Japan wrapped up its World Cup preparations in languid fashion on Sunday, needing a late goal from Koki Ogawa to grind out a 1-0 win in a friendly match against Iceland at a packed National Stadium in Tokyo.
The Nordic island nation, which was ranked 75th in the world going into Sunday’s game and did not qualify for this year’s World Cup in North America, was happy to play the majority of the game in its own half and defended competently against a Japanese offense that showed little cutting edge.
But the deadlock was finally broken after 86 minutes, with Ogawa heading in off the left post from Yukinari Sugawara’s cross.
