Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangkok: Japan eased into the AFC Women’s Futsal Championship 2018 quarter-finals, beating now eliminated Bahrain 13-0 at the Bangkok Arena to reach the Knockout Stage with a game to spare.
Kenichiro Kogure’s side were rarely troubled as they piled on five first half goals, before adding eight more in the second 20 minutes, to join China PR in advancing to Wednesday’s quarter-finals.
Eri Wakabayshi and Anna Amishiro scored hat-tricks as the 2015 finalists’ precise passing and off-the-ball movement left their inexperienced opponents chasing shadows.
Bahrain were under pressure from the get-go, taking up deep positions as their opponents probed for a way through their defence and eventually took the lead when Wakabayashi was teed up for a back post tap-in by Junko Yokoyama.
Japan added a beauty of a second when Amishiro tricked her way past Deena before rifling the ball home in the 10th minute, and Bahrain could do nothing but watch seven minutes later when Wakabayashi finishing off a wonderful passing move involving Mika Eguchi and Misato Komura.
Ryo Egawa was the beneficiary of a somewhat fortuitous deflection in the build up to score in the 18th minute, before turning provider for Riho Katsumata two minutes later to give Japan a deserved 5-0 half-time lead.
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/bahrain_vs_japan_-_afcwfc_2018_md2.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/bahrain_v_japan_-_afcwfc_2018_md2.html
