HANOI - Japan's players were left to pick up the pieces on Thursday after their devastating defeat by Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup semi-finals.

Japan's players react after losing their semi-final match against Saudi Arabia at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup soccer tournament at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi July 25, 2007. From L-R: Japan's Yuji Nakazawa, Yuichi Komano, Hisato Sato, Naohiro Takahara (19) and Keita Suzuki (13). [Reuters]

Their bid for a third straight title came to a shuddering halt in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to a Saudi side who had never beaten the Japanese in the continent's premier competition.

"I don't think it was a jinx," Japan playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura told Reuters. "The Saudis had a new coach and several new players. It's not a major shock - it can happen."

Japan must now try to regroup for Saturday's third-place playoff with fierce rivals South Korea in far-flung Palembang on Indonesia's Sumatra island.

"I really wanted to play South Korea in the final," said Nakamura. "We could see the finish line. We just came up short."

The Celtic midfielder added: "It was tough in the heat too. They were defending with eight players and left two up front all game. We got sucked into their tactics."

Saudi Arabia will be bidding to become the first team to win the Asian Cup four times when they take on Iraq in Sunday's final in Jakarta.

Japan, meanwhile, were simply left to rue a lack of ambition in their semi-final in Hanoi.  

"They were there for the taking," shrugged Eintracht Frankfurt striker Naohiro Takahara, who had scored four goals in four games but was largely anonymous against the Saudis.

"We just couldn't finish. We never found our rhythm and we made a lot of mistakes. Their third goal came quickly after we'd scored our second - that killed us."

Japan were favourites to become the first team to win three successive Asian Cups since Iran completed a hat-trick of titles in 1976 after knocking out Australia in the quarter-finals.

But after exorcising the demons of their 3-1 defeat by the Socceroos at last year's World Cup in Germany, Japan played their worst game of the tournament against Saudi Arabia.

Japan coach Ivica Osim accused his team of "going soft" against a Saudi side still exhausted after a horror 12-hour trip from Indonesia to Vietnam.

The Bosnian refused to name and shame players but still let rip in a thinly veiled dig at Takahara and midfielder Yasuhito Endo.

"Certain key players simply didn't do enough," growled the 66-year-old. "If you watched the game you'll know who I'm talking about. The players need to be more adaptable.

"We still have an awful lot to improve on.