　　Bahrain's striker A'la Hubail opened the scoring in the 6th minute when he outpaced two defenders inside the penalty area and drove in a pass from Yusuf Talal past a diving Kawaguchi.

　　Both teams played aggressively in the first half and created several dangerous scoring opportunities, including a close range shot Tamada that crashed against the woodwork in the 12th minute.

　　Eight minutes later A'la Hubail fumbled a cross off Talal Jusuf directly in front of the goalmouth, and within moments Japan's forward Takayuki Suzuki missed an identical opportunity in front of Bahrain's goal off a perfect pass by Santos.

　　Santos delivered another low and hard cross on the half-hour that an unmarked Shunsuke Nakamura shot straight at the 'keeper.

　　Japan was reduced to 10 players in the 40th minute when Singaporean referee Shamsul Maidin red-carded Yasuhito Endo for punching Mohamed Salmeen in the face as the two collided in midfield.

　　Despite its numerical disadvantage, Japan, which has won the Asian Cup in two of the last three tournaments - turned up the pressure in the second half. Koji Nakata equalized three minutes into the second half off a corner by Takashi Fukunishi.

　　Tamada made it 2-1 when he outran Bah-rain's defender Hussein Baba down the right side of the penalty area and fired an angled shot through Saeed's outstretched arms.

　　Bahrain's players appeared to have difficulty maintaining their balance on the slippery, rain-drenched pitch. Still, they managed to create several opportunities in quick succession.

　　In the 71st minute equalized when substitute Mahmood Jalal found A'ala Hubail in front of the 6-yard box, who turned into the net past two defenders and the goalkeeper.

　　After conceding a fourth goal, Bahrain was reduced to 10 men three minutes into the second period of extra time when defender Mahmood Jalal was sent off for rough play.

　　Seconds later A'ala Hubail failed to connect from point-blank range with a perfect pass across the goalmouth and missed an equalizer.

　　(The Associated Press)