Two free kicks outfoxed Denmark goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen as Japan joined Group E winners Holland in the World Cup second round.
Keisuke Honda beat Sorensen’s laboured dive and Yasuhito Endo curled a dead-ball around the wall and into the corner before the break as the Japanese overcame the Danes in Rustenburg.
Jon Dahl Tomasson equalled Denmark’s national goalscoring record by pulling one back ten minutes from the end, pouncing on the rebound after goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima had saved his initial penalty.
However, Shinji Okazaki stroked the ball to the empty net at the end of a fluent passing move to put the finishing touches on an exceptional Japanese performance.
Meanwhile, Holland continued their 100 per cent record with a 2-1 victory over Cameroon in Cape Town.
Robin van Persie opened the scoring in the first half, Samuel Eto’o equalised from a penalty kick before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar grabbed the winner late on.
Arjen Robben, who had failed to participate in the first two games following a hamstring injury, was introduced as a second half substitute and it was after his shot, which bounced back into play off the woodwork, from which Huntelaar scored Holland’s second goal.
The Dutch will meet Slovakia in the last 16 on Monday afternoon, with Japan taking on Group F winners Paraguay on Tuesday.
