Lacklustre Russia lose again, Japan suffer home defeat

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Austria vs Russia - Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria - May 30, 2018 Russia's Igor Akinfeev, Sergei Ignashevich, Anton Miranchuk, Vladimir Granat and team mates look dejected at the end of the match REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

(Reuters) - World Cup hosts Russia continued their miserable run when they slipped to a 1-0 defeat in Austria on Wednesday and Japan suffered a blow when they lost 2-0 at home Ghana in coach Akira Nishino's first game in charge.

Defeat for the Russians came after a poor seven-month period in which they failed to win in six consecutive games, conceding 10 goals in their last four matches.

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Japan's Makoto Hasebe speaks to the fans after the match REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Alessandro Schopf scored the only goal midway through the first half after good work by Marko Arnautovic and Stanislav Cherchesov's Russian team looked short of quality throughout.

Sergei Ignashevich returned to the starting side after a two-year absence but did little to improve their defensive woes.

Ignashevich became the oldest player to appear for Russia at 38 years and 320 days, surpassing ex-Soviet Union keeper Lev Yashin, who played his last international at 37 years and 267 days.

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Austria vs Russia - Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria - May 30, 2018 Austria's Guido Burgstaller in action with Russia's Sergei Ignashevich REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Russia, who failed to get past the World Cup group stage in 1994, 2002 and 201, are in a relatively weak-looking Group A alongside Saudi Arabia, Uruguay and Egypt.

New-look Japan suffered a 2-0 home defeat by Ghana to leave new coach Nishino with tough decisions to make less than three weeks before their first match in Russia.

The Blue Samurai will open their World Cup Group H campaign against Colombia on June 19. Poland and Senegal are the other teams in their group.

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Austria vs Russia - Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria - May 30, 2018 Austria coach Franco Foda and Russia coach Stanislav Cherchesov REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Nishino deployed a new formation with three central defenders, two wing-backs and two inside forwards supporting a lone striker.

However, Ghana captain Thomas Partey scored and debutant Emmanuel Boateng converted a penalty to ensure a miserable night for Japan in front of 64,520 fans at a rain-soaked Nissan Stadium in Yokohama.

"Having not played a game at home in half a year, we absolutely wanted a good game just before the World Cup," Nishino said.

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Austria vs Russia - Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria - May 30, 2018 Austria's Guido Burgstaller in action with Russia's Roman Zobnin and Martin Hinteregger REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

"We gave it a good try, but the result is disappointing. We had chances but couldn't capitalise."

Nishino will name his World Cup squad on Thursday before warm-up games against Switzerland on June 8 and Paraguay four days later.

There was good news for Egypt who are hopeful that forward Mohamed Salah will have recovered from his shoulder injury in time to play in their final World Cup group game.

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Austria vs Russia - Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria - May 30, 2018 Austria's Florian Grillitsch in action with Russia's Denis Cheryshev REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

"The (Egyptian) football association confirms once again ... Salah will be in the World Cup, God willing, and won't be absent for more than three weeks," the Egyptian FA said.

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Austria vs Russia - Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria - May 30, 2018 Russia's Igor Akinfeev makes a save REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Austria vs Russia - Tivoli Stadion Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria - May 30, 2018 Austria's Marko Arnautovic in action with Russia's Vladimir Granat REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

(Reporting by Angel Krasimirov, editing by Ed Osmond)

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Japan's Yoshinori Muto in action with Ghana’s Thomas Partey REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Japan's Yoshinori Muto in action Ghana’s Rashid Sumaila REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Ghana’s Kwasi Okyere Wriedt in action with Japan's Tomoaki Makino and Yosuke Ideguchi REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Ghana’s Kwasi Okyere Wriedt in action with Japan's Tomoaki Makino and Yosuke Ideguchi REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Japan's Shinji Kagawa in action REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Japan's Keisuke Honda in action REUTERS/Toru Hanai

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Japan vs Ghana - Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Japan - May 30, 2018 Ghana’s Thomas Partey celebrates scoring their first goal with team mates REUTERS/Toru Hanai