(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Japan set up a mouth-watering summit clash with Pakistan on Tuesday in the Oman Triangular Series after it routed Oman 4-0 in the concluding round-robin match at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex (SQSC) on Monday.
Playing against the hosts, Japan, ranked 16th in the world, opened its account in the 17th minute through Kenta Tanaka, who also slammed in the second in the 38th minute. Kazumi Morata hit the third goal in the 43rd minute while Hirotaka Wakuri completed the rout with a last-minute goal.
After the completion of double round-robin matches, Japan finished second with seven points, with Pakistan on top with eight. Japan held Pakistan 2-2 in their first match on February 15 and lost 1-2 in a closely-fought match on Sunday.
Tuesday's final promises to be another close game with both teams matched equally.
On Monday, the hosts fought well against its much-superior and fitter rival and held the Japan side, coached by experienced Dutch coach Siegfried Aikman, to a goalless first quarter.
However, soon into the second session, Tanaka came up with a field goal.
Japan failed to increase the margin as it went into the halftime with a 1-0 narrow lead. However, Tanaka ensured the match went in Japan's favour with his second strike midway through the third quarter. And Morata's goal took the game away from the hosts before Wakuri's goal.
Oman went into the match with its confidence high after it held world No 13 and Asian heavyweight Pakistan to a 4-4 draw on Saturday.
Coached by Pakistan's Tahir Zaman, Oman is using the tri-series as a test event ahead of the Asian Games qualifiers that will be hosted at the same venue from March 8-17.
Despite earning just one points in the tri-series, Oman, ranked 32nd in the world, got a good exposure as it was up against much-higher ranked rivals. Oman could manage only one draw in the four games while it tasted defeats in the other three games.
Pakistan won its opening match against the hosts 3-0 on February 14 and Japan won by a similar scoreline against Oman two days later. The hosts then surprised the hockey world when it held Pakistan in an eight-goal thriller.
Coach Zaman said that he was 'satisfied' with the boys' display in the tournament as they came up with better execution of his plans. Oman had travelled to Hong Kong, China, ahead of the tri-series and returned with a runner-up finish in the ninth Hong Kong quadrangular event.
Oman beat hosts Hong Kong 2-0 and then lost to Chinese Taipei 4-3. In the concluding game, Oman beat Chinese club outfit, Guangdong, 2-1.
In the 2018 Asian Games qualifier, besides Oman, the teams taking part are Chinese Taipei, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and Indonesia – with the top four making it to the Asian Games.
Indonesia has already qualified as a host nation.
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