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Japan, Australia draw 0-0 in World Cup qualifier

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Well, I'm not sorry I missed this game, by the sounds of it. Not sure what happened, but probably the usual -- Japan's goalkeeper played the entire game by himself while both the offense and defense lost the ball by passing all over the place, and Australia dominated but just couldn't get it in the blasted net.

Australia should definitely get in there, and probably Japan, too, provided neither royally screw up against... haha... Qatar and Finland.

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Japanese attack didn't have much chances and Australia was happy with the draw but any decent coach can do better with japanese players, Okada is just useless.

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A boring game too right. Both teams were poor and a very low standard.

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I also meant to say that despite all their bogus promises to 'get ugly', as though they had to 'reduce themselves to Australia's level' despite Japan's disgusting performances at the WC, they are probably breathing a collective sigh of relief simply because they didn't get pummeled like in the last game against Aus.

Expected better from the Roos, but oh well. Next time.

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nah Japan were playing for a win and the Ockers for a draw. Japan had a few chances and little else. Okada is an insipid coach at the best and really doesn't deserve to be doing much of anything. Japanese still need a striker or two. End result, advantage Australia.

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Japan definitely played a stronger game than Australia. Tsuzuki didn't break a sweat. But as usual Japan passed well but didn't know what the do with the ball at the Australian goal, and let too many chances slip by them. Still, you had to feel for Okada towards the end of the match. A tie was still a relief, we're still comfortably on top.

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smithinjapan - Your guesses couldn't be any further off. Japan dominated possession and Australia played for the draw. The Aussies hardly looked dangerous at any point of the match.

I also meant to say that despite all their bogus promises to 'get ugly', as though they had to 'reduce themselves to Australia's level'

Don't think that's what Shunsuke meant by playing ugly. I think he meant that they shouldn't look to score by stringing together a bunch of pretty passes, but rather to keep shooting and charge the goal for any misses by the keeper (which they didn't do). Why so defensive about that comment?

Australia should definitely get in there, and probably Japan, too, provided neither royally screw up against... haha... Qatar and Finland.

Considering these are the World Cup Qualifiers for the AFC, I don't see what Finland has to do with anything. The match they played with Japan was a friendly.

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australia advances to the world cup from group A. south korea from group B. japan stays home, develops neurosis and dines nightly on sour grapes and spilled milk.

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It was boys,little skinny boys against men as usual.While they certainly should have won,Japan needs a gun...not the POP guns up forward they have now.If they can't beat a completely unprepared Aussie team at home...what will they achieve at the WC ? No wonder the Aussies took it as a win.

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Asia has 4 spots, 5 assuming that the playoff with Oceania is won the by best third place, so Japan would definitely be in the World Cup if they reach the finals or come back after 3 matches that's another thing but just getting a spot among the 32 teams is something to be proud of.

They did play ugly, they always do, don't know how made them believe that making 3 passes or playing "fast" is playing nice. Australia forced them to keep on throwing long crosses that were easily controlled. It's all Okada's fault he doesn't know what to do with the players, they ahve to change him.

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Kreza: "Your guesses couldn't be any further off. Japan dominated possession and Australia played for the draw. The Aussies hardly looked dangerous at any point of the match."

Well, didn't see the actual match, so either way that's fine. I'm actually happy I was wrong. In either case, when it comes to the end result, I was correct -- that Japan just couldn't bother to shoot the ball worth a damn, and by the looks of it once again kept flubbing it up in front of the net. Call their ball handling superior all you want, if you they can't score the goals it means diddly-squat. Fortunately in this case it also means diddly for Aus., though as you admit they did better since despite being dominated they managed a draw.

"Your guesses couldn't be any further off. Japan dominated possession and Australia played for the draw. The Aussies hardly looked dangerous at any point of the match."

Doh! My bad... I did indeed refer to the friendly. The teams in the actual qualifier are even worse!

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but just getting a spot among the 32 teams is something to be proud of.

Yes and no. Considering that many notorious unqualified european teams can thrash any asian team anyday, and also before Australia joined the asian qualifications, they used to be thrashed by the fifth South American team, beeing qualified in the Asian pool is (to World standard), not that big, I think. Unfair for all the badass european, african and South American teams if you ask me, but shouganai, even though Asia doesn't weight that much in football (yet), they need to be represented, but still a pain in the ass for many great teams and fans who cannot see their team at the WC and look at some spastic asian team crawling in the 18-yard.

Tonight's game was "same old same old". Japan needs a cocky striker, and the Aussies looked for the draw. Aussies 1- Japan-0

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Tonight's game was "same old same old". Japan needs a cocky striker, and the Aussies looked for the draw. Aussies 1- Japan-0

I reckon the Japanese need to get Cahill "naturalised" asap...isseki ni chō dane

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GenevaMan sure it is unfair considering the quality of the game, but in terms of the number of countries in each confederation you could also say that South America has too many spots, well deserved of course. It's a similar situation with the Concacaf because the States and Mexico almost have a secured spot.

What Asia has the most is viewers and that's more valuable for Fifa than the game itself.

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I saw it. What a load of cobblers. No tactics, no team strategy, what kind of teams are they? Both loked inferior.

If they plyaede a talented Championship team like Place , they would have been hammered. The standard was pretty dire, to be complimentary.

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Team like Palace , i meant to say.

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I dont know how you guys can blame the coach for a players lack of putting the ball in the back of a relatively open net..Okada had his players work the field beautifully last night but he doesnt have a Cahill,a Kennedy or an Aloisi...what more could he have done from the sideline ??

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I have to give this one to Japan - the Aussies barely threatened.

Japan dominated possession, had a bunch of corner kicks, but were mostly neutralised by the Aussie defence and just couldn't deliver on the few real openings they were given.

