This newsitem has been supplied by PSV.nl
Jason Culina will report for duty at PSV's training ground De Herdgang shortly, after Australia were defeated 4-3 on penalties by defending champion Japan in the quarter finals of the Asian Cup in Hanoi on Saturday. The score was 1-1 after both regular and extra time.
PSV's Australian midfielder Culina was the only of three Eredivisie players that started the quarter-final tie. Brett Holman (N.E.C.) did not come off the bench, while Luke Wilkshire (FC Twente) served a one-match ban. John Aloisi gave Australia a 69th minute lead, but Japan were level the next minute, when Naohiro Takahara capitalised on a defensive error.
Australia were reduced to ten men fifteen minutes from time, after Vincenzo Grella had been sent off, but Japan failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage. It was Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi's goalkeeping heroics that helped secure triumph for Japan. He was the hero of Japan, saving the opening two Australia penalties from Harry Kewell and Lucas Neill. Takahara blasted his spot kick over the goal, but Yuji Nakazawa stepped up to convert the final penalty for Japan to seal the win.
