Japan make amends, Poland put on a show courtesy Lewandowski
Blue Samurai coach Nishino savours first win with 4-2 warm-up result against Paraguay
Japan claimed their first victory of the year on Tuesday, coming from behind to beat Paraguay 4-2 and boost sagging morale a week before their opening World Cup Group H match against Colombia.
It was The Blue Samurai’s first win under coach Akira Nishino, who had lost friendlies against Ghana and Switzerland since taking over from Vahid Halilhodzic in April.
Japan, one of the most successful Asian teams, having qualified for the World Cup for a sixth consecutive time, scored four despite managing only three shots against Paraguay, who failed to reach the World Cup finals.
Takashi Inui set up the victory at the Tivoli-Neu stadium in the Austrian city of Innsbruck with two second-half goals, both assisted by Shinji Kagawa. Paraguay’s Federico Santander ■ scored an own goal and Kagawa put the result beyond doubt with a stoppage-time strike. It ended a five-match winless streak, stretching back to December.
Nishino picked several veterans in his squad, including Kagawa, Keisuke Honda and Shinji Okazaki, who struggled to make the team under Halilhodzic.
Japan’s Group H opponents Poland ended their World Cup warm-up fixtures on a high with a resounding 4-0 win over Lithuania as talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski netted twice in the first half.
The 29-year-old skipper took his tally to 55 international goals.
Dawid Kownacki and Jakub Blaszczykowski were also on target for the Poles in Warsaw.