The Dutch have good reason to give Japan plenty of respect before their Group E match on Saturday and not just because of the Blue Samurai`s surprise victory over Cameroon in their World Cup opener.
|Last Updated: Jun 18, 2010, 01:43 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Durban: The Dutch have good reason to give Japan plenty of respect before their Group E match on Saturday and not just because of the Blue Samurai`s surprise victory over Cameroon in their World Cup opener.
The Dutch, who will be looking for vast improvement on their laboured 2-0 victory over Denmark on Monday, still have fresh memories of their shock at being outplayed by the Japanese for an hour in a friendly last year.
The Dutch ultimately ran out 3-0 winners in that match in Enschede and a similar result in on Saturday at the Moses Mabhida stadium would suit them fine as they look to book a place in the round of 16.
"The first hour of that match Japan was in charge but finally we won," Dutch playmaker Wesley Sneijder told reporters.
"Our coach said that was the only match our opponents really made it difficult for us, so let that be the only one."Coach Bert van Marwijk is expected to stick with the same line-up he chose for the Denmark game, preferring again to use impressive winger Eljero Elia as an impact player coming on from the bench.
The Netherlands` most potent weapon on the wing, Arjen Robben, has been training on his own this week as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury and is highly unlikely to be risked.Japan`s win over Cameroon in Bloemfontein on Monday ended a miserable run of results for Takeshi Okada`s team and so he will again forgo the traditional short passing game for a more compact defensive style.
"It doesn`t matter what anyone thinks, I have to pick players that are going to win us three points." Okada told the Kyodo news agency.
Defensive midfielder Yuki Abe also had bad news for anyone hoping for a free-flowing contest.
"The Dutch themselves think their strength lies in attack so what we need to do is try to wind them up and frustrate them," he said.
An added incentive for both teams on Saturday is that whoever tops Group E will return play their second round match in Durban, which not only offers football free of altitude complications but is the warmest of the host cities.
Bureau Report.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.