Kaoru Mitoma and Wataru Endo both scored as Japan defeated China 7-0 on Thursday ( Sep 5 ) to begin the third round of the Asian World Cup qualifiers with a statement victory.
Mitoma, a Brighton wing who has been sidelined for a significant portion of the past year due to injury, made his first look for Japan since winning the Asian Cup in January.
He announced his return in assertive tone in front of more than 50, 000 supporters in Saitama, scoring with a first-half folder after Liverpool’s Endo had given Japan the result.
After the split, Takumi Minamino added two more aims to give Japan a 2-0 lead over China, who were hoping to win their second World Cup since 2002.
Junya Ito, who was also playing for Japan for the first time since the Asian Cup, added another goal before Daizen Maeda and Takefusa Kubo’s soon goalscapped a strong achievement from Hajime Moriyasu’s area.
It was a night to remember for China, who advanced to the next qualifying round with a better head-to-head document over Thailand.
When Ritsu Doan headed in a folder that goalkeeper Wang Dalei had to move around the blog, Japan initially spooked China.
Endo ended up being completely unknown and headed home the opening from the corner, but the warning was ignored.
Mitoma headed home Doan’s bridge in injury time to give Japan a two-goal lead at half-time.
When Minamino curled a shot past Wang and into the internet after passing past a defender in the China field, it was a strong start for Japan in the second half.
Six days afterwards, the Monaco ahead struck once more, cutting once more through the Chinese defense and slamming the ball past Wang.
Ito made his debut for the staff with Japan’s second aim after starting as a substitute.
The Reims wing had been missing since he left the Asian Cup club last year after a Chinese newspaper reported claims that he sexually assaulted two women in an Osaka hotel.
The person has denied any wrongdoing and has been charged with no contest since the Chinese prosecutors dropped the case last month.
Maeda scored Japan’s fifth with a back-post folder in the 87th second.
Japan and China have also been drawn with Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Indonesia in a tricky-looking Group C.
The second and fourth-placed teams advance to a second round of eligibility, with the top two guaranteed a place in the World Cup.