DOHA – Japan’s sensational smash-and-grab raids at the World Cup have already seen off Germany and Spain, but in the last 16 at Al-Janoub Stadium on Monday they come up against a Croatia side who might just be a little too streetwise for a mugging.
Croatia has not shown the quality that got them to the final four years ago, especially in front of goal, but did what they needed to do to get through their group, only showing any signs of panic in their last match against a desperate Belgium.
Captain Luca Modric, who with Ivan Perisic and Dejan Lovren forms a high class but ageing core to the team, says they fear no-one and they will have done their homework on the Samurai Blue.
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu might need to produce something new tactically for the clash at the Al Janoub Stadium, having taken a similar approach to their first three games.
Inviting teams onto them for 45 minutes then switching to a more offensive formation and trying to snatch goals on the break worked perfectly against Spain and Germany but was a bust in Japan’s loss to lowly Costa Rica.
Croatia, if anything, has patience and will happily stroke the ball around in front of the Japan defence probing for weaknesses without, perhaps, getting frustrated as Spain and Germany did.
They probably also have the technical smarts to make adjustments themselves when Moriyasu finally shows his hand with the switch to a back three and the introduction of pacy forwards like Kaoru Mitoma and Ritsu Doan.
Moriyasu will have to make at least one change in his defence after Ko Itakura picked up a second yellow card against Spain, and injury clouds hang over his potential replacements Hiroki Sakai and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Croatia, who mixed two 0-0 draws with a 4-1 thrashing of Canada in the group stage, has never lost a last 16 match when they have made it out of the group in five visits to the World Cup finals.
They got to the semi-finals in 1998 and lost to France in the final four years ago in Russia, a fine record for a country which only returned to international football in the early 1990s.
Japan, by contrast, has played three last 16 matches in their six previous tournaments but lost them all.
Charged with confidence after breakthrough wins over two former world champions, the Samurai Blue will certainly not stint in effort as they look to make a little more history for their country in Qatar.
Despite having very little possession, with just 17% against Spain and 26% against the Germans, they emerged victorious in both games.
“We did not expect this,” Croatia midfielder Lovro Majer said on Saturday. “I think hardly anyone expected that, but hats off to Japan.”
“They showed that it is not names that are playing, but what is more important is heart and courage. They deserved this and showed their quality.”
Croatia, runners-up in 2018, may be the favourites, but Majer said the number of major upsets so far in this competition should act as a warning.
“If you underestimate someone today it will come back to bite you,” he said. “Everybody is playing good football. We have seen many surprises at this World Cup.”
“I think overall the football being played here is magnificent. One of the key reasons is because it is in the middle of the season where everybody is in top shape.”
Japanese Takuma Asano, meanwhile, said that they have not achieved anything yet. Winger Asano scored a brilliant winner in the Germany win that kick started Japan’s campaign but that was followed by a shock reverse at the hands of Costa Rica in their second group game.
“Even though we didn’t win them all, I think the most important thing is that we made it through the group stage,” Asano told reporters at the team training camp according to Reuters.
“Now I started feeling it’s becoming a great World Cup. But we haven’t achieved anything yet, so honestly speaking, I think everything starts from now.”
Attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada started all three group games and believes progressing despite having been drawn in a so-called “Group of Death” had given the players confidence they can take on and beat Europe’s best.
“We managed to win the games in a very difficult group and came this far,” he said. “We advanced to the next round as the group top and Croatia advanced as the second. Of course, they have many good players, and they are a good team.
“But our team is also great, so I think we have a big chance to win. I hope we can fight as one and achieve a good result.”
Monday will be Japan’s fourth last 16 clash at the World Cup finals but they have never yet been past the opening round of the knockout stage.
Asano said improving that record was not the full extent of their ambitions.
“I think it would be great if we could make a breakthrough to the last eight which we have never achieved before,” he added.
“But it’s just simply one of our goals. We will put on our best performance to win the next game.”
Monday Dec. 5 fixtures
Japan vs Croatia 5 pm CLT
Brazil vs South Korea 9 pm CLT
