Goalscorer Ritsu Doan said Japan had “a different kind of pressure” in Friday’s 2-0 friendly win over Ghana after the high of beating Brazil for the first time last month.
Takumi Minamino and Doan scored either side of half-time as Japan beat fellow World Cup qualifiers Ghana in Toyota with just over half a year to go before next year’s tournament.
It was Japan’s first game since their 3-2 friendly win over Brazil in Tokyo last month, the first time they had beaten the five-time world champions in 14 attempts.
Eintracht Frankfurt forward Doan said the result was still on their minds against Ghana.
“There was a different kind of pressure tonight coming after the Brazil game,” said the 27-year-old.
“We wanted to try to avoid the ups and downs that come in football and I’m glad that we were able to deliver the win.”
It was Ghana’s first game since booking their place at the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico with a 1-0 win over Comoros last month.
Their midfielder Abu Francis left the game on a stretcher early in the second half with what looked like a serious ankle injury.
Ghana defended deep despite fielding Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo and Coventry’s Brandon Thomas-Asante, who has scored 10 goals in the English Championship this season.
“Today was good practice for the World Cup in how to break down a high-quality, well-organised team that hunkers down in defence,” said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu.
“We were able to prise them open.”
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Japan were still missing injured Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, and Liverpool’s Wataru Endo had to be content with a place on the bench on his return to the squad after missing the Brazil game.
Goalkeeper Tomoki Hayakawa took over from Zion Suzuki, who fractured a wrist and finger playing for Parma.
Japan opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Kaishu Sano found Minamino unmarked in the box and the Monaco attacker took a touch before sliding the ball into the net.
Doan doubled Japan’s lead just before the hour mark when he got the ball wide in the box and cut inside before drilling home a left-foot finish.
Moriyasu was happy to keep a clean sheet after drawing 2-2 in a friendly with Paraguay last month and conceding two goals against Brazil.
“I didn’t want to say too much to the players and make them think too much about it,” he said.
“They were determined not to concede and then they would try to force them open and score.”
Japan continue their World Cup preparations with a friendly against Bolivia in Tokyo on Tuesday, while Ghana play South Korea in Seoul.
Source: Channels TV
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