Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Sharjah: Kosei Uryu’s stunning first-half strike was enough for Japan to defeat Russia 1-0 on Friday as the 2012 AFC U-16 Championship runners-up made a positive start to their FIFA U-17 World Cup 2013 campaign.
The Chikuyo Gakuen High School forward fired a blistering right-foot drive past Anton Mitryushkin and into the top corner of the Russian goal with quarter-of-an-hour of the Group D encounter played.
The Japanese, who lost on penalties to Uzbekistan in last year’s continental final, dominated Friday’s fixture but Russia came close to a 63rd minute equaliser after goalkeeper Teimosii Shiraoka failed to deal with a poorly-played back pass but neither Ilir Nurisov or Ramil Sheidav could find the target.
Japan are next in action on Monday when they take on Venezuela, who went down 2-1 to Tunisia on their first ever appearance in the FIFA U-17 World Cup finals.
Photo: AFP