Japan Foreign Ministry: Behave in Teheran!
The fans planning to make the trip from Japan to Teheran were warned by the Japanese Foreign Ministry to behave themselves. According to the web site of the Japanese Embassy in Teheran, Japanese supporters must respect local customs. Women, in particular, should avoid wearing revealing or tight clothing. In addition, headscarves are strongly recommended. Iranian police often stop and detain foreigners dressed inappropriately.
Pre-match Update, March 18: JFA in a Panic Prior to Iran
The news emanating out of Europe and Japan does not bode well for Zico et al before the important Iran match. From Holland, Feyenoord announced that it will not release midfielder Shinji Ono for the World Cup qualifiers against Iran and Bahrain. Citing injury, the Dutch club has given a resounding No to the Japan Football Association's request for the key midfielder. The JFA plans to appeal to FIFA, arguing that FIFA's rules state that it has the right to call up players for eight "A" matches a year. Feyenoord, though, appears to be tiring of JFA's incessant demands and may sell Ono over the summer.
In Italy, Fiorentina announced that it would delay the release of Hidetoshi Nakata. Nakata will participate in a March 24th Serie A match and thus miss the first day of training, in Germany, on the 25th. Nakata will join the Japan national team on Monday the 28th.
Back in Japan, too, the news is not good. J.League Player of the Year and Japan's only serious defender Yuji Nakazawa also will miss the start of training camp. The tall 27-year-old has swelling in his knee, which is retaining fluids. His status is still uncertain, pending medical examination.
Pre-match Update, March 19: All's well...
Feyenoord reversed itself and has conditionally released Shinji Ono for both the Iran and Bahrain matches this month. The Japan Football Association was informed in writing by the Dutch club that it would after all release the creative midfielder on condition that Ono be examined at a German hospital--and be cleared to play. Feyenoord also demanded that Ono "return in the condition he leaves."
From Japan there was also good news. Defender Yuji Nakazawa has been diagnosed with arthritis of the knee, but according to doctors he is fit enough to train with the national team and take part in A matches.
Match Prediction: Zico to get a wake-up call. 3-1 Iran, with Japan only getting on the scoresheet late in the match.
Teheran, March 25th: Iran Wins 2-1
In front of a hostile crowd of more than 100,000 Japan lost 2-1 on two goals from Bayern Munich's Vahid Hashemian. The German-based striker preyed on the weaknesses in Japan's 4-4-2 system, which was introduced for this match in order to accomodate captain and Fiorentina midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata. Japan's goal scorer Takashi Fukunishi and Nakata nearly came to blows in a pre-match training session over the issue.
"We're used to playing 3-5-2 and feel comfortable with it," said defender Tsuneyasu Miyamoto. "I don't think we have enough time to make a new system work." And right he was.
The 1,500 Japanese fans who made the trip were pelted with coins, pet bottles, and food after Nakanishi scored to pull the score even.
Bahrain Coach Walks
Bahrain Coach Srecko Juricic suddenly quit his post in early March, only several weeks prior to two key World Cup qualifiers, one of which is against Japan on March 30th. This is unexpected good news for Japan and Coach Zico. The boys in blue are floundering and following a hard match in Teheran on the 25th will need all the breaks they can find. Bahrain jumped 41 places in the FIFA rankings to 64 and made it to the semi-finals of the Asian Cup, where Japan just scraped by them. For a nation of just 700,000 people, Bahrain looked to (and still may) be a formidable opponent. For Japan, this may be just the confusion necessary to see them through to a key win and three points.
Interim Coach Named: Wolfgang Sidka
German Wolfgang Sidka was named to step in for Srecko Juricic at the helm of Bahrain as it prepares for two World Cup qualifiers this month. Bahrain faces North Korea on the 25th, Japan on the 30th.
Match Prediction for Bahrain: Japan to win 2-1 in another tight match. Up front, many opportunites missed on both sides; Japan will take three points from this must win match in front of its faithful. Zico's lack of preparation will be on display once again.
