Football: Hashioka's own goal contributes to Luton's defeat

Source: 毎日新聞

LONDON (Kyodo) -- Japan defender Daiki Hashioka played his first full 90 minutes in the English Premier League on Wednesday, but scored an own goal as relegation-threatened Luton Town lost 2-0 away to title-chasing Arsenal.

The 24-year-old inadvertently put Emile Smith Rowe's square pass into his own net for Arsenal's second a minute before the break at Emirates Stadium, where fellow Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu came on for the home side in the 74th minute.

"I knew as a center-back I had to defend in that moment, but it was a difficult situation," said Hashioka, who joined Luton from Belgian club Sint-Truiden in January. "I'm not too downbeat that it ended up being an own goal."

Having allowed Martin Odegaard to sweep in the 24th-minute opener, Luton failed to get back into the game and remain three points off safety after their 10-game winless streak. But Hashioka looked at the positives.

"We didn't concede in the second half when we also created chances," he said after his fifth league appearance. "We hope to be able to do that throughout a game."