Japan kickstarted their Olympic football journey with a 5-0 win over Paraguay in Group D.
Japan's young star Shunsuke Mito opened the scoring early on in the 18’ with a composed finish near the post. This was only the beginning of a flood of goals to follow from the Japanese side.
Mito was the main character of the game contributing with the first two goals, but he was not the only player to score twice.
Shōta Fujio rounded off a clinical victory with two goals from the bench. Wilder Viera was sent off in the 25’ with a straight red card following a VAR review which means this could potentially be his Olympic games over.
Story of the Game
Japan made three changes from their last game in the AFC U23 Asian Cup at the end of April with Ryotaro Araki, Fuki Yamada, and Kuryu Matsuki being replaced by Mito, Rihito Yamamoto, and Koki Saito.
Meanwhile, Carlos Jara Saguier made more than three changes. Ángel González, Fabrizio Peralta, Alan Núñez, and Marcelo Pérez were not part of the squad to face Japan despite having won the CONMEBOL Preolympics final in February.
Fabian Balbuena, Fabian Fernández, Marcos Gómez, and Julio Enciso were the chosen ones to play this game.
González got injured just before his Olympic campaign could begin; the same happened to Peralta, with both missing out on the Games.
On the other hand, Núñez started on the bench and Julio Enciso joined the team replacing Peralta. It was the Samurai Blues’ clinical fast break in the 18’ after Mito’s composed finish at the near post to open the scoring, one of many breaks that were to follow.
Just seven minutes later, Paraguay went down to ten men after a VAR check deemed Viera to have stamped on the ankle of Yu Hirakawa. That moment could prove decisive for the rest of his Olympic campaign.
This was the start of the end for the Paraguay side who were to become overrun in the second half. La Albirroja started the second half brightly and for the first ten minutes, it was difficult to see that they were down to ten men.
Japan had a series of chances over the next ten minutes, most notably Mito’s attempt following a long ball over the top. However, he could not get a clear shot away and the score remained the same.
This changed the tone of the game, with Mito adding his second of the game with a headed goal assisted by Koki Saito from 10 yards out to put Samurai Blues 2-0 ahead.
This was quickly followed up by Yamamoto in the 69’ after Sato pulled back to him on the edge of the box to finish in the bottom right-hand corner leaving the goalkeeper no chance.
Japan made a triple substitution which proved to be a masterstroke from Go Oiwa, with the number nine Fujio being one of them and capping off the brilliant performance with two late goals in 81’ and 87’.
Paraguay could not fight against the superior numbers of the Samurais who overran them from minute 25’ until the end of the match.
Player of the Match - Shunsuke Mito
Without a doubt, the chosen one is the midfield maestro from residing in Rotterdam for his Club Sparta, he gave his team the fire to light the spark to set the match alight.
He was part of the starting eleven and proved to be a wise selection by Oiwa scoring a brace with his foot and his head.
Mito is definitely a player to watch throughout the tournament as his influence on matches will continue to grow.
It would not be surprising to see him follow up this performance with a hat trick if he keeps this form running into their next game against Mali who played Israel in their first encounter.
