Coach says Japan getting closer to World Cup glory despite defeat

HOUSTON: Coach Hajime Moriyasu said Japan have proved they have what it takes to one day win the World Cup following a last-gasp 2-1 defeat to Brazil on Monday.

Japan lost in the last 32 after giving up a 1-0 half-time lead, with Gabriel Martinelli scoring an injury-time winner in Houston.

Some of the Japan players were in tears at the end.

Asia’s best side have still never won a knockout match at the World Cup, having come to North America touted as outside favourites to go far.

Moriyasu said pushing five-time champions Brazil close was proof they were getting nearer.

“The strength of the national team has definitely risen,” said the coach, who oversaw wins in friendlies against Brazil and England in the lead-up to the World Cup.

“Even in friendlies we’ve managed to beat opponents we’d never beaten before.

“Those efforts by the players have unquestionably led to the national team’s improvement, and I believe they have changed Japan’s place in the global football landscape.”

Moriyasu, who had always said he wanted to win this World Cup, added: “We knew that, as dark horses, we still had a chance to become number one.

“I think we played a match today that could have made people say, ‘If they’d won, who knows what might have happened?’

“And by doing so, what happens is that people recognise that we are truly raising our level.

“Even people who don’t really know or pay much attention to football have come to see that Japan is fighting to become world champion and is growing and challenging itself.”

Moriyasu, who oversaw Japan’s exit in the first knockout round in Qatar four years ago on penalties to Croatia, took personal blame.

“This time we weren’t able to achieve our goal of becoming world champions, and as a coach I feel deeply sorry about that,” he said.

“I felt we had chances. In this match we played believing we had a chance to win, and in reality we did have chances we couldn’t take.

“That’s why I feel my own abilities as coach were what fell short the most.”

On his future in charge, the 57-year-old said: “Nothing has been decided yet regarding my own position.”