Reggina midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura grabbed a goal in each half to ease the pressure on coach Zico as Japan coasted to a 3-0 victory over New Zealand in the opening game of the Confederations Cup in France on Wednesday.
Japan's Hidetoshi Nakata scores a goal against New Zealand in their Confederations Cup match in Saint-Denis, France. Japan won 3-0.
Nakamura slotted home from an acute angle in the 12th minute before fellow Italian-based midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata struck a superb second in the 65th to put the Asian champion and 2001 Confederations Cup runnerup firmly in control in front of a 36,038 crowd at Stade De France.
Former Yokohama F. Marinos star Nakamura then capitalized on some dreadful defending when he stole in completely unmarked to head home his second goal of the evening 15 minutes from time to give Japan only its second win in eight matches under its Brazilian coach.