Japan ran out 2-0 winners over the USA as they continued their World Cup warm-up with plenty of Scottish Premiership interest in the clash. Daizen Maeda, Kyogo and Reo Hatate all in the Japan squad while Rangers' Malik Tillman was included for the USA.
In the end though it was only Maeda who was handed a start for his country. However, the frontman is seemingly the preferred option of Hajime Moriyasu ahead of teammate Kyogo up front despite his more prominent role for Celtic. However, Maeda was taken off at the break but it was a change of shape rather than simply personnel as defenders Miki Yamane and Hiroki Ito emerges with left-back Hiroki Sakai the other to make way.
There was bad news for Hatate as he was one of three players out of the squad after naming a 29-man group and Hatate fell victim to that as he wasn't even named on the bench. Tillman came off the bench for the US but failed to make the difference in the second half.
Eintracht Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada got the only goal of a first-half that Japan dominated and should have been further clear. America boss Gregg Berhalter will be disappointed with the showing, and did not have Cameron Carter-Vickers at his disposal due to injury.
Japan now face Ecuador on Tuesday while the US face Saudi Arabia as preparations for the November World Cup continue apace.
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