Hiroki Ito was the hero of the ‘blue samurai’ when he opened the scoring of the Japan vs. Peru in the first half, prompting the audience at the Panasonic Stadium to erupt in a single shout. With this match, the Peruvian National Team concludes its stage of preparation for the Qualifiers, while the Japanese have one more friendly in September, before the start of the Asian Cup.
At 22 minutes into the match, Hajime Moriyasu’s team took advantage of their position on Peruvian soil, to generate a collective play that began on the right wing, but which culminated on the left, with a precise and accurate shot by Hiroki Ito, impossible to miss. save for Pedro Gallese.
Peru vs. Japan: what’s next
The Peruvian National Team began its tour of Asia with the aim of getting ready for the start of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in Mexico, the United States and Canada. Under the command of Juan Reynoso, the bicolor squad first left for South Korea, where they added an important 1-0 victory, with a goal from Bryan Reyna.
However, the most difficult challenge would be Japan, a team that delighted in the last edition of the Soccer World Cup and that came with very high expectations, after winning their previous friendly against El Salvador 6-0. Both matches will serve as a thermometer for the start of the South American Qualifiers, which begin in September with matches against Paraguay in Asunción and Brazil in Lima.
In the case of the Japanese team, another friendly is scheduled for the ninth month of the year, this time against Germany. Said comparison will also be a good practice, before the Asian Cup begins, which will be played from mid-January 2024. Of course, the ‘blue samurai’ already have a confirmed schedule for said tournament, debuting against Vietnam and then facing to Iraq and Indonesia in the group stage.
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