| Alarm bells for Japan's World Cup campaign |
|
|
|
| Thursday, 27 March 2008 | |
 TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's World Cup qualifying campaign had an alarming wake-up call as they bowed 1-0 away to Bahrain in timidly defensive football for their first defeat under homegrown coach Takeshi Okada. "It was the worst scenario I could have thought of," Okada said in Manama Wednesday as the result put Bahrain at the top of their group. "But we'll be alright if we win at home. We have sufficient time." Bahrain lead with six points as Japan, former three-time Asian champions, stand level with Oman at three points ahead of winless Thailand. Each side will play four more matches in June with the top two countries advancing to the final Asian qualifying round. "We made a mistake because we allowed an easy cross when we lowered our guard," Okada said. "It was very unfortunate but we still have plenty of chances ahead to qualify." Ala'a Hubail headed in the sole goal in the 74th minute as Japanese goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was only able to get his left hand to a cross from the left by Ismail Abdullateef. It was Japan's first loss to Bahrain in their five international encounters. Japan had not lost a match—winning three and drawing three—since Okada took over from Ivica Osim after the Bosnian suffered a serious stroke in November. But there have been mixed reviews for Okada, who guided Japan to their winless World Cup debut in 1998, as he now leads their bid for a fourth straight appearance on the big stage. "Where has Japanese football gone?" the influential daily Asahi Shimbun lamented, saying Japan had let go of their "crisp short passes, unpredictable combination plays and well-timed individual skills." Okada's Japan have "destroyed the meticulous football built by Osim," it said. "It was a total loss although the score was 1-0." Osim, who guided the former Yugoslavia to the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals, might have foreseen the disaster. Just the day before the Bahrain match, the 66-year-old said in a statement to supporters as he was released from hospital: "Come over to the stadium and put a lot of pressure on the players. Tell them to run more and quicken up the speed of play." Okada was not lucky as he could not use Europe-based stars including Celtic dead-ball specialist Shunsuke Nakamura, who was tied up with club commitments, and Eintracht Frankfurt defensive midfielder Junichi Inamoto, who was dropped from the squad for injury. Former Frankfurt striker Naohiro Takahara, Japan's key scoring machine, was sidelined at the last minute after twisting his right thigh in training. Okada's gamble to use three backs in a cautious defence system for the first time as national coach also backfired. "The ball didn't go beyond the midfield. Japan attempted only two shots in the first half," the Sankei Sports daily criticised, adding Japan paid the price for "discarding an offensive four-back system enforced by former coach Osim." Okada's players admitted they lacked the guts to overwhelm the physically stronger Gulf side. "We did not run as hard as our opponents did today. It is especially important when you play away," Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo said. "We lagged behind in every aspect." "We were short on our work rate overall," admitted Urawa Reds utility man Yuki Abe. "Our opponents went full out and fell down to the pitch. They were different. We had to give out more." |
