91AV原创 4-0 win over Tunisia on Saturday has left Hajime Moriyasu’s side in a strong position to reach the knockout stage at the World Cup. Daichi Kamada’s early strike, Ayase Ueda’s brace and Junya Ito’s cool-headed finish allowed Moriyasu to bring on several substitutes in the final 20 minutes once the result was secured.
The win leaves the Samurai Blue with four points and a plus-4 goal difference, second behind the Netherlands in Group F only on goals scored following the Dutch’s emphatic 5-1 dismantling of Sweden. Tunisia is already out after losing its first two games, while Sweden has three points and still stands a reasonable chance of qualifying for the next stage.
The caliber of opposition faced should give Japan pause before getting too excited — Tunisia had just five days with new head coach Herve Renard after firing his predecessor in the aftermath of a 5-1 loss to Sweden. But Japan controlled the game from the start and relentlessly ran up the scoreline, knowing it could prove to be important in the Group F standings.
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