Football: Japan leave it late against Oman

MUSCAT: Shinji Okazaki scored a late winner as Asian champions Japan edged Oman 2-1 to zero in on a berth at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil yesterday. Oman had not lost at home in the final round of qualifiers and Ahmed Mubarak’s 77th-minute free kick looked like preserving their unbeaten streak, after Hiroshi Kiyotake’s first goal for Japan had put the visitors in front after 20 minutes. But Okazaki had the last word when he scored from close range after a break down the left, putting Alberto Zaccheroni’s men provisionally eight points clear at the top of Group B with three games to play. Japan resume their qualifying campaign away to Jordan on March 26, when Oman are away to Australia.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2012.