A 69th-minute winner from substitute Oleksandr Karavayev proved the difference Tuesday as Ukraine defeated Japan 2-1 in the second of two World Cup warm-ups for the Samurai Blue in Belgium.
Tomoaki Makino equalized for Japan after a Naomichi Ueda own goal put Ukraine ahead, but it was the Eastern Europeans who created the most chances on a damp afternoon in the eastern Belgium city of Liege.
Japan is "still not ready" but will be in a better position for its next matches in preparation for the World Cup in Russia starting in June, coach Vahid Halilhodzic said.