Tokyo (AFP) – World Cup-bound Japan say they’re primed to check themselves towards the mighty Brazil subsequent week after a complete 4-1 win over Paraguay in Sapporo on Thursday.
The four-time Asian champions will tackle Brazil and Neymar at Tokyo’s Olympic stadium on Monday with the goal of beating the South Americans for the primary time in a full worldwide.
Hajime Moriyasu’s facet are eager to check their mettle forward of this winter’s World Cup, having been drawn in a tricky group in Qatar with European heavyweights Germany and Spain.
“We are facing Brazil next and they play at a high level,” mentioned striker Takuma Asano, who opened the scoring towards Paraguay with a medical end.
“We need to see what we’re capable of doing against them and we just have to throw everything at them and try to keep that going.”
Underlining the dimensions of the duty for the Brazil pleasant, the South Americans thrashed South Korea 5-1 on Thursday in Seoul with Neymar scoring twice.
Moriyasu gave a number of fringe gamers a run-out towards Paraguay, who received’t be in Qatar, after largely sticking to a tried-and-trusted line-up throughout World Cup qualifying.
“Everyone worked hard and created chances. It’s disappointing that we conceded, but we didn’t give much away at the back and we scored goals,” mentioned the supervisor.
“I think we showed the gap between a team that will be at the World Cup and one that won’t.”
Bochum striker Asano gave Japan the lead when he chipped goalkeeper Santiago Rojas within the thirty sixth minute after a wonderfully weighted through-ball from Genki Haraguchi.
Daichi Kamada, who received the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt final month, doubled their lead within the forty second minute with a header from Ritsu Doan’s cross.
Paraguay pulled one again 14 minutes into the second half by way of Derlis Gonzalez however Japan struck again instantly when Kaoru Mitoma, whose two targets towards Australia in March clinched their place in Qatar, lifted the ball over Rojas from shut vary.
Rojas saved a penalty from Doan within the seventieth minute however substitute Ao Tanaka bagged Japan’s fourth quarter-hour later.
After Brazil, Japan will play two video games at residence this month in a four-team pleasant event additionally that includes Ghana, Chile and Tunisia.
