Japan National Team Match:
Japan 3 - 0 Australia

Date: 7 June, 2001 Location: Kashima Stadium Japan 3 1 1H 0 2 2H 0 0 Australia Yanagisawa (19') Hattori (53') Nakayama (66') Scoring Cautions Yoshikatsu Kamaguchi, Naoki Matsuda, Ryuzo Norioka, Koji Nakata, Toshohiro Hattori, Hiroaki Morishima (Daisuke Oku 77'), Teruyoshi Ito, Kazuyuki Toda, Yasuhiko Hato (Tomokazu Myojin 73'), Atsushi Yanagisawa (Masashi Nakayama 62'), Takayuki Suzuki Jason Petkovic, Luke Casserly, Steve Laybutt (Angelo Costanzo 61'), Steve Horvat, Fausto De Amicis, Kasey Wehrman, Scott Chipperfield, Steve Corica, Mark Robertson (Con Boutsianis 45'), John Aloisi (Saso Petrovski 69'), David Zdrilic

After a highly successful performance in the Confederations' Cup and Kirin Cup, Japan hopes to maintain its form by playing a series of friendly matches against high-ranked international opponents. The first of these was against Australia, held at the brand-new Shizuoka Epoca Stadium. Phillippe Troussier's squad included a number of players that had not been seen in a while, as Troussier decided not to call up any of his overseas players. However, the result showed that Japan has lost none of its sharpness or momentum even without the overseas contingent, as Japan cruised to an easy 3-0 victory.

Japan started the match with a lineup that was solid at the front and back, but lacked the strength in midfield that is so typical of Japan teams. While this was not surprising due to the lack of key overseas players, it resulted in a bit of disorganisation early in the match, as the team struggled to find its form. The back line was the same unit that has appeared for the past six or eight matches -- Kawaguchi in goal and a flat three consisting of Matsuda, Morioka and Koji Nakata. Teruyoshi Ito was unimpressive in the defensive midfield spot vacated by Arsenal's Junichi Inamoto, but his partner in the deep midfield, Kazuki Toda, had a fairly impressive match once he found his rhythm. Sporting a "new look" mohawk cut, Toda managed to demonstrate that his footballing skills are nearly as versatile as his hairstyle. Right wing Yasuhiro Hato had one of his less impressive days, but Toshihiro Hattori, filling in for Feyenoord's Shinji Ono on the left, was the positive surprise of the match, demonstrating that Troussier will have a number of potential options in the offensive midfield come 2002. Up front, Japan playes what was effectively a three-man attack, with Yanagisawa, Suzuki and Morishima. Though this left the team without a true field general, it allowed Japan to keep the pressure on Australia and seize control of play fairly early in the match.

Australia managed its best chances of the match during the first ten minutes, before Japan's back line had time to truly settle down. A few high balls into the box provided some danger, culminating in an open shot on goal by Zdrilic in the 10 minute. However, Kawaguchi handled the shot cleanly in what would be his only real test of the match. As the defence started to settle down, Japan began putting its imprint on the match, though ball possession was still fairly even until the home team got its first dangerous break. Naoki Matsuda moved out of defence on the counterattack and sent a long ball down the right side to Hiroaki Morishima. The Cerezo attacking midfielder took the ball to the end line and found a tiny space between his defender and the onrushing goalkeeper, slipping the ball into the center of the penalty area where Atsushi Yanagisawa was patiently waiting. The Antlers striker was completely unmarked five meters out, and he casually knocked in the easy putt to put Japan in the lead.

Once they had taken the lead, Japan was able to play with a more relaxed attitude, and they dominated both posession and field position for the remainder of the first half. However, the lack of a creative playmaker at midfield, as well as what seemed like a bit of nonchalance, having established clear control over the match tempo. But Troussier must have had a word with his players in the locker room and demanded a bit more agressive play in the second half, because Japan came out with a roar.

Yanagisawa set the tone for the second stanza with several sharp drives and two shots on goal in the first five minutes. Then, in the 53 minute, left winger Toshihiro Hattori broke towards the middle and sent a pass to Yanagisawa at the edge of the penalty area. Yanagi posted up his defender perfectly, dropping the ball back to the onrushing Hattori for a wide-open shot at the top of the box. His line drive clipped the inside of the right post and bounded into the back of the net to give Japan a 2-0 lead.

Takayuki Suzuki nearly added another tally three minutes later, blasting a shot off the crossbar from close range on a set play, but it would be Yanagisawa once more who created the third goal for Japan. In the 65 minute, he took a long feed from Morishima and burst into the clear, rushing on net with no defender in the way., However, just as he was about to unleash the shot, defender Fausto De Amicis pulled him down from behind, collecting a PK. However, before he could line up to take the shot, Yanagisawa was substituted by Masashi Nakayama, who drilled the PK and sealed the final score line. Without Yanagisawa up front (and Morishima, who was substituted a short time later by Daisuke Oku), Japan's attack lost its sharpness, and the game pretty much fizzled out. The defence and midfield, however, maintained a firm control of ball posession, and allowed Australia only one or two hopeful shots in the dying minutes of the match.

Japan will tuck a comfortable victory under their belts, albeit against a clearly under-strength Australia squad. The next challenge will be a tour of Europe in October which is expected to feature at least one and possibly two matches against African opponents (probably Nigeria and perhaps Cameroon).

Below is the full roster for Japan's match against Australia