On the 11th of February, at 7.20pm Yokohama the whistle will blow for which in all likely hood will be the most important match in the AFC 4th round group A qualifying round, Japan v Australia.
The match will be played at International Stadium Yokohama, which was opened on the 1st March 1998. It is the largest stadium in Japan with a capacity of 72,327 seats. The stadium hosted the 2002 World Cup Final between Germany and Brazil. Since 2003 International Stadium Yokohama has also hosted the Club World Cup.
Japan, nickname Blue Samurai played it's first international on the 9th of May 1917 against the Republic of China losing 5-0. Japan's biggest ever defeat was a 2 goals to 15 against the Philippines on the 10th May 1917. Don't worry because Japan's biggest ever win was 15-0 against the Philippines on the 27th of September 1967.
Japan have played in the last three World Cups, these are the only times Japan have qualified. Their best result was in the 2002 Korea Japan world cup when they made it to the second round losing 1-0 to Turkey, who eventually finished third. Japan have made 6 appearances at the Asian Cup, the first in 1988, winning the cup 3 times in 1992, 2000 and 2004. Japan have played at 4 Confederations Cups. Their first appearance was in 1995, their best result coming in 2001 when they lost the final to France 1-0. Japan have played in the Olympic football tournament eight times. Their best result was at the Mexico 1968 games where they finished 3rd.
Masami Ihara with 123 caps is Japan's most capped player. Kunishige Kamamoto is Japan's highest goal scorer with 75 international goals. Japan's current FIFA ranking is 34th, their highest ranking was 9th which occurred February 1998. Japan's lowest ranking was 62nd which occurred February 2000.
Japan are coached by Takeshi Okada, he has previously been the Japanese national coach at the 1998 World Cup. During his playing career he played 24 games for Japan and scored one goal. At club level he has coached Consadole Sapporo (1999-2001) and Yokohama F Marinos (2003-2006) both are Japanese clubs.
Japan have named a 25 man squad for the Australia match. 20 members of the squad play in the J-league.
GK Ryota Tsuzuki 4 caps Urawa Reds
GK Eiji Kawashima 3 caps Kawasaki Frontale
GK Takanori Sugeno Uncapped Kashiwa Reysol
For the match Japan will be missing their their first two choice goalkeepers Seigo Narazaki and Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.
CB Shuhei Terada 6 caps Kawasaki Fontale
CB Yuji Nakazawa captain 84 caps, 16 goals Yokohama F. Marinos
DF Kazumichi Takagi 5 caps Gamba Osaka
CB Marcus Tulio Tanaka 20 caps, 4 goals Urawa Red Diamonds
FB Yuichi Komano 42 caps Jubilo Iwata
RB Yuto Nagatomo 9 caps, 1 goal F.C. Tokyo
LB Michihiro Yasuda 6 caps, 1 goal Gamba Osaka
RB Atsuto Uchida 17 caps, 1 goal Kashima Antlers
CDM Hideo Hashimoto 7 caps Gamba Osaka
CDM Yasuhito Endo 73 caps, 7 goals Gamba Osaka
CM Kengo Nakamura 32 caps, 3 goals Kawasaki Frontale
MF Yasuyuki Konno 27 caps F.C. Tokyo
MF Shinji Kagawa 9 caps, 2 goals Cerezo Osaka
FW Keiji Tamada 55 caps, 13 goals Nagoya Grampus
FW Seiichiro Maki 38 caps, 8 goals Jef United Ichihara Chiba
FW Tatsuya Tanaka 14 caps, 3 goals Urawa Red Diamonds
FW Shinji Okazaki 7 caps, 3 goals Shimizu S-Pulse
The other 5 are based in Europe.
RW Shunsuke Nakamura 82 caps, 22 goals Celtic F.C. Nakamura has played in Europe since the 2002/03 season firstly three seasons with Reggina, and now in his fourth season in Scotland with Celtic. This season he's played in 17 matches scoring 6 goals.
MF Junichi Inamoto 71 caps, 4 goals Eintracht Frankfurt. Inamoto has played in Europe since the 2001/02 season. He had played for five different clubs across Europe before joining German side Eintracht Frankfurt in May 2007, he has played 34 games for his current side.
MF Daisuke Matsui 13 caps, 1 goal Saint-Etienne. Matsui has played in France since the 2004/05 season firstly four seasons with Le Mans, and this season with Saint-Etienne. So far this season he's played in 19 matches.
MF Makoto Hasebe 16 caps Vfl Wolfsburg. Hasebe has been playing for Wolfsburg since 2008. Playing 32 games scoring 1 goal.
FW Yoshito Okubo 33 caps, 5 goals Vfl Wolfsburg. Okubo first played in Europe in the 2004/05 and 2005/06 seasons with Spanish side Mallorca. This year he has gone back to Europe with German side Wolfsburg playing 1 match so far.
Australian Squad
Gk Mark Schwarzer 62 caps
GK Brad Jones 1 cap
GK Eugene Galekovic 1 cap
CB Lucas Neil 46 caps
LB Scott Chipperfield 52 caps, 12 goals
CB Chris Coyne 5 caps
CB Craig Moore 41 caps, 3 goals
CB Jade North 23 caps
LB Shane Stefanutto 1 cap
RB Luke Wilkshire 31 caps
LB David Carney 17 caps, 1 goal
CAM Tim Cahill 30 caps, 14 goals
CAM Mark Bresciano 46 caps, 11 goals
CM Jason Culina 36 caps, 1 goal
RM Richard Garcia 2 caps
CDM Vincenzo Grella 36 caps
CAM Brett Holman 21 caps, 1 goal
CDM Mile Jedinak 3 caps
RW Mile Sterjovski 39 caps, 7 goal
CDM Carl Valeri 14 caps
CF Josh Kennedy 10 caps, 5 goals
FOW Scott McDonald 10 caps
Australia could possibly start like this:
4-2-3-1
....................................M. Schwarzer
L. Wilkshire.......C. Moore........L. Neil....S. Chipperfield
..............................V. Grella........C. Valeri
.................J. Culina.......M. Bresciano....B. Holman
........................................T. Cahill
Past Matches
Australia has played Japan 16 times. The first time in 1956 at the Olympics when Australia won 2-0 in Melbourne. Australia have won six matches, 3-0 in 1996 in Melbourne is the biggest winning margin against Japan. Japan have won six times as well, their 4-1 win in Wollongong in 1996, and their 3-0 win in 2001 in Shizuoka being Japan's biggest winning margin. Australia have never beaten Japan in Japan.
No comments:
Post a Comment