CHIBA: Japan thrashed Myanmar 10-0 on Friday to cruise into the third round of Asian World Cup qualifying, after anti-junta protesters had chanted against the military coup outside the stadium.

Five goals for Yuya Osako helped Japan clinch top spot in Group F with two games to spare, against a makeshift Myanmar side missing several regulars who boycotted the qualifiers in protest at the coup.

Around 70 protesters gathered before kick-off outside the stadium in Chiba, near Tokyo, carrying pictures of detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and waving flags from the country’s 1988 uprising.

“This team doesn’t represent the Myanmar people,” a protester who gave her name only as A told AFP.

“This isn’t a protest against the players. We just want them to stop cooperating with the military junta.”

Several players boycotted Myanmar’s trip, with goalkeeper Kyaw Zin Htet saying he wanted to “stand with the people”.

Kyaw Zin Htet urged the players who travelled to Japan to raise the Hunger Games-inspired three-finger salute, commonly used by Myanmar protesters, before Friday’s game.

But the national anthems passed off without incident, with the players standing in silence.

Japan’s Takumi Minamino opened the scoring in the eighth minute, before Osako helped himself to a hat-trick before the interval.

Two more for Osako and strikes from Hidemasa Morita, Minamino, Daichi Kamada and Ko Itakura rounded off an easy night for the Group F hosts.

Japan has won six games from six, with 37 goals scored and none conceded.

Myanmar will face Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan as they look to claim second place in the group.

The game was played behind closed doors, but the protesters could clearly be heard inside the stadium before kick-off.

Their permission to be there ended before the game began.

One protester, who gave his name as Win, said Myanmar’s side was “not a real team”.

“They don’t want to play, but maybe they have a lot of pressure,” he said.

AFP