They need a striker like Rooney - someone who can muscle inside the area and slip it home.

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as usual Japan can not deliver. Will wait for the game in oz

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Well, Japan didn't live up to what they were saying as "playing ugly" in the literal sense. It was a clean game throughout. No animosities, no injuries or hard fouls. Yet, like was said above, what Shunsuke was actually saying (if he was interpreted by a trustworthy interpreter) was that he wanted Japan to care less about pretty passes and muscle into the box more and shoot. I do agree with most posters up there that Japan did dominate possession and penetrated more often, but overall, Japan needs a striker badly; someone to finish the penetration.

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They could play until ANZAC day and still neither team would have scored. You could tell it was going to be 0-0 after the first 15 minutes. Australia not keen to advance out of their own half and Japan with an unnerving ability to not shoot at goal.

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Snooze of a game.

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None of the two teams impressed me. The match was so boring. They both need to go back to the drawing board.

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Australia had no intentions other than to get a draw out of the game and they achieved it. Ver Beek announced a 4-3-3 formation before the game but it was really a 4-5-1 formation. The Aussies smothered the Japanese in the midfield and the Japanese had no room to play. I counted only 3-4 chances in the entire game. Endo came closest smashing a volley straight at the Aussie keeper in the 2nd half. I think Japan needs to get rid of Okada. They need a European coach with world experience and better tactics and discipline. Okada is kidding himself if he thinks Japan can reach the SF's of the World Cup, they will lose all 3 games again under him. And why hasn't Takayuki Morimoto been brought into the squad? He plays for Catania in Serie A and has scored 3 goals for them this season. A much better striker than what was on show last night. Or what about Koki Mizuno who plays for Celtic? Honestly Okada doesn't know what he's doing. How about next time they try a 4-2-3-1 formation like the way Australia plays at home to great success. Japan can do much better than what they are doing right now, I am certain of that, and Okada needs to take responsibility for their shortcomings.

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Japan lacks that killer ball that is going to unlock a stubborn defence. They perform poorly on the world stage because they can not penetrate the oppositions defence with speed and guile. All these nice passes to feet mean nothing when the opposition has two lines of four behind the ball.

Australia had no intentions other than to get a draw out of the game and they achieved it.

So Australia came for the draw, what's wrong with that. As the home team it is Japan's priority to play attacking football and find that winning goal.

I wish Japan the best of luck for reaching the finals in SA, only so that there is some interest generated in this country. Trouble is I fear they will be on the first plane home when they come up against decent opposition.

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So Australia came for the draw, what's wrong with that.

Nothing is wrong with that. I was just stating facts, and I try to make an opinion without any bias. Obviously I do a pretty good job, as I refer you to my user name for a clue to where I am from.

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Pretty good game but the Aussie tactics were a bit too defensive. Japan really should have won, they had a few good chances. Hopefully Australia can lift a bit for their remaining games (and then win the World Cup).

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Who was worse? I couldn't tell.

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"Who was worse? I couldn't tell."

Neither. They were both good and it was a win/win game.

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"They were both good and it was a win/win game."

Good on em. Next meeting they can swap jerseys at halftime.

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One only has to look at the huge photo on the backpage of todays sports sections to know what Australia was up to. Grins a mile wide, back slaps and high fives... they got exactly what they wanted, another shut out and another point ! Yer fooling yerself out there if anyone thinks a tie was what Japan was hoping for. Playing at home, full strength, WC qualifying... nothing short of a win is a major disappointment. Japan has only itself to blame. Their strategy was faulty from the opening kickoff. In the first 20 minutes we saw the Samurai blue flail about and take one "rewarded" dive after another. It seemed obviouse that Japan was hoping to get that first goal via a Nakamura free kick, but alas the wall was too tall and Shunsuke was off target... way off ! My advice to Japan is thus... stop the theatrics, especially in yer own half. It killed your fast break opportunities and a team built around ball handling and speed can't be playing for "deadball" situations. Not to mention that once you get to S.A. the refs are not gona play that game... not like the third worlders you get refing the matches here in Asia. I mean get real, the first free kick awarded to Shunsuke was a quick left foot right foot push that had the ball out of bounds before he threw his leg into the defender and hit the ground. At the WC tourney the ref will laugh it off and clearly state the ball was unplayable, get up and knock off the nonsense. In short, Japanese fans need not worry. Fifa and a very weak bracket all but guarantees Japan a place in the Cup. The current job at hand is to prepare for a higher calibre of talent that awaits in SA. This game, on both sides, was poorly played and if not improved on will find both Australia and Japan flying home early. As for other action... a superb performance by the Americans as they beat Mexico 2-0 ! Watch out for this team in Africa. They are fast, talented, and if they can get past the typical biased officiating, they could make some noise... quarterfinals again ?

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I went to the game and enjoyed it thoroughly. both teams were giving their best. you can see why there is such a big rivalry. probably becoming one of the biggest in world football.

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ihavearrived..."both teams were giving their best."

I disagree. It was obvious that Australia was content with a tie. They sat back on defense for most of the game just daring Japan to score. Now, if that had happened, if Japan had scored... now that would have made for an entertaining game. But 0-0... ho hum, and Japan loses out on two points. Congratulations Australia... you got yer point, now lets hope you can show more enthusiasm when Japan comes to play on your turf.

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Does anyone know how the match was reported in Japan?

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So Australian team has only one handsome guy, number 4, the one with the tattoo? One handsome guy and zero skillful ones :(, that is the recapitulation.

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Japanese team was much better, but unfortunately could not score. It is a pity if a team like Aus qualifies for the world cup, one of the most boring teams on earth. But good luck.

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I was dragged along to watch this by soccer pals: good grief what a snooze fest...like watching Rakuten play Nipponham....but worse

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