Japan team members celebrate with the AFC Asian Cup trophy after winning the final match against Australia 1-0 in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011. (AP Photo/Osama Faisal).
In a final of the finest margins, after 120 odd minutes of gripping, contrasting football, it was Japan who ultimately came out on top, winning their fourth continental title from the past six thanks to a superb extra time strike from Tadanari Lee.
For almost an hour it looked like only one team would win, Holger Osieck’s Socceroos. They had managed to impose their physical and high-ball strategy on the game and it looked only a matter of time before the blue wall would crack, notwithstanding an exceptional display from custodian Eiji Kawashima.
But then came the tactical switch from Japanese manager Alberto Zaccheroni that not only neutralised Australia’s most likely outlet to goal, but gave his side an even chance of snatching victory, a chance they eventually took.
The start was up helter-skelter from the Roos, with Carl Valeri, Matt McKay and Brett Holman streaming forward to support the front two. Indeed, McKay may have done better in the opening minutes when teed up by Valeri.
The fact Valeri was so advanced in the opening stages told of the more offensive mood under the new manager, who again shaped up in the 4-4-2 that has been his modus operandi throughout this sojourn in Qatar.
Soon the Samurai Blue were on the ball, settling the game to their pace, with Yasuhito Endo and Keisuke Honda dictating the tempo. But it was slow, with the Roos able to transition comfortably into defence.
In truth, there wasn’t much on offer for Japan, who appeared to be struggling to cover the absence of Shinji Kagawa. Zaccheroni had brought in Jungo Fujimoto, placed him on the right, and shifted Shinji Okazaki over to the left, in Kagawa’s spot, but there was little fluency in the front third early on.
Soon the Roos were back down the other end, where Osieck’s game plan became apparent, not that it should have come as a surprise to anyone within a planet of this tournament.
Utilising the aerial and physical attributes of both Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell, the plan was to get the fullbacks, Luke Wilkshire and David Carney forward, and get balls into the front pair.
From here there were a myriad of half opportunities, either in general play or at set pieces. On one occasion Kawashima managed to get a finger or two to a Kewell flick on that appeared destined for the net.
The start of the second period saw the onslaught continue, with the Roos firmly in control, peppering Japan’s central defenders with cross after cross. Cahill and Kewell were competing for everything, forcing Japan onto Kawashima. It appeared only a matter of time before the Roos got an opener.
Zaccheroni had to react, and react he did.
Recognising that he needed another aerial tower in defence to control Cahill and Kewell, that Okazaki was struggling to control Wilkshire on the left and that the Fujimoto gamble hadn’t worked, he made one personnel change and about a thousand positional changes.
Daiki Iwamasa came on at right stopper, Maya Yoshida moved across to left stopper, Yasuyuki Konno from left stopper to left back, Yuto Nagatomo from left back to left midfield and Okazaki over to his preferred right channel, which had previously been Fujimoto’s domain.
It was clever stuff, designed not only to provide more aerial power at the back, but to stop Wilkshire raiding down the right and release Okazaki on the other side.
From that point, the match was back in the balance. Zaccheroni, if not back in control, was certainly competing.
Soon enough Nagatomo was back to doing what he had done so splendidly throughout the tournament, providing a whipped cross in for Okazaki to head just wide.
While Kewell had a great chance a short time later, for once it was the opposition’s shot-stopper coming up with the heroics.
Given how many times the Roos have had to rely on Mark Schwarzer since their entry into Asia five years ago, it was perhaps ironic, on the night he broke Alex Tobin’s record for the number of caps, that it was the man at the other end who starred.
For once, Schwarzer was powerless to stop the terrific Lee strike.
It was a great tournament from the Socceroos and their manager, but ultimately they fell just 11 minutes short of taking the final into Mark Schwarzer Time, otherwise known as a penalty shootout.
In the end it was a man in only his second game that proved the goal-scoring hero for Japan, just as Schwarzer had been the hero in his second international all of 17 and half years ago.
Ultimately, in the cold hard light of day, the Roos fell a little short, simply unable to offer anything different when their preferred strategy was nullified by Zaccheroni.
Osieck and his men tried, best exemplified by some ironman displays from the likes of Mile Jedinak, Lucas Neill, Valeri and Wilkshire, but couldn’t quite scrap home an equaliser.
Now the Roos have to wait another four years, for a home tournament, to try and emulate the feats of the Matildas last year by winning the continental title at the third time of asking.
Follow Tony on twitter @TonyTannousTRBA
LawObserver
Guest
First congrats to Japan and kudos to Australia. I love to see the comments by both Aussies and Japanese fans. You guys got good fandom sportmanship.
Evan Askew
Guest
It was actially a backhanded compliment if you think about it, basically saying your English was top notch. I must admit I can't claim to be familliar with Kanji or Hiragana characters but confess I was able to put two and two together and conclude that you were a Japanes supporter. I must say that in Asia Japan is the pinnacle of football. Apart from the fact that they have won 4 of the last six Asian cups, the league is the best in the continent and far and away the best supported. Without a doubt the premier league outside of Europe and South America. I think South Korea and Japan are starting to move away from the pack and it is up to us to keep pace. But with the reforms in the sport over the last ten years, particularly in footbaliing operations, we can do that.
