Minamino, Ito score as Japan beats Panama 3-0 in friendly
Posted October 12, 2018 7:00 am
NIIGATA, Japan (AP) - Japan improved its record to 2-0 under coach Hajime Moriyasu after beating Panama 3-0 in a friendly on Friday.
Takafumi Minamino put the hosts ahead just before halftime on a left-footed shot from the center of the box, and Junya Ito doubled the advantage from close range midway through the second half.
An own goal by Panama defender Harold Cummings capped the result for Japan.
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Japan's Takumi Minamino, right, vies for the ball with Panama's Michael Murillo during their Kirin Challenge Cup soccer match in Niigata, Niigata prefecture, north of Tokyo Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. (Yu Nakajima/Kyodo News via AP)
The Associated Press
Japan's Sho Sasaki, left, vies for the ball during their Kirin Challenge Cup soccer match against Panama in Niigata, Niigata prefecture, north of Tokyo Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. (Shigeyuki Inakuma/Kyodo News via AP)/Kyodo News via AP)
The Associated Press
Japan's Junya Ito, right, scores a goal during the last half of their Kirin Challenge Cup soccer match against Panama in Niigata, Niigata prefecture, north of Tokyo Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. (Yu Nakajima/Kyodo News via AP)
The Associated Press
Japan's Junya Ito, second right, scores the team's second goal during the last half of their Kirin Challenge Cup soccer match against Panama in Niigata, Niigata prefecture, north of Tokyo Friday, Oct. 12, 2018. (Shigeyuki Inakuma/Kyodo News via AP)
The Associated Press