Japan confident of victory over Cameroon in Group E clash

Jun 13, 2010, 17:16 GMT

Bloemfontein, South Africa - Japan's much-maligned coach, Takeshi Okada, on Sunday dismissed criticism of his team's World Cup preparations, predicting they would get 'a result' in their tournament opener against Cameroon on Monday.

'This is a wonderful pitch ... we're in a good condition,' he said following a team training session at Bloemfontein's Free State Stadium.

Team captain Makoto Hasebe was even more explicit.

'Our recent results have not been very good, but there's spirit and atmosphere in the team. We will win for sure,' the 26-year-old Wolfsburg midfielder said.

Both acknowledged Japan's recent goal drought - just one strike in their last four warm-up matches - and their African opponents' superior physical power.

Japan, however, aim to rely on being 'well organised' to make up for their physical shortcomings, Hasebe said, adding that he did not want to give away 'all the details' of the game-plan.

Okada said the team has been practising set pieces and counter- attacks as the best way to find a way to goal.

Talking defence, the Japan coach downplayed the threat posed by Cameroon's talismanic striker Samuel Eto'o, describing him as 'not perfect'.

But Okada also said he would employ 'one or several players to cover' Inter Milan's three-time African Footballer of the Year.

Okada has come under fire at home for his team's recent poor displays - four defeats and one draw.

He has also been slammed for setting up a World Cup base camp at the sea-level South African town of George when Bloemfontein lies at an altitude of 1,400 metres, and another of Japan's three preliminary round match venues, Rustenburg, is at 1,500m.

After spending 10 days training at high altitude the team 'could not get rid of fatigue,' hence the decision to seek a sea-level setting, Okada explained on Sunday.

'This is no disadvantage,' he added.