SAMURAI BLUE starts training ahead of match against Uzbekistan – AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 (1/5-2/1)

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15 January 2019

SAMURAI BLUE starts training ahead of match against Uzbekistan – AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 (1/5-2/1)

On Monday 14 January, the SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) resumed their trainings at Abu Dhabi ahead of their third group stage match against the Uzbekistan National Team at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. Following their 1-0 victory over the Oman National Team, the team has secured their spot into the round of 16, and the team will now play for the league lead in the final group stage match.

The training session was held at 11 a.m. where the players who featured the starting line-up in the previous match remained at the hotel to recover their body. The players unused in the match against Oman, along with the two substitutes, MUTO Yoshinori (Newcastle United) and ITO Junya (Kashiwa Reysol), were seen working up a sweat on the field.

The payers were seen relaxed as they went through the drills while talking to each other. The warmups included passing and ball control drills that allowed the players to go over their fundamental movements.

The team then went onto playing a four vs four drill in a small grid where one free-man and two goalkeepers were placed, as they polished up on their transitions between offence and defence, quality of passes, and collective pressing. The session progressed as the team was seen going over a practical drill that simulated a game-like situation as the players played another four vs four drill from the halfway line. The drill was simulated to build their attacks while getting man-marked in the midfield area, where the players worked on their combinations to break through the defence line.

The session concluded with players going over shots, long balls, and fitness at the individual level.

The two players who were ruled out of the match against Oman due to injury, OSAKO Yuya (Werder Bremen) and HIGASHIGUCHI Masaaki (Gamba Osaka), were both present on the field as they went through light workouts to loosen up their body.

Following the training session, the players returned to their hotel before making their ways to Al Ain where they will be playing the final group stage match against the group leaders Uzbekistan.

With their win over Oman, Japan has increased their tally to six points in Group F. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan has also won back-to-back matches, and the two teams are both set to advance to the round of 16. Currently, Uzbekistan leads the group with the advantage in goal differential over Japan.

The top two teams of the group will face each other on Thursday 17, where the winner will advance through to the knockout stage as the group leader. For Japan, a draw and a loss will mean they will advance as the runners-up.

Players' Comments

GK #23 SCHMIDT Daniel (Vegalta Sendai)
These two matches have been both difficult matches to stay focused for a goalkeeper. With the opponents seeking for their opportunities through set-pieces and counter attacks, it requires a high level of concentration throughout the match. It is expected that we will be facing more of those kinds of matches, so we will keep that in mind to prepare ourselves ahead of the next match. Compared to our last opponent, Uzbekistan is a more physical team. I will prepare myself so that I can be ready to play at all times.

DF #2 MIURA Genta (Gamba Osaka)
We ended up winning the match 1-0 against Oman, but we created many opportunities and should have scored more goals. Compared to our first match, we were able to showcase a more stable match. We will do our best to win our next match so that we can advance to the next round as the group leader. With many teams anticipating to initiate their offence through counter attacks, we must keep in mind how to manage the risks. We have been telling each other that we must stay as a team and fight through these matches with a total team effort.

DF #20 MAKINO Tomoaki (Urawa Red Diamonds)
It’s important that we stay focused on winning the match ahead of us. If we give the right effort, the results should follow. That is why we must give our best effort to prepare ourselves ahead of the next match. I’ve heard that the Asian Cup is not a highly anticipated event in Japan. We must perform well and earn positive results to earn the attention towards this tournament.

MF #6 ENDO Wataru (Sint-Truidense V.V.)
We are not satisfied with our performance against Oman, but we managed to clear the minimum requirement. It would’ve been ideal if we scored two or three goals in the first half, but scoring the opening goal was nonetheless huge for us. In the second half, we laid out a block to shut out our opponents and the fact we managed to earn a clean sheet is something we can be proud of. (Despite seeing a change in the line-up) We didn’t change our approach to the match, and I kept on thinking how to utilise KITAGAWA and MINAMINO’s strong points while I was on the pitch. It’s great that we managed to make the adjustment and play differently in the first and second half.

MF #7 SHIBASAKI Gaku (Getafe C.F.)
It means a lot for us to clinch the knockout stage after just playing two matches. It gives us the opportunity to play without the pressure and test out new players in the third group stage match. Anything can happen in a football match, especially in a tournament. That is why we must stay flexible and be able to make the adjustments at all times. In that sense, we did a great job to make the necessary adjustments ahead of our second match, so we hope to continue on that.

MF #8 HARAGUCHI Genki (Hannover 96)
There are more uncertain aspects to the Asian Cup than the World Cup, and we must be able to respond to those uncertainties. Of course, it’s ideal to win each match with an overwhelming lead, but it’s also important to stay flexible to win each match with persistency. Our ultimate goal is to win the tournament, but we must all focus on the match in front of us, because in football any given moment may decide the outcome of the match.

MF #14 ITO Junya (Kashiwa Reysol)
Yesterday, I had chances that I wish I could’ve scored. Within the limited time given to me, I was anticipating for the counter attacks. If I am given another opportunity, I will do my best to earn better results. My strengths are in my ability to break through down the line and deliver crosses, so I hope to showcase those aspects next time. We are starting to combine well with each other, but we still have more room to improve as a team.

MF #17 AOYAMA Toshihiro (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
We struggled dearly, but we managed to earn results in the two matches, so we must keep this trend going. Every player has the chance to play, so we must stay prepared. But we must all keep in mind that the most important thing is the team’s victory. It’s important to stay patient and play with composure when things aren’t going our way. We will give our best to prepare ourselves in the next three days.