Football Leagues » J-League » Honda In Cruise Control As Japan Make History
Honda In Cruise Control As Japan Make History
Mike Tuckerman
He came with the weight of the world on his shoulders, but he left having made history - even if Japan's first ever World Cup victory on foreign soil owed little to the tactics of coach Takeshi Okada, who watched his team beat Cameroon 1-0 at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
Okada has looked completely overwhelmed going into the finals, but he at least made one influential decision in Japan's World Cup opener, and the history books will show that makeshift striker Keisuke Honda was the man to score the crucial goal - lashing home from Daisuke Matsui's right-wing cross to send the travelling Japanese fans into raptures.
Honda started in place of struggling Shimizu S-Pulse front man Shinji Okazaki, and the decision to employ the dynamic midfielder in a more attacking role paid off as Honda kept a cool head to beat Cameroon goalkeeper Hamidou Souleymanou from close range midway through the first half.
Despite dominating for long stretches, Japan was forced to ride their luck over the closing stages as Okada tried desperately to seal the result by making a number of increasingly defensive substitutions.
Okazaki was introduced to good effect - he rattled the woodwork at one point, although any goal would have been ruled out by an offside flag - but the introduction of bustling Albirex Niigata striker Kisho Yano and veteran defensive midfielder Junichi Inamoto were more about maintaining possession than going for the jugular.
That tactic almost backfired when Stephane Mbia rattled the crossbar from distance with only minutes remaining, while late on goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima pulled off a tremendous close-range save to deny Pierre Webo and frustrate the Indomitable Lions.
However, no one could deny Okada his moment in the spotlight, and twelve years after he oversaw three straight defeats at France '98, the softly-spoken tactician finally tasted success on foreign soil as the Samurai Blue belatedly won its first ever World Cup match outside of Japan.
Following incessant criticism over his tactics and personnel selections, not to mention some typically ill-timed gaffes - Okada's off-the-record comments on South African gun culture were predictably reported by the press - the former Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama F. Marinos coach had his revenge.
His will now turn his focus towards the Netherlands, whom Japan meet in their next Group E encounter on Saturday. With reports out of South Africa alleging that many of the players question Okada's methods and have little respect for his authority, it remains to be seen whether the embattled coach has the wherewithal to inspire another improbable victory.
But with the pressure now off for Japan, they may finally cut loose and begin to display some of the free-flowing, attractive football that has made them one of the most respected sides in Asian football.
Copyright: Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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