Saitama, March 30th, Japan Wins 1-0: Coach Zico's luck held and an impotent Japan squeaked by Bahrain 1-0. The lone goal of the match was knocked in by the Bahraini captain during a mixup in front of net (pictured at right).
Another pathetic perfomance from Zico's boys in blue. Japan dominated in terms of possession, but had few chances on goal. Alex Santos and Kaji shone; otherwise, Zico's continued reliance on Shunsuke Nakamura highlighted just how out of his depth the Brazilian is.
Japan earned 3-points to climb to second place and stay in the hunt for Germany. For fans a nervous sigh of relief was all that could be managed. When will the powers that be send Zico and his crew back to Brazil for a permanent holiday?
Fiorentina's Hidetoshi Nakata
There is no other way of putting it: Nakata has had a bad season. Injuries and a lack of form have kept him off the pitch. One possible bright spot for the Japanese midfielder is the recent announcement by Coach Zico that Nakata will wear the captain's armband for the March 25th World Cup qualifier against Iran - fitness permitting. Nakata has not donned the national team blue since a disappointing 2-1 win over Singapore nearly a year ago. Since then, he has been left out of the squad. If he is healthy enough to play, he will take over from Tsuneyasu Miyamoto as captain.
Junichi Inamoto at West Brom
Ina continues to see playing time at Cardiff, but has yet to score or assist. He was called up for the March 25th and 30th World Cup qualifiers.
Reggina's Shunsuke Nakamura
Nakamura curled in a free kick against Chievo on the 27th to get on the scoresheet. It was his second goal this season and first since January 6th.
Yoshito Okubo, Real Mallorca
Okubo had Japanese doctors examine his right knee in Japan at the end of February. He took a knock in his Spain league debut, and was used as a sub against Barcelona in late February.
Naohiro Takahara in the Bundesliga
Takahara has caught fire of late. In February he scored in three games in a row, winning the hearts and minds of the faithful in Hamburg. He banged home with a header on the 19th in a 2-1 win over Kaiserlautern, bringing his season total to six goals. Hamburg is now 5th from the top in the Bundesliga.
Hamburg also announced in early March that it will offer Takahara a new contract. It has a one-year option but hopes to sign him to a multi-year deal.
Koji Nakata, Marseille
Nakata's debut was something of a disaster. Marseille fell 2-0 to Saint Etienne in the snow. Nakata made no impression and the loss was a blow to the second place team's title hopes.
Feyenoord's Shinji Ono
Ono is back from surgery and scored on the 27th against RBC Roosendaal in a 3-1 win. Ono came off the bench in the second half and quickly made up for lost time. In a later match, Ono collected another goal, his fifth this season, on a free kick against Roda JC on March 14th.
After two league matches, FC Tokyo tops the table with four points on one win and one draw. Leading on goal difference, FC Tokyo is aligned with Grampus Eight, Vissel, Omiya Ardija, Kashima Antlers, and Tokyo Verdy. Former Brazil forward and leading scorer in the Brazilian domestic league last season, Washington was quick to cause havoc in the J.League in his debut for Verdy. He scored in his opening match against reigning champs Yokohama Marinos. Since then, though, he has nothing to show for his efforts. Instead, it is a Japanese player - the Marinos's little known Hideo Oshima - that is leading all scorers with 3 goals in two matches. With a handful of injuries to stars, Oshima is seeing a lot playing time.
Little Maradona to join Reysol
South Korea striker Choi Song Gook has signed on the dotted line for Kashiwa Reysol. He will join the J.League side for five months from March 1st-July 31st. Dubbed "Little Maradona" by the Korean media, the 22-year-old has been playing for Ulsan Hyundai in Korea. He should make a lethal a combination with Japan forward Keiji Tamada.
Primera Liga leader Barcelona will play two matches in Japan in June, the club announced in late March. The matches will be held between June 10-15, and one of them will be against the reigning champion Yokohama Marinos. The second team has yet to be announced.