Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Newcastle: Japan kicked off the defence of their AFC Asian Cup title in comfortable fashion on Monday as Javier Aguirre’s side notched up an empathic 4-0 win over tournament debutants and Group D rivals Palestine at Newcastle Stadium. Match highlights: Japan 4-0 Palestine Click here for match summary
Yasuhito Endo, Shinji Okazaki, Keisuke Honda and Maya Yoshida were all on the scoresheet as the four-time continental champions showed their class to pick up all three points on a blustery evening.
Palestine, appearing in the competition for the first time after winning the AFC Challenge Cup in May, finished the game with 10 men after Ahmed Mahajna was sent-off for a late challenge on Shinji Kagawa that earned him a second booking after being cautioned in first-half stoppage time.
Aguirre made his intentions clear from the start by fielding a full strength line-up against Palestine and it took just eight minutes for the defending champions to notch their opening goal.
Endo, earning his 149th cap for his country and making a Japanese record 18th appearance at the AFC Asian Cup, took aim from 25 yards out and his low left foot strike gave Ramzi Saleh little chance as it settled into the goalkeeper’s bottom right corner.
By the 25th minute, Japan had doubled their lead with Okazaki showing razor sharp reflexes to head Kagawa’s shot from the edge of the area past Saleh.
And just a minute before the half-time break Honda made it 3-0 from the penalty spot after Kagawa was brought down by Musab Battat.
Palestine saw little of the ball in the opening 45 minutes, although Ismail Al Amour fashioned a rare opportunity five minutes before the break, only to drag his effort from the edge of the area across the face of goal.
There was little let-up from Japan at the beginning of the second half with Endo trying his luck again from long distance – this time with his right foot – but Saleh was equal to the task, turning the ball around his right post.
Seconds later, though, Yoshida headed home Japan’s fourth, rising highest to nod in Kagawa’s corner as the gulf in class between the teams became ever more apparent.
Mahajna’s sending off threatened to cause further problems for Palestine but, despite being down to 10 men, central defender Abdallatif Al Bahdari almost claimed a consolation goal eight minutes from time when his flying header went just wide.
Gotoku Sakai and Yoshinori Muto both tried their luck in the dying minutes to extend Japan’s lead, but in the end the titleholders commenced their defence of the trophy in a convincing manner.
Photo: WSG