Reuters: Issei Kato
)Japan stayed perfect in World Cup qualifying by routing Mongolia 14-0 in Chiba.
The Japanese scored five goals in the first half and added nine more in the second. The team leads Group F with 15 points from five matches.
A victory over Myanmar in June will secure first place in the group and a spot in the third round of Asian qualifying.
The eight group winners and four best second-placed teams will advance to the third round of qualifying, which is scheduled to start in September.
Takumi Minamino, Yuya Osako, Daichi Kamada and Hidemasa Morita all scored in the first half, along with an own goal from Mongolia defender Khash-Erdene Tuyaa.
Osako ended up with a hat-trick, while Sho Inagaki, Junya Ito and Kyogo Furuhashi scored two goals each. Takuma Asano also scored.
The Japanese side had led 10-0 with just three minutes to go in normal time, before putting a further four goals — including three in added time — past unfortunate Mongolian keeper Munkh-Erdene Enkhtaivan.
The game had been scheduled to take place in Mongolia but was changed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Asian Football Confederation decided this month to play all remaining Group F matches in Japan.
Saudi Arabia defeated Palestine 5-0 in the only other qualifying match from the Asian region and moved to the top of Group D above Uzbekistan.
Australia's remaining Group B qualifying games will be held in Kuwait in early June. The Socceroos — who lead their group by two points from Kuwait — will face the hosts, Taiwan, Nepal and Jordan in a 12-day burst.
The group winners will be the only ones guaranteed a place in the third level of qualifying for one of Asia's four automatic spots for the tournament in Qatar next year.
Team |
PL |
W |
D |
L |
GD |
PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan |
5 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
+27 |
15 |
Tajikistan |
6 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
+1 |
10 |
Krygyz Rep |
5 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
+5 |
7 |
Myanmar |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
-8 |
6 |
Mongolia |
7 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
-25 |
3 |
AP/ABC
