Japan eager to reignite Cup challenge
HONG KONG: With one win from three matches in the final round of Asia’s World Cup preliminaries, Hajime Moriyasu leads Japan into tomorrow’s meeting with Australia knowing his side must win to reignite their challenge and dampen speculation over his future.
The Japanese have qualified for every World Cup since their debut in France in 1998, when a team led by Takeshi Okada was forced into a play-off with Iran before confirming their berth for their first-ever finals appearance.
Sitting in fourth place in Group B with only the top two teams guaranteed to advance to Qatar next year, Japan’s current predicament carries echoes of that fraught campaign.
In October 1997, during a swing through central Asia, Shu Kamo was fired following a draw with Kazakhstan and was replaced by his assistant, Okada, who eventually oversaw an upturn in fortunes that took the Japanese to France.
A similar scenario could play out in the ongoing qualifiers, with scrutiny of Moriyasu intensifying after losses to Oman and Saudi Arabia and a date with the unbeaten Socceroos looming.
Japan face an Australia side that have won a record 11 straight matches in qualifying for Qatar 2022 and Moriyasu will again be without the talents of Mallorca’s Takefusa Kubo.
The Samurai Blue have struggled in attack, with their only goal coming via Yuya Osako in last month’s 1-0 win over China.
Australia lead Group B on goal difference from the Saudis, who host China in Jeddah tomorrow, while Vietnam take on Oman in Muscat.
Only the top two finishers in each group will advance automatically to the World Cup finals, with the third-placed teams entering into a series of play-offs for a possible fifth Asian berth.