Premier League talents Kaoru Mitoma and Wataru Endo scored as Japan smashed China 7-0 on Thursday, kicking off the third round of Asian World Cup qualifiers.

Mitoma, a Brighton winger who has missed much of this year due to injury, was making his first appearance for Japan since the Asian Cup in January.

He made a spectacular return in front of almost 50,000 fans in Saitama, scoring with a first-half header after Liverpool’s Endo put Japan ahead.

Takumi Minamino added two more goals after the interval, putting Japan in command against a China team attempting to qualify for their first World Cup since 2002.

Junya Ito, who was also playing for Japan for the first time since the Asian Cup, added another goal before Daizen Maeda and Takefusa Kubo finished off a strong display by Hajime Moriyasu’s team.

Despite the one-sided scoreline, captain Endo admitted that the victory “wasn’t easy”.

“We came onto the pitch with positive energy,” he said.

“We got the first goal from a set piece and then we played our own football and the goals kept coming. We got the three points and it was a great game.”

It was a night to forget for China, who squeezed into the third qualifying round thanks to a superior head-to-head record over Thailand.

“Japan are very strong. They are the top team in Asia and it’s not just Asia — they are a world-class team,” said China’s Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic.

“We will work together and see if there is anything we can learn from this game,” he added.

Japan and China have also been drawn with Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Indonesia in a tricky-looking Group C.

The top two are guaranteed a place at the World Cup, with the third and fourth-placed sides going into a further round of qualifying.

Japan play Bahrain away on Tuesday while China face Saudi Arabia at home the same day.

‘Relief’ for Mitoma

Endo was completely unmarked when he headed in the home side’s first goal from a corner.

Japan extended their advantage on the stroke of halftime when Mitoma nodded in Ritsu Doan’s cross at the back post in injury time.

Mitoma, 27, scored his first goal for his country in almost a year, and he stated he was “relieved” to be on the scoresheet.

“The home support was overwhelming and that allowed us to play well from the first whistle,” said Mitoma.

“Playing against Bahrain away will be tough and I hope we can repeat this kind of performance.”

Minamino led Japan off to a flying start in the second half, scoring twice in the space of six minutes.

Ito then returned to the team and scored Japan’s sixth goal after going on as a replacement.

The Reims winger hadn’t played since leaving the Asian Cup squad after a Japanese magazine published claims that he sexually abused two women in an Osaka hotel last year.

Japanese prosecutors dismissed charges against the player last month, and he has refuted all allegations.