Soccer: Crowd fervour weapon for Japan

MIYAGI - Co-hosts Japan, swept along on a tide of feverish home support, and outsiders Turkey will make history tonight when they meet in an intriguing second-round match at the Miyagi Stadium.

Neither have got so far in the finals before, both have achieved their pre-tournament expectations and the form book shows that in only one previous meeting, a friendly in Osaka in June, 1997, Japan managed a 1-0 win.

But the Japanese, buoyant after two successive first-round wins, have tempted providence by talking of a quarter-final return to Osaka, where they beat Tunisia 2-0 in their final group game, to meet Senegal on Saturday.

Given the Turks' penchant for upsetting predictions and proving to be stubborn and unpredictable opponents, that could be just the motivating factor coach Senol Gunes needs in preparing his men against favourites who have not lost at home for a year.

Indeed, Japan's outstanding midfielder Junichi Inamoto, 22, who did not make a single appearance last season for Arsenal in England's premier league but who scored twice in the cup group phase, may regret his prediction that "if we continue to play the way we have played, we can make it into the last eight, and the last four".

Turkey, who reached the second round at the 2000 European championship finals after qualifying for the first time in 1996, have more experienced players, but not the extra ingredient supplied by the passionate Japanese fans.

The Turks, who were close to securing an upset victory against Brazil when they had two players sent off in their opening group game, have taken time to settle into the tournament since then, but believe they are now better prepared.

"It's all about experience, it's not an easy thing," Gunes said. "The World Cup is a new event for us and it takes experience to fit in with the conditions of the competition."

Turkey's only previous finals appearance was in 1954, when they beat South Korea 7-0 in a group match, but were eliminated 7-2 in a playoff with West Germany.

Gunes is hoping his team can contain Japan's energetic enthusiasm and play expressive counterattacking soccer.

"If we can play the game we want, and plan, then I think we can go through," he said.

For Turkey, much may depend on the penetrative running of Hasan Sas. The shaven-headed, combative midfielder has scored twice and made two of Turkey's five goals so far, and is sure to be a threat to Japan's defence.

But the Turks have problems caused by two suspensions.

Midfielder Emre Belozoglu could be replaced by Okan Buruk, if he has recovered from a thigh strain, or by utility man Ergun Penbe, while in defence, rugged Alpay Ozalan is expected to return from suspension for the banned Emre Asik.

Probable teams:-

Japan: Seigo Narazaki; Naoki Matsuda, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Koji Nakata; Tomokazu Myojin, Junichi Inamoto, Hidetoshi Nakata, Kazuyuki Toda, Shinji Ono; Takayuki Suzuki, Atsushi Yanagisawa.

Turkey: Rustu Recber; Fatih Akyel, Bulent Korkmaz, Alpay Ozalan, Hakan Unsal; Umit Davala, Tugay Kerimoglu, Yildiray Basturk, Ergun Penbe, Hasan Sas; Hakan Sukur.

Referee : Pierluigi Collina (Italy). Linesmen : Maciej Wierzbowski (Poland), Paul Smith (NZ).

- REUTERS

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