One of the fastest-growing rivalries in Asian soccer returns Tuesday as Japan and Australia once again come head-to-head in World Cup qualifying.
This is the fifth consecutive time the teams have been grouped together in the decisive round of qualifiers for the quadrennial showpiece, and while Japan’s feuds with the likes of South Korea and other regional rivals have longer — and more multifaceted — histories, the past couple of decades have seen contests between the Samurai Blue and the Socceroos take on increasing significance for both sides.
Although the countries met intermittently beforehand, it was when they were drawn together at the 2006 World Cup in Germany that the seeds of the rivalry were truly sown.
Japan led their group-stage game 1-0 but experienced late heartbreak as it conceded three times in the closing minutes to go down 3-1, setting the tone for a campaign in which then-manager Zico’s team would claim just one point and be eliminated at the first hurdle.
Despite earning a modicum of revenge by beating Australia on penalties in the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup the following year, Japan couldn’t get the better of its opponents from Down Under in their 2010 World Cup qualifiers either — drawing 0-0 at home and going down 2-1 in the return fixture.
But the rivalry has been decidedly one-sided since that June 2009 contest, Australia’s most recent win over Japan, with everything changing thanks to a swing of Tadanari Lee’s left boot in January 2011.
After coming on as an extra-time substitute in the Asian Cup final between the sides, the Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker volleyed home the only goal of the game to deliver glory to Japan and lay the ghosts of 2006 to rest.
“(Australia) were powerful, until that point Japan would lose to that power,” Lee recently recalled of that historic victory.
“I think our generation at the 2011 Asian Cup became a turning point, we overcame the power with skill. Japan’s technique outdid Australia’s 'power soccer.'"
“I think 2011 was a turning point. Since then Japan has continued to win. 2011 gave us confidence.”
Indeed, the teams have met in six competitive fixtures since then — the first three all ended in 1-1 draws and Japan has won the three most recent clashes while conceding just a single goal.
For former Australia international Alex Brosque, it’s no coincidence that Japan now has the upper hand.
“There’s definitely something more underlying,” said the forward, who also played for J. League side Shimizu S-Pulse.
“I think Japan put in place a pathway of achieving success. That was done through the way they set up their leagues, that was done through the way they started producing young players and developing young players, and they saw it out.
“I think the J. League, J2, J3, just in the way that was set up — things like that don’t happen overnight. All those things come together and you then start producing the quality of players that Japan did and ending up in the biggest leagues in the world."
On the flip side, Brosque believes his nation has regressed since its World Cup win over Japan.
“Australia had that golden generation in 2006, (but) we’ve really struggled since then," he said.
“In terms of getting our pathways correct, and our coaching at junior levels correct, and being able to produce top quality young players that can go and play in the best leagues in the world, we’ve gone backwards, where Japan have put those things in place.
“They saw it through and are seeing the benefits of that. And we went the complete other way.”
Coming into this match, Japan certainly has supremacy.
Hajime Moriyasu’s men got the third round of 2026 qualifiers underway in style in September by hammering China 7-0 and Bahrain 5-0, and followed that up with their first-ever victory away to Saudi Arabia last Thursday, winning 2-0 in Jeddah.
Australia, meanwhile, stumbled out of the blocks last month, losing 1-0 at home to Bahrain and then battling to a 0-0 draw away to Indonesia, after which manager Graham Arnold stepped down and was replaced by Tony Popovic — who, like his predecessor, was a teammate of Moriyasu at Sanfrecce in the 1990s.
The Socceroos came from a goal down to beat China 3-1 in Popovic’s first game in charge in Adelaide last week, but will still come into Tuesday’s clash in Saitama as underdogs, and Lee thinks Japan has superior quality both on the pitch and in the dugout.
“If you think of a scale from one to 10, Moriyasu-san is incredibly good at setting the framework for seven, eight, and nine,” the former Southampton forward said of Japan’s coach, giving by way of an example the three J1 titles Moriyasu delivered at Sanfrecce after succeeding Mihailo Petrovic.
“Petrovic built the team up from zero to seven but couldn’t get them from seven to 10.
“But Moriyasu-san has that ability. He’s a coach that can get to seven, eight, nine, 10. He is so talented at bringing balance to a team.”
And Lee believes the coach’s style is perfectly complemented by the quality of players he is able to call upon.
“Japanese players are good at ‘atodashi janken,’” he said, referring to the rock-paper-scissors tactic of making your play fractionally after your opponent has shown their hand.
“The likes of (Kaoru) Mitoma see what the opponent is going to do and then move.
“Previously Japan would clash directly with the opponents, but now so much of it is ‘atodashi’ (so) they don’t lose to small slipups.”
Brosque is in full agreement about Japan’s quality, although still believes the Socceroos’ physicality can cause problems.
“I think the one thing that’s clear is the technical ability of the Japanese players,” he said.
“It was a joy to play with them, to play against them and to watch them play.
“We’d always approach it in making sure tactically we were switched on, but every ball that needed to be won you made your presence felt.”
He also thinks Australia’s recent managerial change increases its chances of causing an upset.
“Tony Popovic has his standards, you have to meet them or you’re out,” he said. “It’s that simple. And I think that’s probably what’s needed at the moment, given what’s at stake.
“The Australian mentality and attitude when our backs are against the wall has always been to come out fighting, and I’ve got no doubt the boys will do that, and I do feel we can go there and get a result.”
Socceroos striker Mitch Duke echoed that spirit, stating his desire to end Australia’s long winless streak against the Samurai Blue.
“We’re going to need everything we’ve got against (Japan) at the moment, they’re playing unbelievable and they’re so strong,” he said after a recent game for his J. League side, Machida Zelvia.
“I think Japan’s probably edged it for too long, for us, and we’re going to use that as motivation as well. We know what to expect, and we know if we can play to our best we can match it.
“I think there’s more pressure on them to make sure they get the points and they’re expected to win. We like being the underdogs and we want to show ourselves.”
Irrespective of who does come out on top, Brosque believes the mutual respect between the sides will remain.
“I don’t think there’s any bad blood between the two nations, between the sets of players — the respect between both the nations, players, fans, is great.
“I think it’s a big rivalry, given the size of both the nations within Asia, but it’s a beautiful rivalry. I don’t know how many of those there are around the world.”
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