The Japanese also sealed their spot at the Finals of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 as Group F winners with the victory, their sixth in a row in the current phase of qualifying, as Moriyasu’s side confirmed their progress to the next phase with two games remaining.

The win, Japan’s sixth in a row in qualifying, maintains the Samurai Blue’s perfect record in the group and means Hajime Moriyasu’s side cannot be passed by nearest rivals Tajikistan or Kyrgyz Republic with two games remaining.

Moriyasu fielded an experienced starting line-up that signalled his determination to complete the job of qualification with the minimum of fuss, and the tactic paid off as the Japanese made short work of the visitors.

With all teams having played five matches already with the exception of the UAE, who have played four, the group featuring four Southeast Asian sides remains wide open, making for a tasty viewing over the next three weeks. The-AFC.com previews the upcoming action and the players to watch ahead of the Qualifiers’ resumption on June 3.

Runaway leaders Japan would need to suffer an unprecedented collapse on home soil to squander top spot, but the race for second is well and truly alive, with Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic and Myanmar all battling for the chance to advance as one of the best runners-up.

Dreams are at stake on the road to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, and we’ve got all you need to know about the matches ahead, including the venues, state of play and the key men to keep an eye on.

The battle for top spot looks to be between Qatar and Oman while Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh fight it out for the automatic places in the third round of qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup.

With Qatar hosting the remaining matches, the-AFC.com previews the upcoming games and takes a look at the players to watch from each of the five teams.

With the group having passed the halfway point, Saudi Arabia hold the advantage at the top going into the three-week run-in on home soil, Uzbekistan and Singapore remain within touching distance of the hosts while Palestine are bottom and practically out of contention.

It has been 18 long months since a ball was kicked in Group B – featuring, Australia, Kuwait, Jordan, Nepal and Chinese Taipei – and with a wait like that, one could be forgiven for needing a refresher course before the action resumes.

But fear not, the-AFC.com is here to bring you all need to know about the finely poised group, including a run-down on the venues and how the teams currently stand, plus we pick out a key man from each of the five sides.