3 Sep 2009(Thu)

September 1, 2009: The mythical “oranje” against the Samurai Blue; Saturday afternoon kick-off in Holland, Saturday night prime time in Japan…

What a friendly this promises to be in Enschede for two teams who have already qualified for next year's World Cup in South Africa.

It's exactly the kind of test Takeshi Okada's team needs away from home, and it won't get any easier against Ghana next Wednesday in Utrecht: two very different examinations of Japan's credentials, one against the Euro technocrats and the other against the powerful and physical Africans.

Okada will be able to fill in all the gaps on his clipboard regarding the strengths and weaknesses of his team 10 months out from the World Cup, gaps left blank by the relatively low level of Asian opposition, with the exception of Australia.

How will Japan's central midfield hold up against the combative Nigel De Jong? How will the central defenders track the mobile and aggressive running of Dirk Kuyt? How will Japan's full backs contain Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben? Add to the attacking options the considerable threat of Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, late call-up Ryan Babel…the all-star list goes on.

The good news, of course, is that coach Bert van Marwijk can start with only 11 players, although he will be able to give several of his bench a run as the match progresses.

One player I am hoping to see during the course of the afternoon -- although Atsuto Uchida might disagree – is the young Hamburg winger Eljero Elia. The 22-year-old left-winger will be returning to his former club, FC Twente, and will be keen to impress at his old home ground if van Marwijk lets him loose.

In this historical first meeting between the two countries at full international level, it will be interesting to see if the famous orange shirts of the Dutch team have any psychological impact on Japan, in the same way a rugby team facing the New Zealand All Blacks.

If Japan – missing the experience of first-choice keeper Seigo Narazaki -- play with confidence, maturity and organisation, and don't gift the Dutch any goals or penalties with careless, nervous errors, then the result might not be a foregone conclusion.

But it will need Japan to really stand up for themselves and not be intimidated by the home team. For Japan it will be a test of character and concentration rather than technical skill, and, for viewers left at home in Japan, the kick-off cannot come early enough.

ends