Iran defeats Japan 2-1 to retain Asian Games soccer title&nbsp;<img src="http://www.persianleague.com/images/pic.gif" border="0" width="13" height="11">

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — Javad Kazemeyan and Mohsen Bayatiniya scored second-half goals on aggressive raids Sunday to lead Iran to a 2-1 win over Japan and retain the Asian Games soccer title. 
Japan's defense, which had not conceded goals in its previous three matches, caved in against Iran's attack that clinched its fourth Asian Games soccer gold. 

South Korea, World Cup semifinalist this year, claimed the bronze medal with a convincing 3-0 victory over Thailand in nearby Ulsan. 

The dangerous Kazemeyan scored first for Iran in the 48th minute with a low right-footer into the left corner of the goal to make amends for his erratic shooting in the opening half. 

Bayatiniya capitalized on a defensive lapse to score a breakaway goal in the 88th minute. 

Japan reduced the lead within a minute through Satoshi Nakayama before Iran could start celebrating. 

Kazemeyan, missing the support from star striker Ali Daei, started the game on a bad note by being booked in the sixth minute for diving in the rival box with the hope of getting a penalty. 

On two other occasions he released the pressure on the Japanese goal with erratic shots. 

The Japanese raids only came through counterattacks that somewhat rattled Iran. Japanese striker Daisuke Matsui had the first crack at the goal when he volleyed into goalkeeper Ebrahim Mirzapour. 

Iran's Javad Nekounam saw his 30-meter shot being palmed away by diving Japanese goalkeeper Yosuke Fujigaga in the 20th minute. 

At the other end, Matsui shot over the bar as the first half did not produce any goals. 

Kazemeyan broke the deadlock three minutes into the second session when he latched on to Mehdi Amirvabadi's pass and sent a grounder into the net, beating the goalkeeper's outstretched left hand. 

Iran came close to increasing the lead two minutes later when Moharram Navidkia got a back-pass from Kazemeyan and beat the goalkeeper with his diagonal shot. But the ball struck the right post and rebounded back into play. 

Japanese striker Hiraku Mita was tripped by Yahya Golmohammadi as he tried to break into the Iranian box, but the foul went unnoticed. 

Japanese goalkeeper Fujigaga fumbled in gathering a Kazemeyan shot in the 81st minute, but to his relief the ball deflected wide off his chest. 

Fujigaga was not so lucky in the 88th minute when Bayatiniya caught the defense off-guard and shot on target. 

Nakayama breached the Iranian defense for the first time in the 89th minute, but it could not revive Japan's hopes. 

Recovering from the shattering loss to Iran in a penalty shootout, South Korea outplayed Thailand in the game for third place. 

Park Dong-hyuk opened the scoring in the 15th minute with by heading in a free kick from Lee Chun-soo. 

Lee Chun-soo stretched the lead in the 74th minute on Park Ji-sung's cross from right and Choi Tae-uk rounded off the scoring.