Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma scored a goal and set up another as Japan beat Peru 4-1 in a friendly in Osaka on Tuesday
Japan's Kaoru Mitoma (Pic: AFP)
Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma scored a goal and set up another as Japan beat Peru 4-1 in a friendly in Osaka on Tuesday.
Mitoma, who enjoyed a breakout debut season in the Premier League with seven goals for the Seagulls, struck in the first half to double Japan's lead after Hiroki Ito opened the scoring.
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Japan's number 7 collected the ball on the left before cutting inside a defender and unleashing a shot that deflected past Peru goalkeeper Pedro Gallese. He then set up Junya Ito before substitute Daizen Maeda scored another to cap a successful week for Japan, who thrashed El Salvador 6-0 five days earlier.
Christofer Gonzales grabbed a late consolation for Peru, who arrived in Osaka fresh from a 1-0 win over South Korea in Seoul.
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu handed Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi his first international start in nine months, while club team-mate Reo Hatate lined up in midfield.
Takefusa Kubo, who scored one goal and set up two more against El Salvador, dropped to the bench.
Peru started with 39-year-old captain Paolo Guerrero in attack. The game was played at a fast and furious pace and Japan took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute. Defender Ito found space to hit a left-foot shot from the edge of the box, drilling the ball past Gallese for his first international goal.
Gianluca Lapadula came close to notching an equaliser for Peru when he dragged a shot just wide midway through the first half.
Mitoma showed him how it was done with Japan's second goal five minutes later.
Lapadula had a goal ruled out for offside as Peru tried to hit straight back but Japan made the game safe midway through the second half.
The home side hit the visitors with a quick break on the counter and Mitoma squared the ball for Ito to finish off. Celtic striker Maeda then pounced on a defensive mistake for Japan's fourth, before substitute Gonzales pulled one back for Peru.
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