Japanese midfielder Ryota Morioka netted the opener in Charleroi's 3-0 defeat of Cercle Brugge in the Belgian first division on Sunday, his sixth goal of the season.

Five minutes into the match at Jan Breydel Stadium, Morioka collected a perfect pass from Ali Gholizadeh in the box and finished the job. Massimo Bruno doubled the lead in the 32nd minute and Modou Diagne closed it out with a third four minutes later.

(Ryota Morioka, right)

"It was a good pass and I hit it calmly," Morioka said.

"Still, our goals were scored in counter-attack situations and that gives us too few options (in normal play)," he said.

Cercle Brugge created more scoring chances for themselves after the break but it proved too little too late as they lost their first game under new coach Bernd Storck.