Japan Under-21 team exposed the gulf of difference between the two countries when they thrashed the Bangladesh national team 3-0 in a friendly match in Dhaka on Thursday.
The full-strength Bangladesh held Japanese youths in the first 45 minutes before losing their stamina in the second half to suffer the defeat. Substitute forward Asano Takuma scored two goals while forward Minamino Takumi scored the other for the visitors, who are preparing for the Olympic qualifiers.
Bangladesh successfully avoided conceding any goal from set-piece, which remained as their Achilles Heel over the years, but Japan left Bangladesh defense clueless with their tactical skill.
All three goals that Bangladesh conceded were the outcome of combined attacks of the visitors.
Japan’s game considerably changed once tall forward Suzuki Mushashi took the field in the 60th minute and Bangladesh defence had no answer to him.
Some 20,000 fans, a rare gathering in a football match here in Dhaka these days, backed Bangladeshi footballers from the beginning, but it did not cause Japanese youths any problem to take control of the game.
Bangladesh goalkeeper Russell Mahmud Liton rescued his side several times in the as he produced some good saves to deny the Japanese from any breakthrough in the first-half.
The Muktijoddha goalkeeper blocked a short range shot from forward Arano Takuma in the 16th minute and three minutes later parried off a powerful shot of Yamanaka Ryosuke.
Defender Yamin Munna saved the home side from another dangerous attack in the 38th minute.
Liton blocked Takumi’s shot from a Takuma’s through pass but it fell onto the middle of the six yard box. Munna came to rescue by sending the ball over the bar for a corner.
Yajima Shiya wasted a bright chance to break the deadlock in the 55th minute when he failed to get a decent touch on a cut back from Kamekawa Masashi.
Japan finally took the lead in the hour mark when substitute forward Asano Takuma scored after a fine work by Harakawa Riki, who delivered a defence splitting through pass.
Takuma broke into the penalty
area and slotted the ball home past Liton.
Minamino Takumi doubled the lead in the 73rd minute with a left-footed volley after a combined work between Suzuki and Asano Takuma.
Asano scored his second two minutes later after placing home a cutback of Takumi.
-With New Age input
