Japan players during a training session yesterday.Pic: JFA
Doha, Qatar: Pre-tournament favourites Japan start their Asian Cup title hunt against Vietnam today, with coach Hajime Moriyasu telling the Samurai Blue to maintain a balanced approach against the ambitious side eyeing an upset.
The Group D match will be played at Al Thumama Stadium as Japan return to action in Qatar after a remarkable performance at the FIFA World Cup, reaching the Round of 16 after stunning victories over European giants Germany and Spain in the group stage.
The Moriyasu’s side is seeking a record-extending fifth Asian crown after missing an opportunity to achieve the feat in 2019 when they were beaten by Qatar 1-3 in the final.
Japan are up against the side, coached by Philippe Troussier, under whom the Samurai Blue won their second Asian title back in 2000.
Troussier yesterday said Vietnam will draw inspiration from Japan’s brilliance at the World Cup as his team targets the Round of 16 spot for the third time in their fifth appearance at the Asian Cup.
Moriyasu was aware of a threat from Troussier-coached Vietnam, saying his team must take one match at a time in their Asian Cup journey.
“Mr. Troussier is the former coach of Japan and he knows Japanese football well. I’m sure he’s done a lot of analysis of our team but we have done a lot of analysis of their team too. My coaching staff has been working hard on this,” he said yesterday.
“It will be a very good game, but we have to have balance between being aggressive and also be cautious of their attack as well.”
“We have seven matches if we go to the final so we have to take each match by itself and I think all our players will be participating as a team. We have to think about the seven matches in total,” he added.
Troussier, 68, was seeking a strong performance from Vietnam, who suffered a 1-0 defeat to Japan in quarter-final of the last Asian Cup.
“It’s important to be reactive, to disturb them, to destroy them, to cut the line between them, to make them know we can be aggressive and maybe to make trouble to the work of this team, like Japan made big trouble against Germany,” said the Frenchman.
“It’s clear regarding the process to qualify, it’s clear that the goal difference will be a point, as the fair play was a point four years ago,” he said referring to Vietnam’s qualification to Round of 16 stage by virtue of their fair play record in the UAE.
“When you have a team like Japan in your group and you know the best three will qualify, it’s clear goal difference must be a very important point,” he added.
“But to be reactive doesn’t mean that 100 percent we will not have the ball. It’s clear that many matches can be won with only 10 percent of the ball or 20 or 30 percent. That’s why we have to take any opportunity at any time, to take our chance.”
Former champions Iraq and Indonesia - the other sides in the group - will face off tomorrow at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
