Urawa Reds striker Yuichiro Nagai came off the bench to score a last-gasp winner on his national team debut as a below-strength Japan shocked 2002 World Cup co-hosts South Korea 1-0 in a friendly here Wednesday.
South Korea, also missing a number of key players, dominated for long periods of the game at Seoul World Cup stadium but came undone as Nagai, a late callup to the squad, popped up with the winner against the run of play to give Zico his first win in four games since taking over as coach.
"A wonderful match," Zico said. "Both teams fought hard and I wouldn't have been a surprise if South Korea had stolen it. But we're improving all the time at the back and there was good balance in the middle of the park."
It was Japan's 12th win in 62 matches against South Korea. They have lost to last summer's World Cup semifinalists 35 times with the remaining 15 games ending in draws.