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National heroes Confident Japan faces diminished Australia
NIIGATA, Japan (AP) -- There was no honking of car horns in the wee hours. No dancing in fountains or sing-your-throat-out anthems in teeming city squares. Most Japanese wouldn't think of keeping the neighbors awake like that. But make no mistake. After a dream run in the Confederations Cup that has seen a win over Cameroon, a draw Monday against Brazil and a perch atop Group B, Japan is basking in euphoria. "Japan Shuts Out Opposition," ran the towering, multicolor headlines in Japan's sports newspapers Tuesday. Soccer isn't the only thing Japan is feeling good about. Its baseball players are breaking records in the U.S. Major Leagues. Its reform-minded prime minister is enjoying support ratings of nearly 90 percent. The Crown Princess is pregnant after eight years of marriage. It's all part of a spring of hope that has suddenly broken through after a decade of soul-searching over a faltering economy and a breakdown in the nation's vaunted social harmony. But there's something special about soccer. As in other countries, the national team's games strike some ineffable nerve. Matches vie to break record TV ratings. The Korea-Japan 2002 World Cup is just around the corner. And Japan's success is surreal: Not even the Japanese expected their team to do quite this well. "I can't believe it," said corporate consultant Nakayuki Koizumi. "Everybody got together and cheered on the team. I hope this will be a spark that'll spark a revival in our town." Japan's national team coach Philippe Troussier was pumped up after the draw with Brazil. "This is a great achievement to give to the Japanese people," Troussier said. '"It gives Japan great confidence in the future." While the players were trying to emulate their Brazilian masters on the pitch Monday, Japan's supporters in Kashima stadium were putting on a pretty good impression of the South American fans. "Ole-Ole-Ole-Ole!" chanted the 40,000-strong crowd, many wearing the Japan team's blue jersey. Drums boomed, kids danced and the crowd went wild after the whistle blew to validate the improbable result: Japan 0, Brazil 0. Japan's achievement was remarkable for several reasons. It gave up no goals in three matches, including two against some of the most potent offenses in the world: Brazil and Cameroon. The five goals scored were more than twice the number Brazil netted. The results show Japan may just be coming of age one year before it hosts the World Cup with South Korea. For three games it was able to shed its twin bogeymen of poor finishing and harrowing defensive blunders. Finishing Group B at the top of the table means Japan will be able to face Australia in the semifinal instead of world champions France. But some fans just weren't satisfied with Monday's scoreless draw. "Japan can't afford to play that sort of defensive game," grumbled company worker Junichi Sato. "It would have been better to give up 10 goals than to play like that." Shrinking Socceroos The Socceroos are having problems with shrinkage going into the Confederations Cup finals. The Australians had one last training session in Seoul on Tuesday before traveling to Yokohama with a diminishing squad to build up for Thursday's semifinal against Japan. Brett Emerton left Monday to return Down Under for his sister's wedding, while skipper Paul Okon and his deputy Kevin Muscat will depart for similar reasons Friday regardless of the semifinal outcome. Striker Clayton Zane, who scored the goal in Australia's shock 1-0 win over world champion France, will sit out the semifinal after picking up two yellow cards in the 0-1 loss to South Korea. Socceroos coach Frank Farina said Okon, Muscat and Emerton might be recalled if Australia reaches the final, but that would mean overnight flights on the eve of the decider. He said he hoped the depth of his squad could cover the absences. The 23-man squad comprises players from 10 different leagues, mainly in Britain and Europe but also two starters from Japan's J-League -- defender Tony Popovic and midfielder Steve Corica of Hiroshima. Star Australia and Leeds United pair Harry Kewell and Mark Viduka plus veteran goalkeeper Mark Bosnich opted out of the tournament. Australia placed second in Group A, locked with France and South Korea at two wins and a loss apiece but behind the French on goal difference. A 5-0 opening loss to France was mainly to blame for the Koreans missing the next phase. Mexico, the Confederations Cup champion in 1999, went 0-3 in preliminaries. Farina said he had no problem letting his players go home for family reasons because the bulk of his squad played abroad and rarely had time at home. "It's unfortunate for us ... but these (wedding) commitments have been planned for 12 months," said Farina, adding that his main priority now was the next round of World Cup qualifiers. "While it's fantastic to be doing well in this tournament, and it has been great preparation for us, the qualifier is the priority and Emerton, as well as Okon and Muscat will be ready for that." The Australians lost their final match in a Korean cauldron Sunday at Suwon's World Cup Stadium, where almost 44,000 vocal spectators chanted, beat drums and gave total support to the South Korean team. But Farina said no amount of crowd intimidation would put his lineup off its game. He said players like Craig Moore and Tony Vidmar, contracted to Rangers in the Scottish league, are involved continually in some of the fiercest local derbies when Rangers play crosstown rival Celtic. "Most of these boys play in this week-in-week-out -- we've got players from the (English) Premier League who play in front of bigger crowds and more hostile crowds," said Farina, playing down any advantage to the hosts. Farina said the Socceroos lacked spark in the first half against South Korea, probably because they were virtually assured a place in the semis with wins against Mexico and France. The Koreans had to beat Australia by four goals -- or rely on France losing to Mexico -- to qualify. But he said it was only one bad half in three preliminaries and the improvement in the second half augers well for the finals. Farina said he didn't consider a semifinal against Japan as a way of avoiding Brazil, which beat a 10-man Australian lineup 6-0 in the final of the 1997 Confederations Cup. "In tournaments like this, at some stage you're going to come up against great sides -- if you're going to progress, you're going to have to beat those sides," he said. Of Japan, he said: "We're going to have to be on our game and playing well if we're seriously looking at going further."
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