Defender Tsukasa Shiotani scored his first international goal for the win as Japan fought back to beat Uzbekistan 2-1 and clinch the top spot in Group F at the AFC Asian Cup on Thursday night.

Striker Yoshinori Muto netted his first Samurai Blue goal in more than three years, leveling the scores shortly after Eldor Shomurodov had given Uzbekistan the lead late in the first half at Al Ain's Khalifa bin Zayed Stadium.

With a place in the knockout stage already guaranteed, manager Hajime Moriyasu made wholesale changes to Japan's starting lineup, retaining only forward Koya Kitagawa from the 11 who took the field in Sunday's 1-0 win over Oman.