One day after they edged Iraq 1-0 in the group stage of the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, SAMURAI BLUE (Japan men's national team) held a light practice in the morning of 17 January near Brisbane, Australia, to tune up for their game against Jordan, which will be played three days later with a ticket for the quarterfinal round at stake. Under a high summer heat, all the starting members from the Iraqi game but goalkeeper KAWASHIMA Eiji, including forward HONDA Keisuke (AC Milan) and midfielder ENDO Yasuhito (Gamba Osaka), attempted to recover from fatigues by going through running and stretches. Forward OKAZAKI Shinji (1.FSV Mainz), who received a hard tackle on his leg in the game of the day before, took thorough cares from a trainer to prepare for the final group stage match.

The non-starter players worked on shootings and practical menus such as 4-on-3s among others while their head coach Javier Aguirre was closely observing. Their three goalkeepers went through menus in which they were required to move their bodies hard. HIGASHIGUCHI Masaaki, one of the goalkeepers, remained on the pitch and took lessons from goalkeeper's coach Ricardo Lopez.

A group of about 60 children from the Japanese society in Brisbane visited the practice. Aguirre received a bunch of flowers and a Japanese national flag with messages from them and took a picture with them and the team before the practice.
And in the afternoon, the team flew to Melbourne, the next site for the Jordan match. Meanwhile, they celebrated Endo for his accomplishment of the new record of playing in 150 games on the national team, which also tied for the 11th in the world, and a birthday of one of their staff members with cakes at their hotel on the previous night.

SAMURAI BLUE, who are looking to earn their fifth Asian Cup title, stand atop in Group D with six points as they've posted two wins in their two matches. They have three points ahead of Jordan and Iraq, six with Palestine, who have already been eliminated from the tournament. If Japan has a draw or better against Jordan, they will qualify through the group atop to advance to the quarterfinal round.
Elsewhere, host Australia fell 0-2 to Korea also on the 17th, qualifying through Group A as the second seed. Korea clinched the first seed.

Comments

FW OKAZAKI Shinji (1.FSV Mainz 05)
I have an impression that Jordan will do something different. We got beaten by them in our previous matchup and they have a lot of good players. We need to score a lot and reduce the goals allowed. Our goal is to win in a strong fashion, and we are going to need that in the Jordan game. We will advance to the quarterfinals with a draw or better, so we don't have to be rattled. In that circumstance, it will be depending on how much we can play with our own pace and that's a point that we have failed to do in important occasions. We want to certainly do that this time and it is our theme to finish the game strong. So hopefully we will accomplish those.

FW HONDA Keisuke (AC Milan)
（On the possibility that Japan could get eliminated from the tournament if they lose against Jordan) We always have a sense of urgency. Palestine could lose by a large margin, so like we did against Iraq, we want to get in the game with high concentration from early on. By each of us doing our own job, the quality of our football will develop. (On extending his own scoring streak) I haven't really thought about it. I think it's more valuable to score in an important game, and I felt joy as I scored the game-winning goal in yesterday's game. This is something I always am aware of, but I just want to have one when matters most.

GK KAWASHIMA Eiji (Standard Liege)
I've been able to entre games in terms of my mental state in this tournament. We are going to have to play tougher games from here on, so I have to have higher concentrations and keep going without goals allowed. Our goal lies higher up. We lost to Jordan away at the World Cup qualifier, but it's all in the past. It will come down to how much we can challenge.

MF KAGAWA Shinji (Borussia Dortmund)
It was great I was able to contribute to the team's win, and it was what mattered most. If we'd add a couple of more goals around 20 minutes, 30 minutes into the first half, we'd played in our pace even more. In the game of football, you make mistakes, and it was positive that we played our defence patiently and held the opponents to zero goals in the second half too by our hard work, but we will have to eliminate easy mistakes more. I've gotten used to my current position, and it's quite natural for me to get in spaces, so my issue will be to finish shots in the end. Unless I become a player who can finish, I will not grow and step up to the next level, so I want to stick to it.

JFA-TV

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