Japan XI thrashes HAL, HAL Custodian suffers leg fracture

Bangalore, May 26 (UNI) Japan under-20 team registered a 5-1 win against Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club (HAL) in the second Exhibition match here today, marred by a leg injury sustained by HAL custodian Subhash Kumar.

Kumar, who replaced Balaji after the visitors scored two goals, suffered shin bone fracture on the right leg when he tried to prevent substitute striker Sano Katsuhiko from scoring. He was immediately shifted to M S Ramaiah Hospital.

Playing an aggressive game, the visitors scored as many as four goals to lead 4-0 at lemon time and scored one more goal to take an unassailable lead. The local team succeeded in scoring one goal in the second half.

Ito Sho (6th minute), Nagasawa Shun (20th), Oshima Takahiro (22nd), Yokotani Shigeru (42nd) and Tanaka Atomu (56th) were the scorers for the winners, while the lone goal for the hosts came from skipper A Zavier Vijay Kumar at the 56th minute encashing on a corner pass by Rajendra Prasad.

Japan registered its second win in the three exhibition matches played as part of the week-long training conducted for the visitors in Bangalore.

The Japanese under-20 team, selected to play in the Asian Youth (U20) Football Championship scheduled to be played here during October/November, arrived here on Monday to acquaint itself to the weather conditions and boarding facilities.

The visitors would be playing their third match on May 28.

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