Oiwa made seven changes to the team that defeated Israel in Japan’s final Group D fixture, including restoring captain Joel Fujita to central midfield and Hosoya in attack with the coach reverting to a side more closely resembling his first choice line-up.

Nerves appeared to be an issue early in the game as Ayumu Ohata clumsily conceded a needless free kick with a fifth minute foul on Aimar Oroz before, in the 11th minute, Spain took the lead.

Shunsuke Mito was pressured out of possession inside the Japan half and the ball was worked to the feet of Lopez, who unleashed a thumping strike from 30 yards that beat Leo Kokubo to his left, despite the goalkeeper managing to place a glove on the shot.

The goal was the first Japan had conceded during the Games, but the winners of the AFC U23 Asian Cup™ Qatar 2024 grew into the game as time wore on and thought they had pulled level.

Hosoya saw his strike ruled out for the most marginal of offside calls after turning defender Pau Cubarsi while the forward thumped a header off the post deep into injury time from Fuki Yamada’s in-swinging free kick to the far post from the right.

Yamada made way for Shota Fujio at the start of a second half that saw Spain reassert themselves, Lopez forcing Kokubo to tip a shot over the bar before the playmaker held off three Japanese to play Alex Baena into the area. His effort, though, was dragged wide.

Spain’s decisive second eventually came with 17 minutes remaining and it was little surprise that it was scored by Lopez as the European side’s most effective player controlled Sergio Gomez’s corner on his chest before crashing a rising shot beyond Kokubo.

With eight minutes remaining, Arnau Tenas denied Hosoya with a fingertip save at full stretch and Abel Ruiz put the result beyond doubt from close range in the 86th minute after the Japanese defence failed to clear a corner.