Intro:

Japan made light work of Uzbekistan with a 5-1 win in an international friendly in Tokyo on Tuesday (31st March).

Script:

Without any meaningful match for the Japanese until qualification for the 2018 World Cup, this was a chance to pick up some world rankings points against Uzbekistan.

2015 has seen the Japanese at their lowest official ranking of 55th since 1999 - partly to do with their surprise elimination at the quarter-finals stage of the AFC Cup.

The first goal was quite spectacular. Toshihiro Aoyama firing into the top corner.

Japan led 1-0 at the break, but then the game soon changed.

Substitute Kosuke Ota with the cross as Shinji Okazaki gave the hosts a 2-0 lead.

Uzbekistan went for broke late on, and that allowed the Japanese more chances.

Gaku Shibasaki made a quick break and lobbed the ball over Turaev.

Okazaki tried to allow the mate the goal, yet had to add the last touch with the closing Kazakh defender.

Uzbekistan got one back with just under 10 minutes to go. Islom Tukhtakhujaev with the neat finish.

Takashi Usami added another, before Kengo Kawamata put the finishing touches to an impressive 5-1 win.

Two wins from two games for Vahid Halilhodzic, the perfect start to his tenure, with the 2018 Asian World Cup qualifiers kicking off later this year.