AFC Asian Qualifiers
Ueda was joined on the scoresheet by Daichi Kamada and Ritsu Doan as the four-time AFC Asian Cup winners and seven-time FIFA World Cup qualifiers notched up a comprehensive victory in their Group B opener.
Moriyasu fielded a side missing the injured Kaoru Mitoma and Ko Itakura while Takefusa Kubo, Wataru Endo and Takehiro Tomiyasu were among the usual first choice starters to sit on the bench, but even with a weakened line-up the Japanese took an early lead.
After toying with the defence, the Samurai Blue opened up the visitors with style in the 11th minute as Takumi Minamino lifted his clever pass over the top and Ueda read the flight of the ball perfectly, rising to steer a header inside Kyaw Zin Phyo’s right post.
Ueda missed with an opportunity to double the lead four minutes later after Seiya Maikuma was found in space down the right and his first-time ball presented the striker with a chance he steered wide.
Koki Machida’s rasping drive from distance was well saved by Kyaw Zin Phyo while moments later Ueda’s shot on the run was off target.
Japan eventually doubled their advantage in the 28th minute, Kamada moving forward while in possession to plant a sublime strike from more than 20 yards to the left of the goalkeeper’s hopeful dive.
Kyaw Zin Phyo had better luck five minutes later when he kept out a Doan free kick that was destined for the top corner before denying Yuki Soma in the final minute of the half from a similar distance.
There was little he could do, however, about Japan’s third deep into stoppage time as Doan’s exquisite reverse pass from the edge of the area found Ueda and he slotted in his second from a tight angle.
Ueda completed his hat trick five minutes into the second half when another astute Minamino pass fell at the forward’s feet and he clipped the ball over the goalkeeper to give Japan an unassailable lead.
Doan then hit the crossbar from close range while Kyaw Zin Phyo blocked Minamino’s effort at the end of the former Liverpool man’s driving run through the Myanmar defence and later pushed Soma’s goal-bound shot wide for a corner.
Freiburg winger Doan finally hit the goal his performance deserved four minutes from the end when he steadied himself before slotting low beyond the goalkeeper to cap a satisfying night’s work for the Japanese.
