Kyogo Furuhashi scores on Japan return as Celtic team-mate gets rare run-out

Celtic forward Kyogo Furuhashi marked his return to the Japanese national team with a goal as the Blue Samurai trounced El Salvador 6-0 in the Kirin Challenge Cup.

Japan's Reo Hatate is challenged by El Salvador's Brayan Gil during the 6-0 triumph at Toyota City.

The 28-year-old had been absent from Hajime Moriyasu’s Japan squad since September last year but following a scintillating season with Celtic, helping the club to a domestic treble and scoring 34 goals across all competitions, he was selected alongside team-mates Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate for the latest internationals and came off the bench to score his fourth goal in 17 appearances.

A 65th-minute substitute for Ayase Ueda, who had earlier scored from the penalty spot, Furuhashi powerfully headed home a cross from Yuki Soma to put the icing on the cake for Japan at the Toyota City Stadium, with Shogo Taniguchi, Takefusa Kubo, Ritsu Doan and Keito Nakamura also getting in on the act. El Salvador’s cause was not helped by a third-minute red card for Ronald Rodriguez Gomez, who was dismissed when conceding the spot kick.

While Maeda was an unused substitute, Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate played the full match and won his second cap for Japan. He will get the chance to add to that total on Tuesday when Japan play their second Kirin Cup match against Peru.