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By Jeremy Walker
TOKYO (June 15)--"We came back from Morocco with new confidence
and with goals...a bag full of goals," joked Japan's national
coach, Philippe Troussier, after last Sunday's 1-1 draw against
Slovakia in the Kirin Cup opener at Miyagi Stadium near Sendai.
Well, Japan will need more goals--at least two of them--if they
are to win the annual three-nation Kirin Cup for the first time
since 1997 when they play Bolivia at Yokohama International Stadium
on Sunday.
The second match of the tournament took place at Tosu Stadium
in Saga prefecture on Wednesday night and Slovakia beat Bolivia
2-0.
If Japan beat Bolivia by the same score, they will share the
title with Slovakia, but if they can win 3-1 they will be champions
on the number of goals scored.
Although Japan beat Croatia and Turkey to win the Kirin Cup
in 1997, recent history is against them as they have drawn their
last five games in the competition since then.
In 1998, just before heading for the France World Cup, they
drew 1-1 with Paraguay and 0-0 with the Czech Republic. Last year,
Japan's first Kirin Cup under Frenchman Troussier, they drew 0-0
against Belgium and Peru.
With the addition of five players, four of them from the Olympic
training camp, and a week's rest after playing three internationals
in eight days, Troussier feels Japan can pull it off.
"We moved up a step as a group in Morocco and Sunday will be
a new challenge," said the Frenchman, referring to the 2-2 draw
with France and 4-0 victory over Jamaica in the King Hassan II
Cup in Casablanca.
The height and physical strength of Slovakia caused problems
for Japan last Sunday and also for Bolivia on Wednesday as both
goals came from right-wing corners, just as their opener against
Japan had.
Inter Bratislava defender Roman Kratochvil fired Slovakia into
the lead in the 21st minute and striker Martin Fabus, who plays
his club football for OD Trencin, headed the second a minute before
half-time to complete the scoring.
Bolivia, who are in the middle of World Cup qualifying, have
brought an inexperienced team but will still provide a tough test
for Japan on Sunday at the venue which will stage the 2002 World
Cup final.
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