7 Sep 2006(Thu)

September 5, 2006: The longer the match went on against Saudi Arabia, the more the home team looked like scoring and the more Japan looked like losing.

And so it proved, as the Saudis grabbed the only goal of the game midway through the second half to condemn Japan to their first defeat in three matches under new coach Ivica Osim.

I felt frustrated at the final whistle, because Japan had done enough to win the match or to draw at least, and should not have lost.

First the improvements. After Osim had criticised them for playing too slowly against Yemen, likening their passing around the defence to a local train stopping at every station, there was a noticeable increase in tempo against the Saudis. The ball was played from the back much quicker, and Japan tried to maintain a faster pace.

Thanks to this, they created several decent chances, and Tatsuya Tanaka was very prominent in the first half. He should have scored, of course, with that low shot just before half-time, and he also did the donkey work for Endo’s curling shot which produced that fantastic save from the Saudi keeper.

In the second half, both Maki and Ganaha missed good heading opportunities, so Japan cannot make excuses for losing, which Osim, to be fair, didn’t.

The Bosnian said Japan at times played like children. I think, but don’t know, that Osim was talking about Japan’s over-elaborate play in two areas.

This was what led to the Saudi goal. Japan lost the ball carelessly around the halfway line, near the touchline, and this put the whole team in danger. With the deflection into the path of the Saudi striker on the right, Japan were exposed and paid the price for the mistake a long way from their goal.

I also thought Japan did not shoot enough when they got within range. They tried too many passes in the last third of the field, and the Saudis were able to smother them and break.

It was crying out for someone to shoot from the edge of the box, like Endo had done in the first half, and Hanyu did near the end, with a fine effort which almost found its way into the top corner.

Fans should not be too depressed about the loss, because the Saudis are an Asian force, especially at home, if not exactly a World Cup force. Yemen away on Wednesday gives Japan a quick chance to remedy the mistakes by a team which is still in its infancy.

ends