Internationals: Shinji nets again
Shinji Kagawa scored another goal for Japan as his national team won a thrilling last friendly before the World Cup, beating Zambia 4-3 in Tampa, USA.
The United playmaker equalised for Alberto Zaccheroni's side in the 75th minute, long after the African side had taken a shock 2-0 lead within the opening half-hour. Keisuke Honda pulled one back from the penalty spot before the break and the same player swiftly followed up Kagawa's leveller to put Japan in front for the first time.
After Zambia’s Lubambo Musonda squared the scoreline once again in the 89th minute, it needed an injury-time strike by Yoshito Okubo to ensure Shinji's team claimed a second victory in Florida, following their 3-1 success over Costa Rica in which the Reds star had also scored. Japan's next fixture will be their first match of the World Cup, a Group C clash with Ivory Coast in Recife on Saturday, 14 June.
Kagawa said after the Zambia match: "It means a lot for me to score two games in a row because I want to play in the World Cup in good form. But our quality - both for myself and for us as a team - was not very good today.
"Had this been the first match in the World Cup, it could have been a difficult situation to turn the match around from 2-0 down. It was perhaps good that this happened before the tournament.
"We need to get into shape once we get to Brazil. But with my mind focused for another week before the World Cup starts, I know I will be ready."
Elsewhere in the United States, Nani and Javier Hernandez were on opposing sides - at least, they were from the 58th minute when the latter came on as substitute for Mexico.
Reports suggest Chicharito livened up El Tri's attack, although it was Portugal who emerged victorious thanks to a stoppage-time header from stand-in captain Bruno Alves.
Nani played throughout the 1-0 win in Foxborough, Massachusetts but his former United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo missed the match through injury.
Portugal's campaign in Brazil will begin with a tough game against Germany on 16 June, but subsequent fixtures against Ghana and USA are also not expected to be easy.
Nani's national coach Paulo Bento admitted: "It's going to be a balanced group with four strong teams so it's going to be very difficult for us, but we will fight to the end to achieve our first goal, which is to reach the knockout phase.
"We still have a few mistakes that we need to correct before the World Cup."
Kagawa 2 goals back to back
