There has been no football on the island republic since the current season was suspended on March 24 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although teams did begin training in small groups in June, with full training allowed from the beginning of September.

Yoshida saw Ambroise Oyongo’s hook his goal-bound effort clear midway through the first half after a fumble by Cameroon goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa in Japan’s first international outing in 10 months due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Head coach Kim Hak-bum's side looked set for a famous win but were denied in the 89th minute by striker Lee Jeong-hyeop's equaliser.

In a long-awaited first outing under new coach Dragan Skočić, Team Melli’s star attacking duo each found the back of the net – Azmoun with a 25-yard rocket just before half-time, Taremi with a second half penalty – before Eldor Shomurodov pulled a goal back for the hosts in the 53rd minute.

Uzbekistan will meet United Arab Emirates in another friendly in Dubai on Monday, while Iran will face Mali in Antalya, Turkey the following day.

The AFC Champions League (East), which will be played between November 18 and December 13, 2020, follows the successful completion of the AFC Champions League (West) in Qatar.

In this week’s edition of our in-depth women’s football series, GameChangers, we meet the Women’s Super League veteran and Irish international, who sought to encourage a love of football in her students in Thailand and, in the process, rediscovered her own.

In more ways than one, it was a whole new ball game.

Mitrita joins the Saudi giants on loan for a season and a half from MLS outfit New York City FC, with an option to sign a contract by the end of the loan period.