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Japan National Team: 2000 Asian Cup |
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Japan arrived in Lebanon with a great deal of confidence and a team that was just starting to come together as a fluid, well-functioning unit. Though they had produced several excellent results over the preceding six months, and thus had a lot of faith in their own abilities, few opponents had been paying attention, and for that reason they were not prepared for the sort of quick-fire attacking and highly technical midfield passing that they would face. As a result, Japan had the advantage of surprise. Nothing demonstrates this better than the team's performance against Saudi Arabia in the opening match (and by comparison, the result of the Cup final, between the same two teams).
Saudi Arabia ncame into the contest as tournament favourites. They were the defending champions, and fielded a team that had been together for over four successful years. They were also playing on what migh as well have been "home turf", since there were more Saudi fans in the stadiums than Lebanese. But Saudi Arabia had never seen a team like Troussier Japan. and they clearly anticipated a traditional attack down the wings with crosses into the box. The swarming midfield that would characterize Japanese football for the next decade or more was a newborn concept, and the Saudis never knew what hit them. Indeed, they were extremely fortunate to be only two goals behind when they finally woke up to the sort of challenge that Japan presented. If the finishing had been better in the first half, Japan might well have been in front by 4 or 5 goals.
Despite a few bad misses, Atsushi Yanagisawa put Japan in front after 26 minutes and Naohiro Takahara extended the lead shortly before the break. The Saudis scrambled to adjust at the break, and were able to close down the passing lanes a bit better in the secnd 45 minutes. However, Japan was riding a wave of emotion, and when Hiroshi Nanami claimed the third goal. As the match wound down, Shinji Ono came on as a substitute and immediately linked up with Junichi Inamoto for what would be one of the most awesome goals of the tournament -- a 70-meter through pass that Ono met a half-step in front of the keeper and shuffled through the the keeper's legs as if he were a human croquet wicket.
Only a late blunder prevented this from being an even more lopsided result. With time running down, the Saudis played a long ball to the edge of the Japan box. Ryuzo Morioka, thinking that Kawaguchi was sstill on his line, headed the ball back without even checking to see where the keeper was. But Kawaguchi had rushed forward expecting to claim the ball at the edge of his own box. The result was an embarassing own goal, which reduced the scale of the defeat, but could not ease the sting for the overwhelmed Saudis. Their coach was fired that evening, and the team started over from scratch in its next game.
National Team
Overseas Players
Japan 4 - 1 Saudi Arabia 