Japan Step Up Preparation For Improved Showing At World Cup
Japan were one of the first countries in the world to qualify for the 2010 World Cup, proving too strong for the likes of Bahrain, Qatar and Uzbekistan.
They now have to prove they can also compete with some of the best teams in the world, and that may well explain why they have compiled a very busy schedule that will see them play the likes of Scotland, Togo and World Cup hosts, South Africa in the next few months.
Their best World Cup performances were achieved on home soil in 2002, when they reached the second round of the competition.
Japan coach, Takeshi Okada, blamed last weekend's 3-0 loss to the Netherlands on a lapse in concentration and will be hoping that does not repeat itself against the West Africans.
The Blue Samurai will need to have more self belief going into Wednesday’s game, which would be the second time in three years that both nations are playing in an international friendly. The previous clash was in 2006 as the Black Stars beat Japan 1-0 in Yokohama to lift the Kirin Challenge Cup.
Ghana Gun For More Confidence Boosters
The confidence of the Black Stars is sky-high after they booked their ticket to next year's World Cup finals at the weekend with a 2-0 home win over Sudan.
Their early qualification for the South Africa finals bodes well for the team as they now have 10 full months to prepare for the tournament.
For their debut World Cup appearance in Germany three years ago, Ghana were short on capable covers for their starting XI. However, Serbian coach, Milovan Rajevac, has already unearthed a few gems like Udinese's Kwadwo Asmoah and young Basle defender Samuel Inkoom when keys stars like Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari were unavailable for selection in June.
'Milo' has scoured the globe in search of more talent to boost the squad and will use this friendly to try out a few of these discoveries.
One of the departments, Ghana will be looking for cover would be at centre-forward, where Mathew Amoah has done well despite his injury problems and Junior Agogo, has yet to find the form he showed at last year's Africa Cup of Nations.
FORM GUIDE
Japan
01 Jun 09 (Friendly) v Belgium (H) WON 4-0
06 Jun 09 (WCQ) v Uzbekistan (A) WON 1-0
10 Jun 09 (WCQ) v Qatar (H) DREW 1-1
17 Jun 09 (WCQ) v Australia (A) LOST 2-1
5 Sept 09 (Friendly) v Netherlands LOST 3-0
Ghana
06 Jun 09 (WCQ) v Mali (A) WON 3-1
20 Jun 09 (WCQ) v Sudan (A) WON 2-0
06 Sept 09 (WCQ) v Sudan (H) WON 2-0
TEAM NEWS
Japan
After injury denied him his first cap against the Netherlands, Italy-based striker Takayuki Morimoto could well make his debut against Ghana.
Possible Starting XI: Kawashima, Uchida, Nakazawa, Abe, Nagatomo, Hashimoto, Konno, Okazaki, Honda, S. Nakamura, Morimoto.
Ghana
The Black Stars will stick with the squad for their home game against Sudan on Sunday, although coach Rajevac has handed fresh call ups to Francis Dickoh and Anthony Obodai.
The Ghanaians have confirmed several other warm-up matches leading to next year's World Cup. They will tackle Nations Cup hosts Angola in November, while they will also line up against Ecuador and the Netherlands.
Possible starting XI: Kingson - Paintsil, Inkoom, Mensah, Addo - Appiah, Essien, Annan, Muntari - Gyan, Amoah
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Japan
The 21-year-old Takayuki Morimoto has scored four goals in his last four Serie A matches for Catania and his form has caught the attention of the national team selectors.
Ghana
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has continued to shoulder a lot of responsibilities for this team. He even scored one of the goals in the all-important 2-0 home win over Sudan on Sunday in Accra. He is the anchor of a world-class midfield that also includes Inter's Sulley Muntari and Norway-based Anthony Annan.
PREDICTION
It promises to be an interesting match-up between two 2010 World Cup finalists with contrasting styles. Japan will do a lot of running as usual, but expect the more technically gifted Black Stars to eventually carry the day.
Japan 0 Ghana 2
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