Realfootball
Guest
Don't know how you conclude that. Of course not.
Twatter
Guest
To Realfootball. I dont think you had a premonition you thought we would lose, it appears by reading you're post more of a wish.
Walt
Guest
Youre right. Maybe the sour grapes were still settling. It doesnt matter that you have decided to call yourself Japanese. If you ever come over to Japan, lets catch up and talk some soccer. Cheers!
M-Rod
Guest
The Socceroos really need to nail their goal scoring chances much better at this level than they do. The Aussies consistently create more goal scoring chances in games they end up losing. The opportunities to score against world-class opposition are few, so to see players overrun passes in front of goal, mis-time shots and headers, or slice shots over the goal to the extent that the Socceroos seem to do is unforgivable for professional players of this class. Defensively we are great, work the ball great, create excellent chances but poor delivery and execution on goal has been a consistent theme with Aussie sides in big games, and this is defintely the achilles heel of the team as mentioned earlier.
dasilva
Roar Guru
Yeah I agree with you on this one. I have criticised Pim Verbeek for winning even though the other team miss chances so it's only fair to say that Osieck deserved credit for shutting down Japan and creating the most chances of the match Although saying that, Osieck didn't really adapt to the game after Zaccheroni made his changes and our aerial balls were no longer as threatening. Nevertheless, Osieck deserves more praise than criticism for our performance against Japan.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
I honestly don't believe what I'm reading. The players had numerous chances to score and win the game. How is Osieck to blame for McKay missing in the opening 90 seconds; or Harry missing after 72 minutes; or Emerton missing; or the brilliant saves by the Japanese GK; or Robbie hitting the crossbar; etc.? If any of these hit the back of the net and we were champions of Asia, would you still contend Osieck's game-plan had tactical limitations?
jamesb
Guest
lets put things in perspective, 5 years ago, Australia wasn't involved in Asia. This morning the socceroos were within a whisker of winning the Asian Cup in only their second attempt. Now that Australia has finished a very respectful second, its time Osieck and Han Burger work out who are the next gen players. Identify 15 to 20 youngsters that have the potential, who are either here or overseas, and work and persist with them. Socceroos have a bright future
whiskeymac
Guest
Curious response to a good post. In my experience there are a lot of 'foreigners' who speak/ write better English than a fair proportion of Aussies (or those with English as a first language). Not that any of this has anything to do with the article, the game or the thrust of the post. so, bring on 2015. home advantage must be worth a goal or two per game!
whiskeymac
Guest
good article. roos coming so close is something to be proud of and congratulations to the team. also great to see some of the positive comments from our Japanese counterparts, hopefully we can be as gracious when we beat you in i(and upto)2015 ;) the games between the two teams are becoming must sees (if they werent already). good stuff. a healthy rivalry on the field and friendship of it is something to cherish. the question was raised before i think, but whats next on the international calendar now? very interested to see how the team evolves for 2014. the roos have a lot to be proud of and to be positive about.
Titus
Guest
Congratulations Matsu. Always nice to share a bit of banter with opposing fans.
JR
Guest
tactics schmactics. We went into the game without any strikers and a big question mark at left back, and those things wrote the history of the game.
Realfootball
Guest
Great game, terrific all round team performance, but in the end, more than anything else, it was Osieck's tactical limitations that lost us the game. He was simply out-thought by his opposite number. I remain unconvinced by Osieck, but at the very least we have a team we can be proud of for the the first time in a long, long time.
Realfootball
Guest
It was unforgivably poor defending. I am always prepared to cut Carney some slack, because he is a midfielder, not a fullback, but that was mindboggling. Still, as others have pointed out, it should not have mattered. McKay and Emerton should hold as much responsibility for their substandard finishes on chances that should have been put away, particularly McKay. That early effort was woeful. When he missed that, I had a premonition that we would lose, because in international games those kinds of chances must be converted.
Realfootball
Guest
Josh Rose. He should have been in the squad. The jury is still out on Osieck. His tactics for the final were deeply flawed and he showed a worrying unwillingness to shift his tactics that ultimately cost us the game.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Tony, Kewell's chance was well saved. What was disapppointing was the lack of variety in attack and the preponderence of lofted diagonal balls into the box. Especially in the 2nd half. Hardly any crosses were made from the by-line. Australia did not have a Nagatomo. That was the difference.
Midfielder
Guest
It was a great game..
Matsu
Guest
Japan. Been following the Samurai Blue since 1989, and the J.League since . . . . well . . . before it even existed. If you like reading about Japanese football, by all means bookmark my site. I can always use some additional hits.
Art Sapphire
Guest
Thanks guys, no need to pursue this line of argument. Please check the comments policy - and on a Sunday! Cheers, Roar Mods.