TOKYO: Takuma Nishimura came off the bench to secure a 1-1 draw for Japan against Uruguay in a friendly on Friday, equalising seconds after entering the action.

Meeting a Junya Ito cross in the 75th minute, the striker found the net with his left foot, to the delight of 62,000 home fans in the rain-drenched National Stadium.

Uruguay captain Federico Valverde had opened the scoring in the 38th minute. The Real Madrid midfielder hit the post from the edge of the box but was the first to react to the rebound, nodding home to take the lead.

Japan piled on the pressure after that, but Uruguay held fast and continued to threaten on the counter.

Kaoru Mitoma showed smooth dribbling as he repeatedly tried to get through Uruguay’s defence, and the Brighton winger’s 55th minute through ball for striker Takuma Asano did not get the finish it deserved.

In the 64th minute, Ito appeared to have been tripped by a Uruguay defender, and South Korean referee Ko Hyung-jin pointed to the spot — but the decision was overruled by VAR.

But the hosts did get the equaliser they craved, through Nishimura.

“It was unfortunate that we could not win,” Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said after the game.

“We allowed (Uruguay) the first goal. Our players kept their spirits and fought on.

“There were many issues. Our efforts to quickly switch from defence to attack didn’t quite work. I’d like to correct that, among other areas, in the next game,” Moriyasu said.

COLOMBIA CLAIM DRAW DESPITE SON’S BRACE

Meanwhile, South Korea threw away a two-goal halftime lead to share a 2-2 draw with Colombia in Ulsan in coach Juergen Klinsmann’s first game in charge of the Taeguk Warriors.

Son Heung-min scored twice to give the Koreans a comfortable lead at the interval but two goals in four minutes after the restart from James Rodriguez and Jorge Carrascal earned the Colombians a draw.

Son put his scoring difficulties for Tottenham Hotspur behind him to give the Koreans the lead in the 10th minute, capitalising on his side winning possession deep inside the Colombian half to net from distance.

His second was even more impressive as last year’s joint-top scorer in the Premier League bent a dipping free kick past Camilo Vargas from 25 yards with his right foot.

Rodriguez pulled one back for the Colombians within a minute of the restart when he slotted in Diego Valoyes’ cutback from the right and Carrascal swept in the equaliser three minutes later.

The Koreans will host Uruguay in Seoul on Tuesday in Klinsmann’s second game in charge while the Colombians will travel to Osaka to take on Japan.

Elsewhere, Germany-based Jackson Irvine, Sparta Prague striker Awer Mabil and Hearts’ Garang Kuol all got on the scoresheet in Australia’s 3-1 victory over Ecuador and ensured newly appointed coach Felix Sanchez got his reign off to a losing start at the Western Sydney Stadium.

It was Socceroos first match on home soil since their run to the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup.

Sanchez replaced Argentine Gustavo Alfaro who left after Ecuador were eliminated in the World Cup group stage.

Irvine put the home side in front after 12 minutes, side-footing home from close range.

But the visitors levelled 11 minutes later through Felix Torres, who climbed above the defence to powerfully head home.

An error by Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie on the edge of the box saw them go behind again, the defender losing possession to Mabil who drilled the ball into the roof of the net.

Both teams threatened in the second half before Kuol made sure of the win with six minutes remaining.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2023