TOKYO, March 29 ― Japan defender Maya Yoshida’s second-half goal earned a 1-1 draw with a stubborn Vietnam side at Saitama Stadium today as Hajime Moriyasu’s World Cup-bound side brought down the curtain on their preliminary campaign.

The Japanese team, who confirmed their place at a seventh consecutive World Cup finals with victory over Australia on Thursday, were forced to fight back after Nguyen Thanh Binh’s header had given the visitors the lead.

Moriyasu made a raft of changes against already-eliminated Vietnam with Kaoru Mitoma, who scored both goals in Sydney last week as a substitute, earning a place in the starting lineup.

The Belgium-based winger was a significant threat down the left wing but it was the visitors who took the lead when Nguyen Cong Phuong’s corner was met by Thanh Binh in the 19th minute.

Yoshida, however, started and finished the move that delivered Japan’s equaliser nine minutes into the second half, the Sampdoria man winning the ball on the halfway line before releasing Mitoma, who in turn fed Genki Haraguchi.

The midfielder’s shot from the edge of the area was spilled by goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh and Yoshida, who had continued his run into the penalty area, pounced to score.

Substitute Ao Tanaka saw his strike ruled out by VAR after Takumi Minamino was judged to have handled in the build-up, while Yoshida was left with his head in his hands when he missed an open goal from five metres with 12 minutes remaining.

Ayase Ueda was then marginally offside when he netted in the dying minutes as Japan failed to turn their dominance into the win that would guarantee them top spot in Group B. ― Reuters