Japan win Gulf thriller

Shunsuke Nakamura and Yasuhito Endo gave Takeshi Okada’s side a 2-0 lead at half-time and they seemed to be cruising when Kengo Nakamura added a third with six minutes remaining.

But Bahrain, who had been reduced to 10 men midway through the second half, produced a spirited finish almost snatching an unlikely point as a Salman Isa strike and a Marcus Tulio Tanaka own goal narrowed the deficit.

Japan took the lead after 17 minutes through Shunsuke Nakamura and it was no surprise the dead ball expert opened their account with a free-kick.

Mohamed Hussain fouled Keiji Tamada and, from 25 yards out, Nakamura stepped up to drill a left-footed shot into the bottom corner beyond keeper Sayed Mohamed, who had taken a couple of steps to his left and could not scramble back in time.

Bahrain looked for an immediate reply and Salman Isa pulled the trigger from 30 yards but Yuji Nakazawa brilliantly tipped his strike over the bar.

Bahrain were enjoying more possession as half-time approached but found the Japanese defence a resolute obstacle and it was the visitors who extended their lead after 43 minutes.

Tamada was bundled over down the left and Endo stroked a free-kick across the box to the unmarked Nakamura. The Celtic midfielder’s mis-hit shot struck Faouzi Aaish on the arm and Singaporean referee Abdul Malik Bashir pointed to the spot.

Endo sent Mohamed the wrong way when he calmly side-footed the penalty into the bottom corner.

Bahrain began the second-half strongly and only Nakamura’s lunge stopped Isa from pulling a goal back at the far post after a corner had been flicked on.

Hussain was then unfortunately dismissed after 66 minutes following a second yellow card for tugging back Tanaka.

Makoto Hasebe somehow failed to put the result beyond any doubt with 15 minutes remaining as he robbed Aaish, who inexplicably tried to dribble the ball out of his own area, but with the goal at his mercy somehow crashed his shot against the bar from six yards.

The ball fell to Tanaka but the striker also saw his shot hit the bar as Bahrain escaped.

Japan did net a third after 84 minutes when substitute Kengo Nakamura drew back his left foot from 25 yards and his powerful strike took a deflection off Sayed Adnan that left Mohamed stranded.

However, it was the precursor to some late drama as Isa pulled a goal back after 86 minutes when a low cross deep from the right found its way through to the midfielder, who controlled it excellently before slotting home.

Barely a minute later, a hopeful punt down field was headed past the onrushing Japanese keeper by Marcus Tulio Tanaka and into his own net.

However, Okada’s side weathered the hosts’ late pressure to claim three valuable points.