The Blue Samurai opened the scoring nine minutes in when Shimizu S-Pulse striker Shinji Okazaki’s got on the end of Kengo Nakamura through ball and after his initial attempt was saved he managed to head the rebound in. With the exception of the early goal, Japan displayed a masterful plan that nullified Uzbeks dangerous attacker Server Djeparov (FC Bunyodkor) and rarely allowed a legitimate effort towards ‘keeper Seigo Narazaki until late. Finally in the last stages of the match the Uzbeks started to apply pressure but efforts by Djeparov and Islom Tuhtahujaev (Neftchi Farg’ona) were unable to find the net.

Following the match the manager said:

“It was a tough game, as we had expected, and our players fought hard until the very end of the game. They showed their mental toughness when our opponents wouldn’t let us play our brand of football. This is just the start for us. I’m grateful that we have got this opportunity.”

After a number of early threats by Chile’s Jean Beausejour, Japan took the 1-0 lead at the twentieth minute as Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse) capitalized on a rebound of Keisuke Honda (VVV-Venlo) to drive the ball in from ten metres. The margin was doubled four minutes later as Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F. Marinos) accepted a long ball and then provided Okazaki a perfect set-up to notch his second of the night from just inside the area. Japan extended its lead seven minutes after the break as Yasuhito Endo’s (Gamba Osaka) corner from the right was headed-in to the near post by Yuki Abe (Urawa Red Diamonds). Now up by three Chile was the more controlling of the sides through much of the match but were unable to break onto the score-sheet and deep into added-time Kisho Yano (Albirex Niigata) and Naoki Yamada (Urawa Red Diamonds) linked up to provide Keisuke Honda for the fourth and final goal.

The match marked the debut of Urawa Red Diamonds eighteen year-old midfielder Naoki Yamada in his first international appearance. Pleased with the performance Blue Samurai coach Takeshi Okada said following the match:

“Our players played as we intended them to, so I’m very happy about that.”

Japan faces Belgium on Sunday at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

Takeshi Okada deployed a more aggressive 4-3-3 using Tatsuya Tanaka (Urawa Red Diamonds), Keiji Tamada (Nagoya Grampus) and Yoshito Ōkubo (VfL Wolfsburg) up top with Makoto Hasebe (VfL Wolfsburg), Yasuhito Endō (Gamba Osaka) and Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic) in the midfield. The back-line of Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers), Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F. Marinos), Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Urawa Red Diamonds) and Yuto Nagatomo (F.C. Tokyo) was anchored with Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus) between the posts.

After a scoreless first half in which the Blue Samurai’s best chance to score came from Yasuhito Endō’s corner was headed on but Yuji Nakazawa header was cleared off the line, Takeshi Okada’s side took the lead two minutes into the new half. Following a foul on Keiji Tamada, Celtic’s Shunsuke Nakamura free kick from twenty-five metres took an opportunistic bounce off Bahrain defender Abdulla Marzooq and into the net giving the Blue Samurai the 1-0 lead. Japan should have increased the margin seven minutes later when Atsuto Uchida was alone in front but his effort didn’t materialize and four minutes later the Kashima Antlers defender had another chance but this type it shook the crossbar. With Bahrain barely able to launch an threatening attack, Japan cruised through the remaining minutes for a 1-0 victory.

Photo Credit: AFP PHOTO / TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA

The Japan coach said of the match:

“All matches are important, but this is the one where we really have to fight for the win.

“As we haven’t won our home games in the final-round qualifiers so far, we would love to win this time round.

“I know how they play and don’t think they will deviate much from that.

“They try to frustrate their opponents, but we’d like to focus on our own game.”

Along with captain Yokohama F. Marinos’s Yuji Nakazawa and Gamba Osaka’s Yasuhito Endo, the European contingency of Celtic’s Shunsuke Nakamura, St. Etienne’s Daisuke Matsui and VfL Wolfsburg duo Makoto Hasebe and Yoshito Ōkubo return to the fold.

Goalkeepers—Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus), Ryota Tsuzuki (Urawa Reds), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale)

Defenders—Shuhei Terada (Kawasaki Frontale), Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F. Marinos), Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Urawa Reds), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Yuki Abe (Urawa Reds), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers)

Midfielders—Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic), Hideo Hashimoto (Gamba Osaka), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Daisuke Matsui (St. Etienne), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Makoto Hasebe (VfL Wolfsburg), Mu Kanazaki (Oita Trinita), Shinji Kagawa (Cerezo Osaka)

Forwards—Keiji Tamada (Nagoya Grampus), Yoshito Ōkubo (VfL Wolfsburg), Tatsuya Tanaka (Urawa Reds), Kisho Yano (Albirex Niigata), Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse)

A packed International Stadium saw Japan go on the assault early but Pim Verbeek’s plan to choke out any attack was obvious as the hosts were unable to break through Mark Schwarzer’s (Fulham) goal and excluding set pieces by Shunsuke Nakamura, the Blue Samurai attack was tepid. For the majority of the first half the Socceroos dominated possession in the midfield but were not pushing forward and were content grinding down the match and patiently waiting for an opportunity. Other than Tim Cahill (Everton) drive in added time from twenty-plus meters, Ryota Tsuzuki (Urawa Red Diamonds) was undisturbed in the match.

