AFC Asian Qualifiers
Tanaka, a surprise exclusion from the squad that travelled to the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™, slotted in after 81 seconds at National Stadium to secure a win that moves the Samurai Blue onto nine points from their first three games in the current phase of the preliminaries.
The nations are due to meet again in Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Stadium on Tuesday with DPR Korea still on three points at the halfway stage having defeated Myanmar earlier in the campaign.
The Japanese could not have asked for a better start as Tanaka stroked past Kang Ju Hyok after Ritsu Doan’s initial headed pass was mishit by Takumi Minamino.
However, the ball fell back at the feet of Doan, who found Tanaka with his second attempt and the Fortuna Dusseldorf midfielder calmly converted.
Moriyasu’s side could have doubled their lead less than a minute later when Daizen Maeda’s pressure forced Jang Kuk Chol to cough up possession deep inside his own half, but the Celtic striker pushed his shot narrowly wide.
The home outfit’s high octane opening continued with Hidemasa Morita firing across goal and Kang denying Doan in the 13th minute after the Freiburg forward was found by Maeda’s flick 18 yards from goal. Koki Machida then headed just wide.
DPR Korea weathered that initial storm and did well later in the half to avoid going further behind.
With two minutes left in the opening period, Minamino won the ball deep inside his own half before setting off on a driving run and feeding Ayase Ueda. His return pass to Minamino set-up the France-based midfielder to release Doan, but Kang kept out his effort to slide his shot home.
Japan continued their quest for a second after the interval, with Ueda threatening and Ko Itakura’s downward header towards goal comfortably collected by Kang as the halfway point in the period approached.
DPR Korea Substitute Kim Juk Jin prompted a diving save from Zion Suzuki as the Japan goalkeeper dropped to his left 11 minutes from the end while moments later Kang deflected Ueda’s shot on the run just wide of his left post as the hosts claimed all three points.
