Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Melbourne: For goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, previous results between sides do not have an impact on an upcoming fixture.
And ahead of Japan’s meeting with Jordan at the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 on Tuesday, it is unusually the Samurai Blue who will hope that is true at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium with the defending continental champions still needing to avoid defeat to secure progress from Group D.
Kawashima, who has plied his trade in Belgium since 2010, featured in the most recent meeting between the pair in March 2013 as Jordan prevailed 2-1 in Amman during a qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The former Kawasaki Frontale custodian was also in goal as Japan won 6-0 at home earlier in the campaign on the road to Brazil, although 1-1 draws between the pair during the AFC Asian Cup tournaments in 2004 and 2011 suggests there is no guarantee Javier Aguirre’s side will secure the point needed to qualify for the last eight as Group D winners.
“We don’t think about what happened in the past. At the time when we were beaten in Jordan we are very disappointed, but also we are very happy when we won against Jordan 6-0 at home, but we just focus what we do on the pitch,” said 31-year-old Standard Liege goalkeeper Kawashima, who played five of the six games in 2011 as Japan won a record fourth AFC Asian Cup title in Qatar.
“I don’t think Jordan have changed the manual a lot since we have played against them before, but they can be aggressive tomorrow more than before because they also have to win.
“When we played against Jordan in Jordan they had a good counterattack and had good set plays.”
But while Japan were still able to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil despite the defeat in Amman, another loss on Tuesday, coupled with a win for 2007 champions Iraq over debutants Palestine in Canberra, raises the possibility of Japan’s first group stage exit at the AFC Asian Cup since their maiden campaign in 1988.
Japan have already beaten both Palestine and Iraq in Group D, but wins for both Jordan and Iraq on Tuesday would leave all three teams tied on six points and the two qualification places set to be determined by a potentially complicated process which could involve goal differences and goals scored.
Jordan lost their 2015 opener 1-0 to Iraq, but crucially bounced back by beating Palestine 5-1 on Friday to keep alive their hopes of maintaining their 100%record of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup having done so in both 2004 and 2011.
“In this tournament we still have to improve ourselves,” said Kawashima. “We won the first game 4-0, but the content of the game was not enough. Also the second game, we played well but the score was not enough. We got more experience at the last Asian Cup, but I think we can still improve some parts.
“I think it is going to be a tough game. They have got confidence after they won against Palestine 5-1 and also they beat us at home in Jordan, so I think they can also get confidence playing against us.”
The Samurai Blue, though, have not suffered defeat in a game at the AFC Asian Cup since losing 3-2 to Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals of the 2007 tournament.
At the previous tournament in 2004 in China, Japan had drawn 1-1 with Jordan after extra-time in their quarter-final tie before eventually prevailing 4-3 on penalties.
“We are willing to win the game. After the second game we knew we were not qualified yet. Our target is still far, but we need to fight in the game infront of us. It is going to be a tough game, but we are going to get the victory,” said Kawashima.
“We never calculate the games, no matter which opponent is against us, we are going to try to win all the games.”
Japan arrived in Australia as the most successful team in the history of the competition after their 2011 win over the Socceroos in Qatar secured a record fourth continental success.
And a fifth win at the end of this month in Sydney would go some way towards healing the wounds of a disappointing 2014 FIFA World Cup as Japan exited in the group stage after only managing a draw with Greece between defeats by the Ivory Coast and Colombia under previous coach Alberto Zaccheroni.
“We feel the pressure because we were the champions last time and I think everybody is coming to beat us, but for us this is another challenge,” said Kawashima.
“We were champions last time, but we couldn’t do that well in the World Cup in 2014 so this is also a new challenge for us, so it is not about the pressure as we are willing to become champion again.
“It was a big disappointment after Brazil. But the new coach came in and the time has passed and we still have to keep going with what we are doing.
“But not only Japan, Asian football couldn’t do well at the World Cup, so this Asian Cup, not only for Japan, but for the other Asian teams, is a challenge.”
Photo: WSG