Soccer

Ayase Ueda’s Late Penalty Double Lifts Japan Past Venezuela 2-1

By Hugo Brennan

Ayase Ueda’s Late Penalty Double Lifts Japan Past Venezuela 2-1

Hiroshima’s rain-soaked friendly appeared destined to finish level until the final moments, when Japan found a decisive route from the penalty spot. Ayase Ueda struck twice after the interval as Hajime Moriyasu’s side recovered from an early Venezuela lead to win 2-1 on Monday.

A quiet first half in heavy rain

Neither side created much before the break, with Japan and Venezuela struggling to turn promising approaches into genuine danger in difficult conditions. The hosts, the Blue Samurai, looked slightly more purposeful in attack, but Oswaldo Vizcarrondo’s Venezuela came closest to opening the scoring.

  1. In first-half stoppage time, Bryan Castillo met a delivery with a header from close range that beat Japan goalkeeper Leo Kokubo.
  2. A Japanese defender intervened at the last instant to keep the ball out.
  3. Christian Makoun tried to convert the loose ball near goal, but Japan’s defenders blocked his effort in a crowded sequence.

That scramble was one of the few significant moments before half-time.

Venezuela strike first, Ueda answers twice

  1. Venezuela began the second half sharply. Within the opening minute, Kevin Kelsy completed a move that started around midfield, placing his finish narrowly inside the right side of the goal defended by Zion Suzuki.
  2. Suzuki had replaced Kokubo during the interval, but Japan responded almost immediately to going behind.
  3. In the 49th minute, Junya Ito supplied Ueda on a counterattack, and the forward levelled the match. Both Ito and Ueda had entered after half-time under Moriyasu.
  4. With the score at 1-1, the contest opened up. Japan repeatedly won possession close to Venezuela’s penalty area, although the South American defence held firm for long spells.
  5. In stoppage time, Yangel Herrera brought down Takefusa Kubo inside Venezuela’s box. Both players are teammates at Real Sociedad.
  6. The referee awarded Japan a penalty, and Ueda converted it to complete the turnaround.

Japan’s late winner gave the Hiroshima crowd a 2-1 result after a match that moved from a restrained, rain-hit first half into a far more urgent second-period exchange.