SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) faced Syria on 8 October in Muscat, Oman, in their fourth match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Asian Qualifiers Round 2. The Halilhodzic side grabbed a 3-0 victory with three second-half goals including Leicester City forward OKAZAKI Shinji's finish to top Group E.
Japan replaced two starters from the last match against Afghanistan in September as they put SAKAI Gotoku (Hamburger SV) at the right back and MAKINO Tomoaki (Urawa Reds) at the central defence position. On the offensive side, Halilhodzic played Okazaki as a striker and lined up HONDA Keisuke (AC Milan), KAGAWA Shinji (Borussia Dortmund) and HARAGUCHI Genki (Hertha BSC Berlin) behind him.....