No more friendlies. No more minnows. No more excuses. Warmups are over for the Samurai Blue.
The four-time Asian champions will begin the final march toward a fifth continental title on Monday when they face Saudi Arabia in the 2019 Asian Cup's Round of 16.
Should Japan win — a result many neutral observers believe is a foregone conclusion — it will face the winner of Sunday's Jordan-Vietnam match in the quarterfinals.