Japan have cruised through to the third round of Asian qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ after a resounding 10-0 win over an under-strength Myanmar side in Chiba.
Yuya Osako scored five and Takumi Minamino bagged a brace as the Samurai Blue – 14-0 winners against Mongolia in their last World Cup qualifier – delivered another ruthless, double-figures demolition job.
Hidemasa Morita, Daichi Kamada and Ko Itakura were also on target in a victory that further cemented Japan’s position at the summit of Group F, a section in which they have won all six matches by an aggregate score of 37-0.
Hajime Moriyasu had named an entirely European-based squad for the match, with domestic players unavailable, and five-goal Osako was just one of the players who grabbed the opportunity to impress.
Japan have now won nine of their last ten internationals and will head into their next fixture with Tajikistan on 7 June relaxed, confident and already looking ahead to the challenges that the third round will pose.
Myanmar, meanwhile, remain four points adrift of Tajikistan in fourth place, and will face Kyrgyz Republic – one point ahead of them in third – on 11 June.
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