In contrasting style, Japan and Iraq both claim decisive victories in their first Olympic matches

As the men's football tournament At the Paris Olympics which begin on Wednesday, two Asian hopefuls have launched their campaigns.

And while their actions have differed, both Japan and Iraq have made clear their intentions in the event of victory.

The continent's third-ranked country had already produced a respectable performance earlier on Wednesday, even in defeat, with Uzbekistan suffering a tough 2-1 defeat at the hands of gold medal contenders Spain.

But the day ended on a positive note for Asian football as Japan showed they too could hope for a medal, while Iraq proved they were not a team just happy to be here.

In a show of confidence and panache, Japan put Paraguay to the test in Group D (5-0), even if they were helped by their opponents playing with a numerical deficit from the 25th minute. Wilder Viera was shown a straight red card for kicking an opponent's ankle.

At that point, Samurai Blue were already in the lead thanks to a well-worked team goal concluded by Shunsuke Mito and, although they never looked in real danger of losing their advantage, there was always an air of concern about that slender lead until they decided to change style as the match entered its closing stages.

Another methodical but expansive passing routine led to Mito scoring his second goal in the 63rd minute before Rihito Yamamoto He scored a goal from the edge of the box six minutes later.

Substitute Shota Fujio They would then complete this resounding victory with a clinical double in the final nine minutes, capping a five-star performance from the Japanese.

Japan are no strangers to success in men's football at the Olympics. Having won bronze in 1968, they have endured recent heartbreaks with fourth-place finishes in 2012 and on home soil in the 2020 edition.

Samurai Blue were always expected to be Asia's best bet for a podium finish, but eyebrows were raised given they were the only team to opt not to use their quota of three overage players.

What seemed like a bold strategy now turns out to be simple confidence in the talent at their disposal.

Mito and Koki Saitoteammates in the Eredivisie At Sparta Rotterdam, both were absent from the triumphant AFC Under-23 Asian Cup campaign that earned Japan a place at the Olympic Games, but have now immediately added an extra dimension in the final third.

This also means that other promising prospects like Fujio and Ryotaro Araki were able, at least on Wednesday, to be retained as excellent reserve options – the former having shown how dangerous he could be as an impact player coming off the bench.

In a group – also featuring Mali and Israel – which they already expected to win, Japan could well dream even bigger after a dominant first performance.

There is also Iraq, which is returning to the Olympic scene after missing the Tokyo Games.

As the third and final team to book their ticket to Paris at the Under-23 Asian Cup, expectations are arguably the most moderate for the Iraqis.

It certainly looked as though they were going to join Uzbekistan as opening day losers when they fell behind Ukraine in Group B in the 53rd minute when Valentin Rubchynskyi They scored from the rebound of a free kick – until they managed a spirited 2-1 comeback.

Iraqis reacted almost immediately when the aging star Aymen Hussein equalized from the penalty spot four minutes later, before the rising talent Ali Jasim would complete the response with a fine solo effort 15 minutes from the end.

Normally, Iraq would have been expected to cave in after falling behind – especially after being comprehensively outplayed by Ukraine in the opening 45 minutes as well.

Instead of turning in on themselves, they showed their determination to return to the competition but also their ability to win against their most prominent European opponents.

Iraq will face tougher opponents. But if Morocco's surprise win over Argentina last Wednesday is any guide – a game that ended in dramatic fashion after a pitch invasion caused a two-hour delay before the South American side's dramatic 116th-minute equaliser was eventually ruled out after a VAR review – surprises are certainly possible.

The positive for Iraq is that it is ready to take up the challenge.

And for Asian football, with one team emerging as a potential medal contender while the other two show no signs of going down without a fight, the Paris Games are already looking very promising.