GOA: Akito Tanahashi netted a hat-trick as Japan secured their progression to the AFC U-16 Championship India 2016 quarter-finals as Group B table-toppers with an 8-0 victory over Kyrgyzstan on Monday.

Japan’s progression was confirmed after Vietnam defeated Australia 3-2 in the group’s later match that day, with the runner-up’s slot in the quarter-finals up for grab for the Vietnamese and Kyrgyzstan who will both clash on Thursday.

After an even opening 30 minutes at the GMC Stadium, two-time champions Japan opened the scoring through Tanahashi before goals from Takefusa Kubo and Keito Nakamura increased the half-time advantage to three.

The second half brought more joy for Japan's forwards in a five-minute spell on 52 minutes as first Nakamura, then Tanahashi again and Toichi Suzuki increased the lead to six.

There was still time for Tanahashi to net his third in the final 10 minutes before Kubo scored his fourth of the tournament in injury time as Japan bettered their 7-0 win over Vietnam in their Group B opener to advance to the knockout phase with a game to spare.

Kyrgyzstan had in fact begun the match the brighter side and it was they who had the first effort on goal on five minutes as Aziret Momoshev slipped in Gulzhigit Borbubaev but the forward was forced too far wide and Kosei Tani was able to collect his eventual shot at the second attempt.

Momoshev also had an opportunity just before the quarter-hour mark as his free-kick from the left zipped wide of Tani's left-hand post, before he went closer still four minutes later with a shot inside the area that forced the Japan 'keeper into a low save to his left.

But with the match evenly poised it took an error to break the deadlock three minutes after the half hour.

Malik Aitbaev delayed his clearance too long allowing Tanahashi to charge it down and surge into the penalty area before smashing the ball past the exposed Elgard Sychev.

Japan made it two with three minutes of the half remaining after Kyrgyzstan failed to clear their lines allowing Kubo to shimmy his way into the area and drill across Sychev into the bottom corner for his third goal of the tournament.

And there was still time left in the first half for Yoshiro Moriyama's team to make it 3-0 at the break as Tanahashi squared for Nakamura to fire home from near the penalty spot.

Samat Suimaliev brought on Adilet Kanyebekov, the match-winner against Australia, at half-time in an attempt to reduce the deficit but it was Japan who increased their lead seven minutes in as Kubo artfully played in Nakamura to curl a smart low finish past Sychev.

Just a minute later Tanahashi netted his second before Amantur Shamurzaev brought down Suzuki inside the box and the forward dusted himself off to slam home Japan's sixth from the spot.

Kubo could have made things worse for Suimaliev's side by netting his second of the match on the hour-mark but the FC Tokyo forward hit the post after he had rounded Sychev.

Japan did make it seven, though, on 80 minutes as Maksat Dzhakybaliev handled inside the area to allow Tanahashi to complete his treble with a convincingly taken spot-kick.

Not yet sated, Nakamura then smashed the outside of the post with a rising drive with five minutes remaining before Kubo, deep in injury time, completed his second brace in consecutive games, as Japan capped off another hugely dominant performance.

(Picture & Report Courtesy:www.the-afc.com)