Japan 0 Ghana 2: Errors cost hosts in World Cup send-off match

Yokohama, May 30: Japan's World Cup send-off match against Ghana did not go to plan as they lost 2-0 in Yokohama on Wednesday to a side that failed to qualify for the finals in Russia.

The game had been touted as preparation for Japan's Group H clash with Senegal, but it will likely give coach Akira Nishino cause for concern due to the nature of the goals conceded in their final match at home before their campaign starts on June 19.

Japan remained on level terms for just nine minutes, as Tomoaki Makino was penalised on the edge of the area and Thomas Partey found the bottom-right corner with his free-kick – goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima failing to keep it out despite getting his hands to it.

Keisuke Honda went close to restoring parity just after the half-hour mark, but Richard Ofori blocked the effort with his leg.

VIDEO:@Thomaspartey22 drills in Ghana's opening goal against Japan in Yokohama pic.twitter.com/pUs2tKpJgC

— Michael Oti Adjei (@OtiAdjei) May 30, 2018

And Ghana took full advantage early in the second half – debutant Emmanuel Boateng slotting home a penalty after a dreadful mix-up between Kawashima and Makoto Hasebe resulted in the Levante attacker being brought down.

The Black Stars ultimately had little difficulty holding on, leaving Japan hoping to produce an improvement in their next World Cup warm-up games against Switzerland and Paraguay.

VIDEO: Watch goal scored by BLACK Stars new boy @EmmanuelBoaten8 as #Ghana leading #Japan 2-0 after 70 minutes of action. pic.twitter.com/6hA3ivkBRd

— Ghana Football Association (@ghanafaofficial) May 30, 2018

Japan recently fired coach Vahid Halilhodzic in April, just two months before the World Cup.

Akira Nishino, the technical director during Halilhodzic's tenure, took over and was given only 10 weeks to prepare the side. The friendly against Ghana was his first game in charge.

Former Algeria coach Halilhodzic, appointed in March 2015, guided Japan through the qualifiers as the winners of Group B. Halilhodzic was similarly fired from Ivory Coast in 2014 before joining Algeria.

Nishino has previously guided Gamba Osaka to the AFC Champions League crown in 2008. He's a former Japanese international, having played a couple of qualifiers in the 1970s.

Source: OPTA