Japan scored four goals in the first 18 minutes as they overcame New Zealand 4-2 in a Kirin Challenge Cup international friendly match at Tokyo’s National Stadium on Wednesday.
It was the Japan national team’s last match at the National Stadium before it is rebuilt for the 2020 Olympic Games.
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni started with Yamaguchi Hotaru and Aoyama Toshihiro in defensive midfield, with Morishige Masato replacing the sick Konno Yasuyuki in the middle of defense and Sakai Hiroki in at right back for the injured Uchida Atsuto. Osako Yuya started up front.
Okazaki Shinji scored twice for the home team, while Kagawa Shinji and Morishige netted once each. New Zealand’s Chris Wood scored once in each half in reply.
Japan had an early scare in the fourth minute when a New Zealand free-kick sailed through the penalty area, but Zaccheroni’s men broke quickly to score the game’s first goal.
Kagawa sent a through ball down the middle for Okazaki who looked to have lost the ball initially, but as New Zealand goalkeeper Glen Moss and defender Bill Tuiloma looked to shut down the Japan striker he was able to get a toe to the ball and stab it home.
Three minutes later, Japan were awarded a penalty when Tuiloma was penalized for a challenge on Kagawa, who sent the spot kick to the keeper’s right to put Japan 2-0 up.
Tuiloma’s bad day continued when he brought down Okazaki in the 11th minute and Morishige headed in Honda Keisuke’s free-kick to make the score 3-0 in Japan’s favour. 
Michael McGlinchey had a rare chance for New Zealand on the quarter-hour mark but his shot flew over the bar. 
Japan responded by netting their fourth goal in the 18th minute from a sweeping breakaway. Honda played a back-heel into Okazaki’s path and the Mainz striker finished off the move with a slick finish to put Japan 4-0 up. 
Japan countered well again in the 21st minute but Kagawa’s shot from the edge of the box failed to trouble Moss.
Wood saw a free-kick deflected by one of his own players into the side netting and then was foiled by Morishige in the 29th minute.
The Kiwi striker was finally rewarded for his efforts five minutes before halftime when he muscled his way past two defenders to the byline and then steered the ball into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
Zaccheroni brought on Endo Yasuhito and Hosogai Hajime to replace Yamaguchi and Aoyama at halftime, as well as Kiyotake Hiroshi for Okazaki and Sakai Gotoku for Sakai Hiroki. 
The substitutions didn’t stop with the players as referee Alan Milliner had to be replaced in the 55th minute after pulling his hamstring.
Tyler Boyd had a chance of narrowing the gap for New Zealand in the 56th minute when he found himself free near the penalty spot, but he fluffed his shot.
Honda let rip with a strong left-foot shot in the 65th minute that Moss could only punch away and Kiyotake came even closer when he volleyed against the post after a neat setup by Endo.
But Japan lost some of their momentum in the second half and New Zealand pulled a second goal back in the 79th minute when Wood volleyed home from close range.
Honda came closest to extending Japan’s lead in the dying minutes when Moss tipped his 20-meter free-kick over the bar, and there was no further change to the score.
Japan’s next match will be against Cyprus on May 27 at Saitama Stadium. It will be their last home match before the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.