Japan defeated Thailand 2-0 in Bangkok on Tuesday night to get their 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign underway.

The Blue Samurai scored a goal in either half to bounce back from their disappointing 2-1 home loss to UAE last week.

Hertha Berlin's Genki Haraguchi opened the scoring for Vahid Halilhodzic's side with an 18th-minute header from Hamburg right-back Gotoku Sakai's cross from the right.

On 75 minutes, Arsenal's summer signing Takuma Asano, who is on loan at Stuttgart, doubled the lead when racing onto a long ball from captain Makoto Hasebe to beat off a defender before slotting home his second senior international goal.

The victory has Japan sitting third on the Group B table behind leaders Australia, who beat UAE 1-0 in Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia who have won both of their opening tow matches.

Check out the highlights below thanks to the Asian Football Confederation: