OITA -- Hisato Sato came off the bench to score a late winner as Japan beat Ecuador 1-0 in a World Cup warmup at Oita Stadium Big Eye on Thursday.

News photoJapan forward Hisato Sato (second from right) scores the match's only goal in the 85th minute of an international friendly against Ecuador at Oita Stadium Big Eye.

The Sanfrecce Hiroshima forward staked a claim for a place on Zico's World Cup squad when he got on the end of an Alex Santos cross to flick the ball beyond Ecuador 'keeper Cristian Mora on 85 minutes.