Japan Targets Top Spot In Group F Ahead Of Sweden Clash At FIFA World Cup

DALLAS (United States), June 25 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Japan will take on Sweden in its final Group F match at the FIFA World Cup on Thursday, with head coach Hajime Moriyasu saying the team is determined to finish top of the group, reported Xinhua.

Japan and the Netherlands are both on four points after two matches and occupy the top two spots in Group F.

A draw against Sweden would be enough to secure Japan's place in the knockout stage, while the Netherlands will face already-eliminated Tunisia.

“There are various mathematical possibilities when it comes to the standings, but the core idea within our team has always remained the same: we have to aim to win every match,” Moriyasu said on Wednesday.

“If I have any concern, it is that we are extremely eager to finish first in the group. I worry that players might become overly focused on scoring goals and attack recklessly, disrupting the team's balance between offence and defence, or that unnecessary substitutions could break up a system that is functioning well.”

Moriyasu also stressed that his selection would be based on winning rather than conserving energy for the knockout stage.

“Our stance is to aim for the win. There'll be three days' rest before the next game but I'm thinking about naming the best members to win this game, rather than thinking about the next one.”

Japan has been eliminated in the round of 16 at the last two World Cups, but Moriyasu believes the current squad is capable of going further.

“I think the team is in a very good place both physically and mentally at the moment. If we reach the knockout stage, then no matter which world-class opponent we face, we can compete on equal terms with them if we perform to our level. We even have the confidence to beat any opponent.”

The coach added that finishing first in the group could also provide a practical advantage.

“We want to finish first as it would be best if we can play in Monterrey. We already had a pre-tournament camp there, played Tunisia there and know the stadium's atmosphere. The players know the pitch and there would be an advantage in playing in a place they've already experienced.”

Japan captain Kou Itakura was even more ambitious about the team's objective.

“Our goal is not just to get past the group-stage. We are aiming to win the World Cup. That has been very clear since the start of our preparations.”

Sweden crushed Tunisia 5-1 in its opening match before suffering a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands in its second outing.

Sweden coach Graham Potter said changes would be made to his starting lineup against Japan and that the team had learned valuable lessons from the heavy loss to the Dutch.

“I'm very impressed by Japan. I think their biggest strength is their collective organisation,” Potter said.

“Whether in attack or defence, you can see the understanding between the players. There is a lot of communication that doesn't need words. We have to be tougher defensively and at the same time make the most of our attacking qualities to break down a very well-organised team.”

Potter also praised Japan's ability to cope with the absence of injured winger Kaoru Mitoma.

“It's a different profile player of course, it's slightly different, but it's still a solution and then that's why it's impressive. But collectively, they're able to find that,” Potter said.

“It's a team game and Japan play a team game very, very well.”  

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA