Competition for places key for Japan, says Halilhodzic

(Reuters) - New Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic savoured his side's 5-1 thrashing of Uzbekistan in a match where all his big guns fired in unison, but the Bosnian said no player is guaranteed a place for upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Japan's impressive victory over the Uzbeks on Tuesday made it two wins out of two for Halilhodzic, who took over when Javier Aguirre was sacked in February amid fears the Argentine's involvement in an investigation into alleged match-fixing in Spain would hinder their World Cup plans.

After Friday's laboured 2-0 win over Tunisia in Halilhodzic's debut, when they needed two late goals, a completely-changed Japan ran Uzbekistan ragged in Tokyo and were ahead in the seventh minute through Toshihiro Aoyama.

After starting on the bench against Tunisia, key players Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa all came in and set the pace against Uzbekistan, who, like Japan, were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the Asian Cup in January.

In complete control of the game, Japan went 3-0 up through Okazaki and Gaku Shibasaki before Islom Tukhtakhujaev pulled one back for the visitors. Substitutes Takashi Usami and Kengo Kawamata completed the rout in the last seven minutes.

Halilhodzic, who described it as a "spectacular performance," said his decision to use 27 different players over the two friendlies was aimed at intensifying competition for places ahead of World Cup qualifiers in June.

"There was a lot of risk in playing 27 players," Kyodo News quoted Halilhodzic as saying after the game. "It will be difficult picking 20 outfielders and three keepers. I want to see every player that is available to Japan."

Halilhodzic added he would travel outside Japan to monitor how his players were performing for their clubs.

"I will go to Europe to see with my own eyes who is playing well at any particular time," he said.

"Everyone is competing for a seat on the team, and it is that competition which will make Japan stronger."

(Writing by Peter Rutherford in Seoul; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)