Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Manama: Coach Atsushi Uchiyama is keen to see his Japan team snap an unwanted streak as they take on Tajikistan in their AFC U-19 Championship Bahrain 2016 quarter-final match on Monday.
Japan are making their fifth knockout stage appearance in a row, but Uchiyama knows only too well that the previous four teams did not manage to progress any further.
The young Samurai Blue topped Group C this past week after beating Yemen and defending champions Qatar by identical 3-0 scorelines, their only blemish a 0-0 draw with 2nd place finishers Iran.
“First of all, I’m glad that we made it through to the knockout stage after such a tough group,” said Uchiyama.
“We haven’t gone past the quarter-finals in our last four competitions so the next game is definitely an important one. We will try our best to clear this hurdle.
“Tajikistan, like all other teams that qualified to this stage, is a strong team. Their individual players have strong physical traits as well as mentalities so I think it will be a tough game.”
Japan go into this crucial make-or-break match with the added advantage of an extra day’s rest, but Uchiyama believes that it might not prove too important in the end.
“I think the three-day break was a good opportunity for our team to refresh their minds and just relax a little bit so I think we’ve been doing good,” said Uchiyama.
“All we need to do is prepare well for the next game but I don’t think the extra day’s break will be too significant. It’s about how we prepare not how Tajikistan prepare after all.”
Meanwhile, opponents Tajikistan’s counter-attacking style impressed many en route to the first-ever appearance at the quarter-final stage, but coach Vitalii Levchenko is keeping his cards close to his chest as they attempt to topple six-time runners-up Japan.
The Central Asian side lost to Uzbekistan 2-1 in the opening encounter of Group D, but bounced back well with a 2-0 win over China and a tense 0-0 draw with Australia that eliminated the young Socceroos.
“All the teams that have qualified for the knockout stage are very strong teams, so we are not going to dwell on it,” said Levchenko.
“We are trying and we are learning but we know this is only one step further in our dream of qualifying for the U-20 World Cup.
“Our opponent is a very good team, but we cannot tell you about our tactics or strategies ahead of the game. You will have to come to our stadium to find out.
“As for our players, I cannot single anyone of them out in particular. I think they are all key players.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports