DOHA (Kyodo) — Japan captain Maya Yoshida said his team has plans to counter whatever defensive scheme Costa Rica uses in their World Cup matchup on Sunday in Qatar.
They will press, or sit back, he said after training in a very warm Doha on Saturday, but Japan can take advantage of either.
“If they make a good (compact) defensive block we try to control the game, maybe use positioning much more than them and in the end, time-by-time, they have to come out,” said the 34-year-old Schalke defender and veteran of three World Cups.
“We are waiting for that kind of opportunity.”
“If they come and press high, we try to avoid the pressing and still we have good midfielders and we try to distribute from behind.”
It is not rocket science, but is an approach that echoes the team’s mantra ahead of the Germany game when Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu implored his men to be “adaptable.”
Yoshida said the Japanese players have earned themselves a good opportunity in Doha, “but still we just have one game done and three points is not enough to qualify.”
It did not matter whether they lost to or beat Germany, he said, the focus was always on ensuring that the Costa Rica game delivered three points to their total.
“We use this kind of situation to our side and, yeah, as I said in the post-match interview, the spotlight is on our side now.”
“Costa Rica were defeated with a big goal difference, so they have to come in front to get the three points, any points,” he said, referring to the Central Americans’ 7-0 loss to Spain in their Group E encounter.
When asked about his approach to the referees as captain, Yoshida stressed the need for constant communication to ensure Japan gets fair treatment, something he believes was not the case against Germany.
“(In the) last game, the guy from El Salvador, it was the first time he refereed in a World Cup. He was nervous, I could see especially in the first half. Probably he respected (Thomas) Mueller too much. He just went down and a foul immediately (was whistled).”
“This is too much, too much respect,” he told the referee, Ivan Barton.
“In the next game, the referee is from the Premier League, he has good experience and I have played with him many times, so hopefully we will make good communication again.”
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