China will take on Japan in a Asian Cup final full of historical and political overtones after the bitter rivals both survived difficult tests on Tuesday.
Hosts China beat 10-man Iran 4-3 on penalties after extra time failed to break a 1-1 stalemate, reaching the final of the football tournament for only the second time.
Goalkeeper Liu Yunfei saved the decisive spot kick from Yahya Golmohammadi, sparking scenes of wild celebration among the crowd of 62,000 in Beijing, China.
Holders Japan came from behind twice to beat valiant Bahrain 4-3 after extra time, despite playing with 10 men from the 40th minute in Jinan.
China, who have never won the Asian Cup, will go into Saturday's final on a 19-match unbeaten run after their first victory over Iran since 1994.
"You always need a little bit of luck at the end of games with penalties, of course," said China coach Arie Haan. "But the scenario is right -- we are in the final."
German-based playmaker Shao Jiayi put China ahead after 19 minutes, racing on to a Hao Haidong pass to fire home a powerful left-foot shot from 12 metres.
But Sayyed Mohammad Alavi equalised for Iran in the 38th minute, beating Liu with a speculative drive from 25 metres that skidded through a crowd of players.
Iran were badly hit by suspensions in the group stage and their propensity to overheat came back to haunt them when Sattar Zare was sent off three minutes into the second half.
The Iran defender pushed Shao in the chest and when the 1860 Munich player fell to the ground theatrically, Lebanese referee Talaat Najm produced the red card, reducing Zare to tears.
Alavi, taken off early in the second half, was also shown a red card and banished from the bench as tempers flared late on.
Sun Xiang and Sun Jihai both hit the woodwork in extra time as China pushed for the victory while three-times champions Iran were content to play for penalties.
LUCKY JAPAN
Japan rode their luck again after reaching the last four following a controversial penalty shootout against Jordan at the weekend.
Two-goal hero Keiji Tamada scored a superb winner three minutes into the first period of extra time, racing clear from the halfway line to beat Bahrain goalkeeper Ali Saeed.
"We have performed another miracle," gushed Japan coach Zico. "We came here to reach the final and to win the tournament. Now we just have to finish the job."
Japan had looked dead and buried when substitute Duaij Naser scored in the 85th minute to give Bahrain a 3-2 lead.
But defender Yuji Nakazawa rescued the holders with a brave diving header in the last minute of normal time.
Midfielder Yasuhito Endo will be suspended for Saturday's final after he was harshly sent off for striking Mohamed Salmeen.
The Bahrain midfielder went down clutching his face but replays showed there had been very little contact. Japan have been relentlessly booed wherever they in China, while Japanese fans have been the target of abuse and pelted with plastic bottles.
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