Halilhodzic warns Japan to take Thai threat seriously, keep World Cup bid on track
>> TOKYO: Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic warned his players not to get “silly” when they meet Thailand in a World Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
The Blue Samurai won 2-0 at the United Arab Emirates on Thursday to move closer to a sixth successive World Cup.
Halilhodzic is focusing on Tuesday’s home game against Thailand in Saitama.
“I told the players this win will mean nothing if we get beaten by Thailand,” the 64-year-old FrancoBosnian said.
“If we continue to play like that we will get to the World Cup but it’s important not to blow it by doing something silly in the next game.
“It’s too early to be calculating points. We will take it one game at a time and I will continue to set the team up to win.”
Halilhodzic kept faith with Yuya Kubo — a player who previously looked ill-suited to the international game.
The Belgium-based striker’s troubles were neatly encapsulated when he managed to get lost on his way to the team hotel after arriving in the Emirates at the weekend, taking a taxi to the wrong location.
But Kubo repaid his coach’s trust with a sharp strike after 13 minutes to register his first goal for Japan.
“I found myself in space and it turned out nicely,” he said. “I didn’t have a good game last time so I was desperate to help the team. I know I need to keep doing it on a consistent basis.”
Meanwhile, i njured Yasuyuki Konno and Yuya Osako have been replaced by Yu Kobayashi and Wataru Endo for Japan’s match against Thailand, the Japan Football Association announced yesterday.
Konno suffered a broken left toe during the win over the UAE, while Osako bruised his left leg.
The two underwent examinations on Friday upon the team’s return to Japan, and will be sent back to their respective clubs, Gamba Osaka and Cologne.
Saudi Arabia and Japan each have 13 points from six games in Group B of Asia’s final qualifying round for the 2018 World Cup.
Australia have 10, the UAE nine, Iraq four and Thailand one.
The top two teams of Group A and Group B earn tickets to Russia 2018.
The two third-place teams meet in a play-off with the winner facing a Concacaf side.
In Group A, Iran coach Carlos Queiroz has heaped praise on China counterpart Marcello Lippi ahead of their vital World Cup qualifier next week, the Portuguese saying the man who led Italy to the global title in 2006 is good for Asian soccer.
Lippi took over as China coach to revive their flagging fortunes last October and after drawing his first game in charge, the 68-year-old Italian led his side to a 1-0 home win over South Korea on Thursday to keep the side’s hopes alive.
The win lifted China on to five points, still four adrift of the thirdplace play-off spot with four games remaining, and table-topping Iran will not be taking them lightly in Tehran on Tuesday despite an unbeaten start to the final group campaign.
“Lippi has been everywhere in football and he will make China a stronger and more intelligent team,” Queiroz, whose side have yet to concede a goal in six matches and top the standings on 14 points, told the South China Morning Post.
“We know that China will be wellorganised and will be compact in defence. We have to be patient to try and break them down but also be careful of their counter-attacking.”
After leaving Italy in 2010, Lippi had a successful two-and-half-year spell in charge of Chinese powerhouse Guangzhou Evergrande before he was coaxed out of retirement last year and Queiroz is delighted to see the Italian back in the dugout.
“It is good for Asian football that Lippi is here,” the former Real Madrid coach added.
“The way world football and the schedule of international games is organised, it is difficult for Asian teams to compete with the traditional strong nations in Europe and South America but it helps to have some of the best coaches working here.
“They can help raise the level and make Asia more competitive.”