AFC U23 Asian Cup
The defending champions led from start to finish with goals from Shusuke Furuya and Ryunosuke Sato for a perfect record and will face Jordan in the quarter-finals.
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Japan head coach Go Oiwa retained just three players from the side that beat the United Arab Emirates 3-0, while Qatar also rang in the changes with Ilidio Vale making five.
Having already secured their quarter-final berth with a match to spare, Japan dictated the tempo from the outset with Tokumo Kawai, Yudai Shimamoto and Haruta Kume all seeing their efforts thwarted.
Having already secured their quarter-final berth with a match to spare, Japan dictated the tempo from the outset with Tokumo Kawai, Yudai Shimamoto and Haruta Kume all seeing their efforts thwarted.
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Kawai went close in the 26th minute with his curling free-kick well saved by Qatar keeper Amir Hassan before Yutaka Michiwaki had his headed attempt ruled out three minutes later.
Japan’s aggressive approach finally paid off at the half-hour mark when Shusuke Furuya rose highest to nod home Kaito Koizumi’s cross from the right.
Japan’s aggressive approach finally paid off at the half-hour mark when Shusuke Furuya rose highest to nod home Kaito Koizumi’s cross from the right.
Group B: Japan v Qatar
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Shimamoto came close to doubling Japan’s advantage in the 51st minute when Shuto Nagano set up the Shimizu S-Pulse midfielder, only to see his stinging shot from distance saved by Hassan.
Qatar almost fell further behind in the 77th minute but Shimamoto was denied by the left post before Japan ramped up the pressure with Ryunosuke Sato pouncing on a calamitous pass from Hassan to slot past the Qatar custodian three minutes later.
Japan pushed for a third with Kawai seeing his shot saved by Hassan in the 84th, while Shimamoto missed a sitter in stoppage time after hitting over the bar.
Japan pushed for a third with Kawai seeing his shot saved by Hassan in the 84th, while Shimamoto missed a sitter in stoppage time after hitting over the bar.
