Coach Zico’s men continue to concede goals like its gone out of fashion and I can only hope the warm up games will help to improve the situation.

Media people in Japan had a field day with one saying and I quote, “Japan’s 4-4-2 formation is on the verge of collapsing.”

Another said, “Japan revealed the weaknesses in their formation against Bosnia-Herzegovina.” “In defence, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto showed his weakness because of his lack of height, while Nakazawa made an easy error by pulling down an opponent in the area.

“It showed the weaknesses of the Japanese defenders against a speedy attackers,” added Suzuki, a coach recognized by the German Football Association.

Japan will face a tough matches against Croatia, Brazil and Australia in the World Cup and I can only hope that the nine warm up matches the team will play before the World cup begins will address the defensive incapabilities of the team.

Japan took the initiative earlier on in the first half and put their opponents under a lot of pressure. Bosnia’s only chance in the first half was in the third minute when Sergej Barbarez failed to head Vladan Misimovic’s cross into the net.

However, Japan took a deserved lead in the 45th minute when Shunsuke Nakamura’s corner kick was deflected in by Naohiro Takahara.

Bosnia came back strong and scored from the penalty spot in the 57th minute when striker Sergej Barbarez was adjudged to have been fouled. Vladan Misimovic slotted home from the penalty spot.

Bosnia took the lead 10 minutes later when Barbarez found Emir Spahic, who headed the ball into the net.

Golden boy wonder Nakata snatched a late goal in the dying minutes of the game to give Japan a share of the spoils.

The teams lined up as follows :-

Japan: Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Allesandro Santos, Yuji Nakazawa, Koji Nakata, Takashi Fukunishi (Shinji Ono,63), Hidetoshi Nakata, Shunsuke Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto, Tatsuhiko Kubo (Atsushi Yanagisawa 70), Naohiro Takahara (Masashi Oguro 82).

Bosnia-Herzegovina: Kenan Hasagic, Emir Spahic, Dzemal Berberovic, Vedin Music (Mirko Hrgovic 60), Sasa Papac, Vladan Grujic (Sergej Jakirovic 82), Zlatan Bajramovic (Velimir Vidic 87), Mirsad Beslija (Admir Vladavic 77), Sergej Barbarez (Admir Rascic 79), Zvjezdan Misimovic (Seniad Ibricic 68) , Mladen Bartolovic.

Injury-plagued striker Kubo, who made his long-awaited international comeback against the United States, brought the game to life when he prodded home Ogasawara’s cross for his first Japan goal since June 2004.

And man of the match Ogasawara scored with a fantastic effort from inside his own half to complete Japan’s first win in World Cup year. His goal brings back memories of Beckham’s famous long-range strike for Manchester United against Wimbledon in 1996-97 season.

Having spotted Finland goalkeeper Mikko Kaven off his line, the pint-sized midfielder let fly a screamer of a shot that found its way into Finland’s net.

Coach Zico made three changes to the team that lost to the USA. Seiichiro Maki who opened his account in the 3-2 loss to the Americans started up front alongside the fit-again Kubo in a 3-5-2 shape. Also, Keisuke Tsuboi replaced Makoto Tanaka and Shinji Murai came in for Brazilian born winger Alessandro Santos.

Japan now begin their defense of the Asian Cup with a home qualifier against India on Wednesday and then travel to Germany to play a friendly against Bosnia-Herzegovina on Feb. 28.

In additional news, Japan has announced that it will take on Bosnia in a friendly on February 28. The Japanese Football Association is hoping to schedule the game in Germany, either in Dortmund or Dusseldorf.

English side Bolton was in the running for Ono but the two teams were unable to come to terms.

Ono’s stay with the Dutch side was marked by a series of injuries that left him on the training table more than on the field.

The return home will enable Ono to work his way back into shape as he prepares to try to make Japan’s World Cup side. Ono was a key contributor for Japan in 2002, after briefly playing for the team in France four years earlier.