Star Metro - Borre stunner gives Colombia friendly win over Japan

Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma gave Japan a third-minute lead with a towering header but Colombia equalised later in the first half through Aston Villa teenager Jhon Duran.

Eintracht Frankfurt striker Borre settled the game with an acrobatic strike just after the hour mark, launching himself into a right-footed strike that whistled past Japan goalkeeper Daniel Schmidt.

Colombia went into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw with South Korea in Seoul last week, while Japan drew 1-1 with Uruguay in Tokyo.

Mitoma has been in scintillating form since joining Brighton last summer and he gave Japan the perfect start when he rose to thump Hidemasa Morita's cross past Colombia goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.

Colombia saw little of the ball in the first half but they equalised in the 33rd minute when Deiver Machado raided down the left before cutting the ball back for Duran to sweep home.

Japan's Takuma Nishimura, who scored against Uruguay on Friday, fired a shot just wide as the home side attempted to strike back before half-time.

Colombia showed more attacking intent after the break and Jorge Carrascal almost scored with a deflected shot that looped up and over the crossbar.

Borre showed him how it was done just minutes later, and Colombia held on to their lead when Vargas kept out Japan striker Ayase Ueda's header with a point-blank save.

M.Johnson--SMC