"The final is going to be a high-level game. Bosnia are better than us, but we are getting ready to win it," says SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) coach Vahid HALILHODZIC at the press conference at Suita City Stadium on Sunday 5 June with two days to go until the KIRIN CUP SOCCER 2016 final against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The team practised at the match site on the same day with only the first 15 minutes open to media. The squad went through their tactics, while the injured forward HONDA Keisuke and midfielder KAGAWA Shinji did not join the session. Halilhodzic indicates he gives up playing them in the final, saying "I want them to play together, but it seems a bit difficult".

Japan's last matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina goes back to January 2008, beating them 3-0 to improve their all-time record to one win and one draw.

While Japan stand at 53rd in the FIFA ranking, Bosnia and Herzegovina are ranked 20th. In the first match against Denmark on 3 June, Bosnia and Herzegovina came back from 2-0 down with one player sent off with a red card but ended up clinching the final spot with a 4-3 penalty win.

Although Bosnia and Herzegovina miss some core players such as AS Roma's forward Edin Dzeko and midfielder Miralem Pjanic and Chelsea FC goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, they have an ability to overcome adversity with hard-working led by forward Milan DURIC (AC CESENA), who scored two goals last week, and forward Armin HODZIC (GNK DINAMO ZAGREB), who changed the course of the game when he came off the bench in the second half. Additionally, their average height is 185 cm, which is 7cm higher than Japan (178 cm). It is a characteristic that Bulgaria, Japan’s first opponents, did not possess.

"I have a special feeling (on the matchup against my mother country), but I need to go out to win in football," Halilhodzic says. "Bosnia have got physical intensity and individual skills. The aerial battles are going to be quite tough for us. The theme is how we can cope with it then."

The Japan boss gives credit for the speedy, free-flowing attacking football that his team showed in a 7-2 win over Bulgaria. "We were able to bring out what we had worked on," he says. And at the same time Bosnian expects his squad to brace themselves up, "It doesn't mean Japan has become a powerhouse. It's going to be a totally different match from the Bulgaria one." 

Defender YOSHIDA Maya (Southampton FC) says, "Because it's just after we won big, the approach for the match is difficult. It's going to be important as a whole if we can bring out as much as or more than we did, compared to the last match."

Midfielder HASEBE Makoto (Eintracht Frankfurt) says, "It's going to be the last match for the World Cup Qualifiers. If we can finish in style, we can go out for the final qualifiers in a good mood."

Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Mehmed BAZDAREVIC revealed his close relationship with Halilhodzic outside football and added archly, "We are doing well for the final. It's a contest between the same country men, but the one who will win is me leading Bosnia."

The final and the third-place match between Denmark and Bulgaria will kick off at 19:30 and 16:00 respectively at Suita City Stadium on Tuesday 7.

Coach and Players' Comments

Vahid HALILHODZIC, Coach of SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team)
The final is going to be a high-level match. The opponents must be in better form as it is their second match. Bosnia are better than us, but we are trying to be prepared to win the match. I hope we can show what we brought out in the Bulgaria match. The seven goals of that match weren't by chance but came from collective, beautiful actions.

Japan's strength was seen on offence as my squad played quickly when pressing, strung passes together and found space ahead to get into a finishing zone. Bosnia had a good match against Denmark. They have got physical intensity and individual skills. And they have also got a lot of players over 185 cm. We will set up tactics on them and be ready for the match.

MF #17  HASEBE Makoto (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany)
The opponents are getting in form as it is their second match. There are some players who play in the Bundes Liga. They are big and a kind of opponents we rarely face in Asia. In that sense, it's a very important contest. It's going to be the last match of the season for overseas-based players like me. I really want to finish in style by getting results and playing in our favour.

DF #22  YOSHIDA Maya (Southampton FC/England)
The two goals we conceded in the Bulgaria match were because of our own mistakes. We want to keep a clean sheet next. Like the second goal, it's the worst case where we give up a goal through a mistake midway through our build-up. We've got to work on it. (Even when Kagawa and Honda are away) The football for us to pursue does not change. How to send and call for the ball is going to change, but it's a big chance for the players who have not played. There should be some players who break into the regular squad.

MF #8  HARAGUCHI Genki (Hertha BSC Berlin/Germany)
I will get ready for any position to play. I think I understand every position's role, and I will try to do what our coach expects from me and keep challenging until the end. I want to lay the ball off with one touch and go up and take advantage of my speed. But the key to do that is to face forward. I want to always keep thinking about whether to go individually or combine with my teammates.

Mehmed BAZDAREVIC, Coach of Bosnia and Herzegovina National Team
We are getting fit to play here. I'm sure the final is going to be a wonderful match because the opponents are Japan, who are a great team. Even without Kagawa and Honda, Japan are great in collective plays and individual skills and I don't think it makes the match easy for us. We've got to cope with Japan's speedy, collective plays. It's going to be difficult, but we hope to show a great performance.

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.

2016-6-7 (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!