SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) appeared at a press conference on 17 November at the Yanmar Stadium Nagai in Osaka, where they will play against Australia in the Kirin Challenge Cup 2014, and noted emphatically: "this is not a test. We’ll play to win."

It will be their last match of the year before the AFC Asian Cup starts on 9 January. Japan is aiming to become back-to-back champions. After finishing their final practice the day before at the stadium, Aguirre commented: "we’ve been practicing calmly this week. All the players are working very eagerly and achieving a very high-level of performance. I’d like to choose the best 11 players among them for the match tomorrow."

Although Japan may play against Australia in the AFC Asian Cup, the head coach also noted: "we’re not intending to hold our cards close to our chest. We will just play as normal. I’d rather show that Japan has improved."

Japan’s record against Australia is 7 wins, 7 losses and 8 draws. Since the loss with the score 3-1 in the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Japan have always played close matches against Australia, such as the one in the final of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, in which Japan won on penalty kicks after an extra time. Australia lost three games in the FIFA World Cup last summer and could not get through the group stage. Ange Postecoglou, the head coach of Australia, continued to lead the team, welcoming young players to build strength in depth, and to build a new team for the hosting of the AFC Asian Cup. The forward Tim Cahill, who has scored four goals in the past against Japan, is in good condition.

Australia played two games in Europe and two games in the Middle East in September and October, and the result was one win, two losses and one draw. This month they are focusing on the friendly against Japan only and held one-week training camp in Osaka. Today they held an official practice on the pitch for the coming match, but apart from the first 15 minutes, it was a closed session. The head coach Postecoglou noted: "we’re at the final preparation stage for the AFC Asian Cup. We’ve been focusing on this match for a week. I’d like to show a strong team tomorrow."

The Australian midfielder Mile Jedinak commented: "it’s always a tough match when I play against Japan, only because both of us play our best. I believe tomorrow will be another good match." The match between Japan and Australia kickoff will be at 19:20 on 18 November at the Yanmar Stadium Nagai.

Comments

Javier AGUIRRE, Head Coach of SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team)
Australia is one of the favorites for the AFC Asian Cup and they have been seriously preparing for the coming match, holding training sessions for several days in Japan. Australia is a good opponent to play in order to see our own level and they’ll be our main rival in the Asian Cup or in the qualifying round of the World Cup. So I’d like to win the match tomorrow. We’ve been practicing calmly this week. Although the players are in great condition and they’re eager to practice, we only have a limited time to try out the players or the system. I won’t test the players this time, but use the best 11 of them to win the match. I hope I will select 22 of the 23 players for the championship before I go to bed tomorrow night. I always have some players, with whom I find it difficult to decide, but hopefully it will be only one or two players.

GK  NISHIKAWA Shusaku (Urawa Reds)
I suppose Japan would be the favorite to win the game if we can take control of the game by exchanging passes rather than launching head-to-head battle in the air. I want to make good preparation so that I can help building up the attack from back line. Taking advantage of pass skills, this is something I usually do in the club team and I am pretty confident about it. Putting pressure without hasting too much, I hope to send pass as it allows.

GK  KAWASHIMA Eiji (Standard Liege/Belgium)
I would assume Australia is quite motivated because they’ve been enhancing the team through the FIFA World to be able to show a good performance at AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015. The other side’s goalkeeper was selected as the best goalkeeper in Belgium last season and he is good at passing although he is still young. It is going to be a good test match for becoming a champion of Asian Cup again.

FW  OKAZAKI Shinji (1.FSV Mainz 05/Germany)
A forward, who can strike at goal from anywhere, scares the opposition. Japan needs that kind of forward. Although my role changes depending on the situation, ultimately my aim is to score goals. I’d like to strike a goal whatever form that takes, even jumping at crosses.

MF  KAGAWA Shinji (Borussia Dortmund/Germany)
Nagai stadium is my home ground, at which I’d been playing for four years. So this gives me a boost and creates a good image of the coming match for me. The coach strongly instructed that we use the full length of the pitch and we’ll play with an awareness of moving the ball across from one side to the other. My strength is my speed in approaching the area in front of the goal. I’d like to show that. Whoever I play against, all I need is a good result.

Ange POSTECOGLOU, Head Coach of Australia National Team
As Japan and Australia are strong rivals, tomorrow’s match against the Japanese in Japan will be a challenging one. It’ll be good preparation for both of us before the AFC Asian Cup next year. Japan has changed their system and players with a new head coach and already showed their strength in the game against Honduras. We are trying to have strength in depth and use younger players. Although I’m satisfied with the improvement in the team so far, our focus is the opening game of the AFC Asian Cup on 9 January. No matter the result of the tomorrow’s match, I’ll continue to improve and build a strong team in the lead up to the championship.

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

Kirin Challenge Cup 2014

Tue. 18 November 2014    SAMURAI BLUE(Japan National Team) vs Australia National Team
Yanmar Stadium Nagai/Osaka Kickoff 19:20(plan)/Open 16:20(plan)
TV Broadcast: National live broadcast on FUJI TV

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