At the restart Japan slowly started to be aggressive in the attack with the most worthwhile assault coming seven minutes past the hour off Shunsuke Nakamura’s (Celtic) well weighted through ball to Yoshito Okubo (VfL Wolfsburg) but his effort was easily saved. Ten minutes later the Blue Samurai had a chance to take the lead but Yuto Nagatomo’s (F.C. Tokyo) cross was nodded over the bar by Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Urawa Red Diamonds). Following that effort, Australia closed down the match defensively and it ended with a 0-0 draw.

“I don’t care about it at all. I know Pim’s character.

“He may be trying to put pressure on me. But I believe he knows that I don’t buy it… We have done our best in terms of conditioning, mental preparation and strategy.”

Earlier in the week the J-League coaching vet Pim Verbeek started the (rather boring) verbal jousting saying that Japan had a “long preparation” and noting “But our advantage is of course that my players are very experienced in international football. They know how to handle it.”

For the match Takeshi Okada has recalled his European reinforcements, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Junichi Inamoto, Saint-Etienne’s Daisuke Matsui, VfL Wolfsburg’s Makoto Hasebe and Yoshito Okubo and Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura.

Upon arriving Nakamura said:

“I don’t mind if we have to get ugly. We will go for three points for a win.

“Most of the Australian team have played in strong European clubs for many years and they are at high levels.

“I don’t think we will have such a beautiful formula in which we can make a number of good passes and score goals.

“We’ll go back to the defensive as soon as we lose the ball. We will be quick in starting set plays. We want to care about such small details.”

Following the match Blue Samurai manager Takeshi Okada said:

“This is a test match. But Australia are a stronger team than Finland and we still have some more days to improve.

“First of all, we must eliminate their chances off set-piece plays. Hopefully, we can play our best football next week.”

Ruining the party, Finland used the friendly as a chance introduce nine new players and only two regulars, so this was effectively an easy going workout.

Shimizu S-Pulse striker Shinji Okazaki added two goals both on long counters, the first coming from Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers) fifteen minutes in and the second coming two minutes pass the half hour from Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale). Nineteen year old Shinji Kagawa of Cerezo Osaka made it 3-0 before the break with a great bit of ball handling and finishing.

Roni Porokara scored five minutes after the restart before Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F. Marinos) scoring just past the hours and . Substitute Michihiro Yasuda (Gamba Osaka) adding the fifth goal with four minutes left.

Prior to the match, Japan’s manager had taken a very aggressive stance in utilizing an entire lineup from the J-League, given intent on building team play in a longer training camp as well as injuries and placing greater responsibility in domestic development.

The Blue Samurai came to win from the onset and seven minutes after the start when Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale) passed the ball in short off the corner before Tatsuya Tanaka (Urawa Reds Diamonds) cross to Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse) allowed for the close range score. However from that early effort, both sides prohibited each other to enter the final third and most of the play was from box to box. Kengo Nakamura’s golden delivery midway of the half nearly produced the second goal and his corner swung in to Takeshi Aoki (Kashima Antlers) but his header went above the bar.

However after the break Yemen fought back Ali Al Sasi’s set piece was headed in by Zaher Farid two minutes after the start. Seiichiro Maki (JEF United Ichihara Chiba) entered the match and came close to finding the winning goal almost immediately however five minutes later when Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse) flicked on a corner to Tatsuya Tanaka, who then tucked the ball into the net six minutes after the hour.

Japan had further chances to score but couldn’t break through again and the match ended with a 2-1 victory.

Takeshi Okada sung the praise of his new recruits:

“Our players showed their strong willingness and high level of motivation for the game.

“That made them lose their pace in the first-half at some points but because of their high motivation, they were able to produce a result.

“At the same time, I’m sure they have learned how hard it is to play an international game. On top of that, they have collected the win. I’m grateful to them.”

“We have had a good preparation camp without having any major injuries to our players.

”We are moulding into a good unit now. We’ve been building up this team over the last year.”

While the recent friendly provided little clues it is expected that Tatsuya Tanaka (Urawa Reds), Shinzo Koroki (Kashima Antlers) and Mu Kanazaki (Oita Trinita) are will form a striking trident with Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale) heading up the midfield.