Japan defeat Bahrain 1-0

Japan’s World Cup qualifying hopes advanced with a 1-0 defeat of Bahrain at Saitama Stadium. The win moves the Blue Samurai one point above Australia who have a match in-hand and face Uzbekistan next Wednesday.

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