Bangalore: Two goals from Ryuji Bando helped Japan outplay India 3-0 in an Asian Cup qualifying match on Wednesday.
Japan's victory gave it 12 points from five Group A matches, four of which it has won. Japan and Saudi Arabia have already secured passage into next year's Asian Cup, leaving the other two teams Yemen and India far behind.
India has now lost all its five matches.
Fielding four World Cup stars in its lineup, Japan started on a relaxed note but took control of the game midway through the first half.
Bando opened the scoring in the 22nd minute on a counterattack that saw Alessandro Santos send in a cross from left.
Yuke Abe deflected the ball toward Bando, who shot in from close as Indian goalkeeper Sandip Nandy had been wrong-footed by Abe's pass.
Santos was again in thick of action in the 43rd minute, when he created space on right flank to send in a cross for Bando to head home.
India could not capitalise on a few scoring chances in the second half before Japan's Kengo Nakamura rounded off the scoring in the 82nd minute with a 25-yard shot that beat goalkeeper Nandi.
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