FRANCE 98 – Match preview n°13
Two-times champions Argentina will take no chances against Japan in their World Cup opener here on Sunday as the unfancied newcomers from Asia still believe in a repeat of their Olympic ” miracle. ” Takeshi Okada promised that his squad would play defensively and score on a counter-attack as Japan’s Olympic side did when they upset favourites Brazil 1-0 in Atlanta two years ago.
Argentina’s coach Daniel Passarella took time off the day after arriving in France and watched Okada’s men lose 1-0 to Yugoslavia in a friendly in Lausanne, Switzerland. ” I went to see Japan because it is important to gain as much information on our opponents as possible. We must not underestimate anyone, ” said the man who skippered Argentina to their first World Cup triumph in 1978.
There have been plenty of mind games going on here as rumours flew around the Japanese camp at Aix-les-Bains that the Argentinians had clandestinely filmed Okada’s squad practising set pieces and counter-attacks behind closed doors. And Passarella then refused to reveal his line-up as ” I don’t want to reveal my hand. “
Okada laughed off the alleged filming incident by joking: ” Perhaps, Argentina do not feel any threat from us at all so they might not do such a thing. “He admitted that ” there is indeed a gap in strength between the two countries, but I am sure we have a chance of winning. ” If we do win it will be 1-0, “ said the 41-year-old Okada, who turned Japan’s fortunes around in the regional qualifying tour with bold substitutions after taking over from Shu Kamo last October. Okada, who has never managed a team at national or club level before, has vowed to score one win, one loss and one draw to make the last 16 from the Group H which also includes two other new-comers, Croatia and Jamaica.
He has all but set his three-back defence line ready after switching from four backs this year to stop the formidable Argentine strike force of Ariel Ortega, Claudio Lopez and Gabriel Batistuta. But he kept his tactics secret while struggling to find his best attacking permutation as a forward line, led by Yokohama Marinos’ Shoji Jo, lacks punch having scored just one goal in five warm-up matches.
Jubilo Iwata forward Masashi Nakayama scored the only goal last Sunday when Japan beat the French second division Gueugnon 1-0 after losing four matches and drawing two others over three months. Pundits say Okada will put play playmaker Hidetoshi Nakata, the Asian Player of the Year, behind Jo or Nakayama to boost Japan’s firepower with 18-year-old sensation Shinji Ono marshalling the midfield.
Brazilian legend Pele recently praised Argentina as a ” well-organised team. “ It was a much needed morale boost for Passarella after his side lost to Israel in a friendly in April. Argentina than beat Brazil 1-0 in Rio last month. Passarella has made peace with goalscoring hero Batistuta after first refusing to pick him. ” I’m looking forward to proving just what I’m capable of, “ the Fiorentia star striker said. ” Argentina have come to France to win the World Cup. “
Japanese keeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi says he will have to draw on all his lightning reflexes to give his side a chance of a result. ” Argentina always come at you in the first half and I will have to hold on, “ said Kawaguchi, who has won 27 caps. ” But it won’t last 90 minutes. They will leave a gap and that is when we have to strike. “ Argentinian counterpart Carlos Roa says his side will give their opponents total respect. ” The Japanese are very quick and can give anyone a hard match. But I am sure they will set out to defend, “ said Roa.