Takumi Minamino and Junya Ito struck as Japan took a giant step toward the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar on Tuesday, beating Group B leaders Saudi Arabia 2-0 at home in the final Asian qualifying round.
The Samurai Blue moved up to 18 points, one behind Saudi Arabia, and can clinch their seventh straight berth at the finals by beating third-place Australia in an away fixture in March.
Instrumental so far in the campaign, Ito set up Minamino's first-half opener at Saitama Stadium before scoring a screamer after the break to become the second Japanese player to net in four straight final qualifying-round matches.
"All the players and staff did their best preparation possible for this game and that helped generate good energy on the pitch, leading to the win," manager Hajime Moriyasu said after his team claimed their fifth straight win with the fourth straight clean sheet.
"We have ourselves to win the finals' berth, it won't be given by someone else. We'll give our best preparations to grab it at the Australia game."
Saudi Arabia asserted themselves from the opening stages with Japan needing to wait until the 29th minute for an opening, winger Ito dancing his way into the box down the right only for his cross to be cleared.
Japan, starting with the same eleven as they did for their 2-0 win over China on Thursday, finally looked to have found their rhythm and the opener arrived two minutes later with Ito again the architect.
Right-back Hiroki Sakai sent a long ball down the flank on a counter and Ito showed a burst of pace, running half the length of the pitch to somehow steal it before a defender to cut the ball back.
Forward Yuya Osako left it for Minamino behind him and the Liverpool forward still had a lot to do but showed good composure inside the box, gliding past a defender with a feint before burying a left-footed effort off a diving foot of keeper Mohammed Al-Owais.
"Playing as an attacker, I've always wanted to contribute with a goal," said Minamino after his first goal in the final round.
"We've focused on how we can maximize our strength through our positioning and timing of the play. I think I've improved from the last game in receiving the ball facing toward the goal in midfield, and doing the job inside the box."
Midfielder Ao Tanaka's incisive pass found Ito inside the area 10 minutes later only for his stinging effort to be saved by the keeper, and Tanaka also had a penalty shout turned down as he fell trying to shoot under pressure as the Blue Samurai ended the half on the front foot.
Minamino could have doubled the lead three minutes after the break only to send his volley wide off Sakai's cross at the far post, but Ito did get their second in the 50th minute with a memorable effort.
Chesting down a loose ball just outside the box, Ito caught the ball perfectly on a half-volley and fired it across the goal, through the legs of a defender and into the top left-hand corner, tying Genki Haraguchi's record from the 2018 final qualifying campaign for a four-game scoring streak.
"I just went for it and it happened to fly into the corner. It's pleasing helping us get the win with my goal," said the Genk speedster.
"It's not easy to reach the finals but I know we must get there. We were aware their left-hand side was their strength and we've nullified it by communicating well with Sakai."
Without injured influential Salman Al Faraj, Saudi Arabia lacked final touches with substitute Saud Abdul Hamid's effort from distance in the 68th minute finally testing the Japanese goal.
Japan defended well despite missing regular center-backs Maya Yoshida and Takehiro Tomiyasu to injuries, deputizing Shogo Taniguchi and Ko Itakura untroubled with Hidemasa Morita in midfield a standout with his all-around display.
A good link-up play involving Ito, Morita and substitute Daizen Maeda released Sakai but his superb cross was again not converted in the 82nd minute, this time through substitute Takuma Asano, but it mattered little as Japan cruised to another three points.
