When it was confirmed that Ayase Ueda would be absent from the current international window — after suffering an injury that will rule him out for the rest of 2024 while on club duty with Feyenoord — there was initially slight apprehension as to how Japan would cope without the man who has made their sole striker berth his own in recent times.
With 14 goals in his last 18 international appearances since the start of 2023, Ueda’s eye for goal is unquestionable.
More so than the sheer numbers, Ueda’s style of play — where he often manfully takes on multiple opponents to create space for the more-withdrawn attackers to come into the game — has made him perfect for Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu’s system, which sees equally-talented players like Takefusa Kubo, Takumi Minamino and Daichi Kamada from deeper.
But, as Japan continued to march on the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by following up last week’s rout of Indonesia with a comfortable 3-1 win over China on Tuesday, Ueda absence was hardly felt thanks to one man.
In what was a three-horse race to take over as the focal point in attack, it was Kōki Ogawa who got the nod — and he would not disappoint.
Although he went goalless against the Indonesians, he would have found the back of the net if not for a desperate intervention by Justin Hubner that ultimately resulted in an own-goal.
Nonetheless, the 27-year-old was not to be denied on Tuesday with two clinical headers to help the Samurai Blue to a victory that ensures they will at least retain their seven-point lead at the top of Group C with only four games now remaining – and their World Cup ticket looking an increasing certainty.
Something of a late bloomer, Ogawa only earned his move to Europe last July when he joined Ueda in the Eredivisie by signing for NEC Nijmegen — initially on loan before the transfer was made permament this summer.
The fact that he even made it to Europe was remarkable considering had not been playing for any of the J1 League‘s leading lights and, prior to 2023, had plied his trade in the second tier for four seasons.
NEC saw something in him and have been rewarded for their foresight, with Ogawa bagging 15 goals in 36 appearances last term, while he already has five in 11 league outings this season.
On the international stage, his record is even more prolific.
Despite spending most of his time in the Japan fold as a back-up option, Ogawa’s double against China restored his goal-a-game streak with nine from as many caps.
While his earlier goals came against less-illustrious opposition, the past four have all come against quality opposition in the third round of Asian qualifiers in the form of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and China.
Ogawa’s ability to operate as a lone striker was always going to fit nicely in his national team setup, with Japan historically favouring a strong focal point in attack.
They have usually been more mobile types, even if current prototype Ueda and his predecessor Yuya Osako were also handy in the air.
Although his aerial prowess does make him seem like a behemoth, Ogawa actually stands at 1.86 metres as is hardly a lumbering sort.
The past two games have allowed him to show that he is also capable of doing a role as a link man, even if his best moments did still come as a target man.
His first goal against China was a thumping header off a corner from quite some distance out, before he showed good awareness to peel away from his marker and make space to nod home his second.
With the Asian qualifiers only resuming in March, Ueda is likely to have returned by then and it will not be a surprise if he automatically retains his starting berth.
Still, Ogawa could not have done more, especially over the past week, to show he can be a legitimate alternative as the spearhead to the Samurai Blue attack.
