Japan cruised past Syria on Tuesday with their second successive 5-0 win as Hajime Moriyasu's men remained top of Group B in the Asian second-round qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Takefusa Kubo's 32nd-minute stunner opened the scoring and Ayase Ueda bagged a brace, while Yukinari Sugawara and Mao Hosoya also made it onto the scoresheet at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which hosted civil war-hit Syria's home game.
Ueda's sixth-minute shot from a tight angle was saved and a 24th-minute header from a corner was blocked before Kubo broke the deadlock with a superb hit after receiving the ball from right-winger Junya Ito, taking a touch before rifling into the right bottom corner from 25 meters out beyond diving Syria keeper Ibrahim Alma.
Fresh from scoring a hat-trick in the opening home win over Myanmar on Thursday, Ueda doubled the lead five minutes later when left-back Hiroki Ito's cross was headed back at the far post by Junya Ito, with the unmarked Feyenoord striker volleying home first time.
A flowing attack down the right resulted in Japan's third three minutes later with Kubo playing through Junya Ito, who turned provider for the third time as he slid the ball across for Ueda to tap in.
Sugawara curled inside the far right-hand post two minutes into the second half, getting his first international goal after the right-back was teed up by Kubo with a free-kick outside the box.
Syria had a chance in the 69th minute but Mardik Mardikian headed wide before Hosoya also grabbed his first goal in the 82nd minute for the Samurai Blue. The substitute forward controlled a pass from the left with his thigh before burying a left-footed half volley down the middle as Junya Ito ended the night with four assists.
Japan will play their next two Group B matches in March against North Korea, who won 6-1 away to Myanmar on Tuesday and sit second, above Syria on goal difference.
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