Uzbekistan wasted a string of chances against a weary-looking Japan side yet to taste defeat in 13 games since Italian Alberto Zaccheroni took charge last October.

Captain Server Djeparov volleyed Uzbekistan into the lead after eight minutes, celebrating with a triple back flip as the home fans lit flares and roared with delight.

Shinji Okazaki’s diving header gave Japan a barely-deserved equalizer in the 65th minute, triggering something of a shootout as both teams suddenly threw caution to the wind.

“Uzbekistan pushed us around a bit,” Zaccheroni told reporters. “Give them credit; they are a very good side. We were better in the second half but we must play better than that.”

Uzbekistan could have killed off the game inside the hour with some end product to match their slick build-up play before Okazaki struck to keep Zaccheroni’s unbeaten record intact.

“We were chasing a goal so it was a relief to score,” said Okazaki. “We thought we would come here and play them off the pitch. If we want to advance we have to improve.”

Uzbekistan had beaten fellow former Soviet republic Tajikistan 1-0 away in their first match in the third round of Asian qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

North Korea, unlucky 1-0 losers in Japan last Friday, scraped past Tajikistan 1-0 in Pyongyang earlier on Tuesday to go third in the group.