Japan, India lead Asia 7s Football in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Talk about being several notches higher.

Not only was Japan faster, stronger and sharper, they were a class unto themselves in delivering a 8-1 obliteration of the Philippines at the BP AIA Asia 7s Football Championships Friday evening, at the McKinley Hill Stadium.

It was actually the Philippines that scored first with Jappeth Piñero’s corner kick deflecting off a Japanese defender in the 11th minute.

Despite being stunned, the Japanese’s response was swift and devastating.

With midfielders Shohei Agata playing a high pivot and Rusei Okuma playing behind him, the Japanese played quick on-touch and pass-and-go football, feeding hungry wingers for devastating strikes with attempts that were just as spectacular.

Japan led 4-1 at the half and cruised to a 8-1 victory. 

Takaharu Nagawa fed off these passes with a hat trick to his name while Okuma helped himself as well to a hat trick as a recipient of Agata’s playmaking.  

Agata himself soared in for a header while Reo Sato added a score of his own. 

In the other opening match, India crushed Brunei 5-1 with Johnson D’Silva and Clinton D’Souza each scoring a brace while Seaon D’Souza added a goal. 

Yunos Yakim was the sole Brunei player to score.

India was leading 3-nil when Yakim scored in added time in the first half. 

Brunei had a few more good scoring opportunities in the second half including a one-versus-one with the Indian keeper, but Brunei flubbed the opportunity. 

The second set of matches saw India blank the Philippines, 2-0, with Mervin Stephen and Craig D’Souza scoring within a minute of each other in the second half, during the 41st and 42nd minute respectively, to seize control of the match.

Japan crushed Brunei, 9-nil with Nakagawa, Okuma, and Naoki Oishi each scoring a brace. Agata, Sato and Tomoya Sekine each added a goal. 

Saturday’s final elimination round match of the BPI AIA Asia 7s Football Championships between the Philippines and Brunei and Japan and India will be played at 3:30pm followed by the semi-finals. 

The matches will be televised live on the TapGo streaming application.