SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) had their final tune-up session on Thursday 2 June in Aichi ahead of their KIRIN CUP SOCCER 2016 opening match against Bulgaria to be held at Toyota Stadium in Aichi. The team continued to go through tactics with doors closed to media except the first 15 minutes.

Japan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Denmark will participate and compete in the first KIRIN CUP taking place after a five-year interval. The tournament is held in a knockout system. The results of matches on Friday 3 between Japan and Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Denmark determine pairings of the final and third-place match taking place on Tuesday 7 at Suita City Stadium in Osaka.

Bulgaria stand at 69th in the FIFA Ranking, while Japan are ranked 53rd. The teams played against each other in 2006 and 2013, finishing with Japan's 2-1 and 2-0 losses. Japan's total record against Bulgaria is four losses and one draw.

Despite getting eliminated in the qualifiers of the UEFA European Football Championship with their record of three wins, five losses and two draws, they matched up fairly well against Italy, Croatia and Norway, losing to all of them only 1-0. They also came out victoriously of the friendly against Portugal away match in late march this year with the 1-0 score. They have proved their stellar defence, quick counter-attacks and height require serious attention.

Midfielder HASEBE Makoto (Eintracht Frankfurt) says, "Bulgaria are so organised and a good team. Depending on the situation, we need to determine our own plays."

"It's going to be a pretty good test to break the opposing block open and take a risk management against counterattacks," says defender YOSHIDA Maya (Southampton FC). "I want to show how I have grown." He added on his appearance in front of fans at the familiar stadium where he was playing for Nagoya Grampus.

OKAZAKI Shinji is two goals shy of 50 international goals. "Of course, I'm trying to get them," says Leicester City FC forward, who just made his 100th international appearance in the FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers Round 2 in March.

"I have nothing to lose," says Japan's new scoring option forward ASANO Takuma (Sanfrecce Hiroshima). "I want to take aggressive challenges."

In the meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina (20th in the FIFA Ranking) and Denmark (38th) opened the first 15 minutes of their official practice to media before their coaches attended an official press conference.

Japan's match against Bulgaria is set to kick off at 19:30 on Friday 3 June, while the match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Denmark is scheduled to kick off at 16:00 on the same day.

Coach and Players' Comments

FW #9  OKAZAKI Shinji (Leicester City Football Club)
As a forward, it’s whether you get in your zone or not. You've got to focus on your own work and goal that much and make your teammates pass the ball to you. They may call you egoist, but that’s how this position is. In the national team, everyone sends the ball to me, so I'm responsible for scoring goals. I will try to be ready whenever I have a chance to play and of course try to score in the next match.

MF #17  HASEBE Makoto (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Bulgaria are so organised and a good team, but it's our home and we need to win in the first place. They are like a team who you face in the World Cup group stage. And we haven't had matchups against such opponents, so we want to take this opportunity to see how good we are right now. Young players joined the team recently, and they reminded me when practising together that there are a lot of good players who've got high calibre. My concern toward Japan's near future was gone.

DF #22  YOSHIDA Maya (Southampton FC)
We should have a situation in the World Cup final qualifying round where opponents sit back and play on counterattacks, so it's going to be a pretty good test to break high-level opponents' block open and take a risk management on counterattacks. Pressing on ball holders and tactics on 1-on-1 are also very important. European players are obviously more powerful than us in terms of physical strength, but if we get well prepared, there is no problem.

FW #18  ASANO Takuma (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
I have nothing to lose, so I will take aggressive challenges. And I hope to play with confidence as usual. If I get a chance to play, I can show and let everyone know my strength. I will try to find out how others want to play, and it can create a passer-receiver relationship. There is nothing to change wherever I play. I just need to find space behind defenders, so I will try to keep in mind how I can beat the defenders.

Mehmed BAZDAREVIC, Coach of Bosnia and Herzegovina National Team
We are honoured to be invited to the KIRIN CUP SOCCER 2016. Other three countries have a different style of football, so the tournament is an important and great opportunity to develop ourselves. A couple of players didn't come because of injury, but that's a good chance for young players. First we will focus on the first match and go for the championship, which is our goal.

Aage HAREIDE, Coach of Demark National Team
It's an important tournament for Denmark to go for September's World Cup qualifiers. I can know better about my players through this kind of matches and also send my messages. Some players couldn't come because of injury, but I think we should keep up the preparation for now. I want you all to see our style of football.

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

Schedule

*The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, the weather, etc.

KIRIN CUP SOCCER 2016

Held in knockout system among SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team), Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Denmark.

2016-6-3 (Fri.) Aichi/Toyota Stadium
16:00 kick-off (subject to change)  Bosnia Herzegovina National Team vs Denmark National Team
19:40 kick-off (subject to change)  SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) vs Bulgaria National Team

2016-6-7 (Tue,) Osaka/Suita City Football Stadium
16:00 kick-off (subject to change)  Bosnia Herzegovina National Team or Denmark National Team vs Bulgaria National Team
19:30 kick-off (subject to change)  SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) vs Bosnia Herzegovina National Team or Denmark National Team

More information

KIRIN CUP MUSEUM

Japan against the world, KIRIN CUP MUSEUM tracing the history is now open!