What The Usmnt Should Expect From Japan After A Subpar Loss To South Korea

High intends for adjacent summer

Not moreover nan astir blinkered South Korean instrumentality would contradict that Japan presents nan United States pinch nan strongest trial that Asia has to offer. The Samurai Blue whitethorn not person a subordinate for illustration Christian Pulisic who has played regularly astatine elite clubs, but nan roster is afloat of talents playing astatine precocious level, and was nan first state different than nan hosts to suffice for nan 2026 World Cup.

Liverpool’s Wataru Endo told fans erstwhile nan 2026 summons had been stamped that it was clip to commencement reasoning astir lifting nan trophy. Fellow Premier Leaguer Daichi Kamada said nan same. “That’s what we each support saying,” said nan Crystal Palace star. “Our extremity is to triumph nan World Cup.”

For a squad that has ne'er won a knockout crippled astatine a World Cup (South Korea remains nan only Asian federation to person done so), it is simply a bold statement. But then, successful 2022 Japan only mislaid to Croatia connected penalties aft beating Spain and Germany successful nan group stage. Against Belgium 4 years earlier, Japan fto a two-goal lead was fto slip.

The method excellence, nan movement, statement and difficult activity without nan shot that defined those teams is still there, but immoderate things person changed. As good arsenic Endo and Kamada, winners of England’s apical 2 competitions past season, Kaoru Mitoma is simply a Premier League standout arsenic is Takefusa Kubo successful Spain. Coach Hajime Moriyasu can, and has, selected an wholly European-based roster.

A mates of decades ago, nan Japan FA talked of winning nan World Cup by 2050. If thing else, adjacent twelvemonth would beryllium a bully clip to move solidly successful that direction. As such, Tuesday’s target is victory.

Expect a rotated lineup

Japan fielded beautiful overmuch its strongest imaginable squad successful its 0-0 necktie pinch Mexico connected Saturday. Given nan short turnaround betwixt games, nan agelong recreation from nan European-based players to Oakland for nan first game, and nan truth that Moriyasu’s stated volition of giving his arsenic galore players arsenic galore minutes arsenic possible, location are apt to beryllium changes successful Columbus. Mitoma, Endo, Kubo and different regular starters could commencement Tuesday connected nan bench.

Japan has a reasonably mediocre grounds against teams from nan Americas, and to tie pinch El Tri successful California is not a bad result. Still, nan four-time Asian champion, which pressed precocious and put nan World Cup co-host nether unit from nan commencement needs to study really to put those sorts of tight matches to bed.

A go-to goalscorer would help. “I want a existent striker to emerge, and past we want to make nan astir of that player,” Moriyasu said this summer.

He has been looking. So early did Japan suffice that nan coach fundamentally took a second-string roster to nan last 2 AFC qualifiers successful June. The first was successful Australia and while nan youngsters nan host, they besides grounded to return their chances and ended up losing to a last-minute sucker punch.

The likes of Ayase Ueda person scored good against Asian guidance but nan Feyenoord forward, and others, person to show they tin do it against apical teams from different confederations. This is Japan’s misfortune. Qualification was achieved without ever needing to get into apical cogwheel (53 scored and 3 conceded successful 16 games) making it harder to find erstwhile nan unit is really on.

A coach looking to specify his legacy

Lots of AFC nations move to overseas managers, particularly erstwhile large tournaments are approaching. The estimation of Asian coaching extracurricular nan continent is nonexistent, and isn’t that awesome wrong either. Moriyasu, then, is an outlier.

Few thought erstwhile he took nan occupation successful 2018 that he would still beryllium location 7 years later. Criticised by immoderate for being overly blimpish and not getting nan champion retired of nan team, nan softly-spoken leader has, however, built nan Samurai Blue into a formidable force. There is simply a club-like atmosphere, a clear measurement of playing and a coach who tin sometimes research – connected Tuesday, location could beryllium immoderate caller names and a alteration from nan accustomed three-man defense.

The 2026 World Cup will beryllium his biggest test, aft a coagulated tourney successful Qatar, a disappointing 2023 Asian Cup and encouraging results and performances since.

As Japan’s level improves and players spell to Europe to activity pinch elite tacticians, location are concerns that nan coaching standards backmost location are not keeping pace. It is simply a small unfair as, astatine nan moment, it is almost unthinkable for a coach for illustration Moriyasu to beryllium fixed an opportunity to spell and activity successful Europe.

So nan champion point an Asian coach tin do is person occurrence astatine a world level and hit their much illustrious counterparts. The US, and Mauricio Pochettino, surely fresh nan bill.