22 minutes in, Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon received a poor back pass from AC Milan's Mattia De Sciglio which meant Shinji Okazaki was in on goal. Buffon slid in on the striker, was shown a yellow card and gave away a penalty. As normal, Keisuke Honda stepped up to take it and smashed it down the bottom right hand corner to give Japan the lead.
Man United's Shinji Kagawa scored the second, volleying in a Yasuyuki Konno's high ball which the Italian defence, somehow didn't clear.
5 minutes before half time, Andrea Pirlo whipped in a corner and Roma's Daniele De Rossi scored a bullet header from 6 yards out.
At the start of the 2nd half a good run from Emanuele Giaccherini ended in Schalke's Atsuto Uchida putting the ball in his own net.
Japanese captain Makoto Hasebe gave away a penalty after he blocked the shot and just touched his arm. Mario Balotelli dispatched it, sending the keeper the wrong way.
Japan midfielder Yasuhito Endō crossed in a free kick on the right hand side of the pitch and it met Okazaki who headed the ball in to equalize.
Juve's Giovinco tapped in fellow club team-mate Claudio Marchisio's cross to give Italy the lead at the 85th minute. The Azzuri concentrated and kept out Japan from equalizing.
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