|
WORLD CUP COUNTDOWN
No. 17 Japan
Another nation celebrating their first appearance in the finals, Japan are in a nightmare group with Argentina and Croatia. They will take their lumps gracefully, treating France 98 as a learning experience for the 2002 finals, which they co-host with South Korea
JAPAN will be competing in the World Cup Finals for the first time - and are determined to put on a good show. The Japanese will co-host the finals with South Korea in four years' time and France 98 gives them the opportunity to show everybody that they will not suffer fools gladly.
"We want to show the world we can play football," said national coach Takeshi Okada. "It's the first time Japan have qualified for the finals and it's a historic moment. It's also very important, because we will be hosting the next finals - it's essential that we contest a World Cup beforehand."
Japanese football has been on the up for some time now. The professional J League is in its fourth season and the domestic set-up have benefited from the influx of foreign players, even if many of them are thirtysomethings whose careers have seen better days and are looking for a big pay day. Brazilian players dominate the J League's foreign legion and Japanese football is in the South American style - it's pacy, entertaining and skillful.
Qualification for France was a personal triumph for coach Okada. Unknown outside Japan when he took over from Shu Kamo halfway through the qualifying campaign, he was looked on as a stop-gap appointment until someone with a higher profile came on board. However, after guiding Japan to the finals, Okada was given the job for the foreseeable future. He said: "I was Kamo's assistant, and I can say to you that we have worked hard without him. When he retired after the defeat against South Korea in Tokyo and the draw in Kazakhstan, I only carried on what he began. The players have reacted marvellously and have all rallied round me."
After the euphoria of qualifying, Okada faces the tough task of performing well at France 98. Japan are expected to struggle in a group that contains Argentina and Croatia, and the coach has the added problem that his players have no experience of life outside the J League. Only Kazuyoski Miura has played in Europe, one injury-plagued season for Genoa.
Their great hope is Hidetoshi Nakata, the golden boy of Japanese soccer. Okada has been brave with his recent selections, calling up a number of uncapped teenagers who he hopes will gain valuable experience that can be put to good use in four years' time.
It will be important for the Japanese to avoid humiliation next month and, who knows, they could spring a surprise but their big push will come on home soil in 2002.
THE GREATS
Kazuyoski Miura
STRANGE BUT TRUE
1. Striker Kazuyoski Miura once had a spell playing in Brazil for Santos, Pele's old club.
2. Midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata has his hair coloured purple.
3. Leading Japanese club side Grampus Eight used to be coached by Arsenal's Double-winning manager Arsene Wenger.
4. More Brazilians play in Japan's J League than in any other league on the world outside of Brazil.
BIGGEST WORLD CUP WIN
10-0 v Macao, March 1997
MOST EMBARASSING DEFEAT
1-0 v North Korea, 1982 World Cup qualifying first round
|
HOW JAPAN
QUALIFIED
THE JAPANESE made it to France after a marathon 15-game qualifying campaign. Under veteran coach Shu Kamo, they cruised through their opening round group, finishing top ahead of Oman, Nepal and Macao, the latter being hammered 10-0 twice.
In the second round group, where the winners qualified automatically for France, Japan came up against their greatest footballing enemy South Korea. They didn't get off to a good start and, after a 0-0 draw to Uzbekistan, Kamo quit and assistant Takeshi Okada took over. The new boss couldn't prevent a 2-1 home defeat to the Koreans that meant a second place finish and a play-off against Iran in neutral Malaysia for a World Cup place.
Iran were the favourites, but Okada's men shocked them with an extra time Golden Goal, condemning the Iranians to the Asia-Oceania play-off against Terry Venables' Australia.
ASIAN SECTION, FIRST ROUND, GROUP 4
23.03.97 Oman-Japan 0-1 (Omura)
25.03.97 Macao-Japan 0-10 (Akita, Takagi 3, Soma, Miura 2, Morishima 2, Nanami)
27.03.97 Nepal-Japan 0-6 (Takagi 4, Miura, Honda)
22.06.97 Japan-Macao 10-0 (Nakata, Nishizawa, Miura 6, Nanami, Nakata)
25.06.97 Japan-Nepal 3-0 (Nishizawa, Miura 2)
28.06.97 Japan-Oman 1-1 (Nakata)
P W D L F A Pts
*Japan 6 5 1 0 31 1 16
Oman 6 4 1 1 14 2 13
Nepal 6 1 1 4 3 28 4
Macao 6 0 1 5 2 19 1
*Japan qualify for second round
SECOND ROUND, GROUP B
07.09.97 Japan-Uzbekistan 6-3 (Akita, Miura 3, Nakata, Jo)
19.09.97 UAE-Japan 0-0
28.09.97 Japan-South Korea 1-2 (Yamaguchi)
04.10.97 Kazakhstan-Japan 1-1 (Akita)
11.10.97 Uzbekistan-Japan 1-1 (Lopes)
26.10.97 Japan-UAE 1-1 (Lopes)
01.11.97 South Korea-Japan 0-2 (Nanami, Lopes)
08.11.97 Japan-Kazakhstan 5-1 (Akita, Nakata, Nakayama, Ihara, Takagi)
P W D L F A Pts
South Korea 8 6 1 1 19 7 19
*Japan 8 3 4 1 17 9 13
UAE 8 2 3 3 9 12 9
Uzbekistan 8 1 3 4 13 18 6
Kazakhstan> 8 1 3 4 7 19 6
*Japan enter play-off
PLAY-OFF (in Malaysia)
16.11.97 Japan-Iran 3-2 (Nakayama, Jo, Okano)
Japan win by the golden goal and qualify for France 98
|
JAPAN'S
WORLD CUP
HISTORY
PUT bluntly, there isn't any; France 98 is Japan's first World Cup Finals. The nearest they came to qualifying for the final stages of a World Cup was in 1986, when they lost to bitter rivals South Korea in a third round play-off. They also came close in 1974, when they lost to Israel in the semi-finals of the Asian qualifying section.
WORLD CUP RECORD
year round reached
1930 Did not enter
1934 Did not enter
1938 Did not enter
1950 Did not enter
1954 Did not enter
1958 Did not enter
1962 Did not enter
1966 Did not enter
1970 Did not qualify
1974 Did not qualify
1978 Did not qualify
1982 Did not qualify
1986 Did not qualify
1990 Did not qualify
1994 Did not qualify
Games played 0 - won 0 drawn 0 lost 0
Goals for 0, Goals against 0
|
|
FRANCE 98 FIXTURES
June 14, Argentina in Toulouse
The toughest opener they could have drawn, playing the group favourites.
June 20, Croatia in Nantes
Another tricky encounter. The Croats' speed and invention in attack should prove too much.
June 26, Jamaica in Lyon
Expect a party atmosphere for what is likely to be two teams playing to avoid finishing bottom of the group.
|
|
Features 2 
