Dalic said his team will be well prepared; they have seen many Japan players in action in the German league. “They will apply the samurai philosophy in their game, ” he said. "We will also do our part. We know how important this match is for us. We know who the opponent is. We know their mentality. If we want to go father we must apply that same standard, that same attitude. ”Croatia advanced with 0-0 draws against Belgium and Morocco, which came either side of a 4-1 victory over Canada. Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, the world player of the year in 2018, remains the heartbeat of a team whose experienced midfield is typically a match for any opponent but which still lacks a prolific scorer up front.
Japan Croatia 2022 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 | TSNDOHA, Qatar (AP) — Japan defender Yuto Nagatomo has told his teammates they'll need to show “samurai spirit” in Monday's round-of-16 match against Croatia at the World Cup. And they'll need another quality that Nagatomo learned playing for almost a decade in Italy, mostly with Inter Milan.
Support our investigative journalism today. Photograph: Caspar BensonNo prizes for guessing who delivers the team talks in the Japan dressing room. The manager, Hajime Moriyasu, was considerably more restrained than the former Internazionale full-back, stressing the need for courage but also for his players to “be themselves”, adding: “They should not be so tense that they forget what they are doing. They have shown their ability and now they can see it produces results. ”Yet there is substance behind Nagatomo’s rallying cry. Japan have come from behind to beat two of the past three world champions in Qatar and did so with only 27% possession against Germany and 18% against Spain, the lowest figure in a World Cup match since 1966. To fight, to never give in, have been hallmarks of their progress to the knockout phase. “There is an Italian word ‘coraggio’ which means courage, ” Nagatomo said.
“Before the first game against Germany I shook hands with all the players and we shouted ‘coraggio’ together. Coraggio has manifested itself in our play. We are united as one and that is Japan’s strength. I think we are the most united team at this World Cup. We came through the group stage as No 1. We are very confident now. We don’t need to shout ‘coraggio’ any more. ”Japan need to erase painful memories from their football history on Monday, however. Samurai Blue have reached the last 16 of a World Cup three times and three times they have tasted defeat, each one harder to take than the last. After a 1-0 loss on home soil against Turkey in 2002 came a penalty shootout defeat by Paraguay in 2010.
Japan’s Samurai Blue ready to enter the fray once more against Croatia | Andy HunterSamurai Blue is more than just a nickname to Japan. To hear the veteran defender Yuto Nagatomo speak on the eve of their last‑16 tie against Croatia was to receive a rousing education in how it relates to the character of a national team fighting to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time. “To use the analogy of the samurai, ” the 36-year-old began, “before they go into battle they polish their weapons and improve their technique. But if they are scared in battle they will not be able to use their weapons or their technique properly. It is the same in football. Tactics and technique are important but if you are scared on the field they are useless.
“They try to improve their techniques, ” he said. “But if they are scared during the battle they will not be able to use their weapons and techniques fully. ”Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said the loss to Belgium was a valuable lesson for his team. “That experience was very precious and we can reflect on what we learned in that match with Belgium, " he said.
The match will air on TV in English via FS1 and in Spanish via Telemundo. Live stream info: fuboTV | Sling | Peacock Premium | DirecTV - Fans can watch the match for free by signing up for fuboTV or DirecTV, which both come with free trials. Viewers with cable can use login credentials from their TV provider to watch via FOX Sports (English) or NBC Sports (Spanish). Every match from the World Cup is also available to stream via Peacock Premium, which may come free with some TV providers, such as Comcast Xfinity. Upcoming World Cup TV schedule - Knockout Round(All times EST)Monday, Dec. 5Japan vs Croatia | 10 a. | TV: Fox/Telemundo | Stream: fuboTVBrazil vs South Korea | 2 p.
That is music to Japanese ears, as Samurai Blue can deploy their preferred tactic of looking to create turnovers and create chances off counterattacks. And if Samurai Blue can pull off that song and dance against two of the best teams in this field, they should be able to replicate it against Croatia, who may be the reigning runners up at the World Cup, but they are nowhere near the level of Germany and Spain. Betting on the World Cup? Check out the Post’s best Soccer betting sites guideSoccer betting rookie? Read How to bet on soccerCheck out the latest World Cup Winner Odds 2022 Even though they were able to claw their way through a competitive group that featured Morocco, Belgium and Canada, Croatia have looked rather meek through their first three matches of the tournament and were quite fortunate not to be eliminated by Belgium on Matchday 3.
“We need to play with courage. ”Japan is appearing in the knockout stage for the fourth time and still searching for its first win. It rallied in group play to beat both Germany and Spain — two former world champions — 2-1 but also stumbled to a 1-0 loss against Costa Rica. Croatia, the smallest country in the final 16 with a population of only 4 million, was the runner-up four years ago against France and finished third in 1998. Could the third time be the charm? “Why not, ” said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic. This is Nagatomo’s fourth World Cup, and he recalls how Japan led Belgium 2-0 in a round of 16 match four years ago in Russia, but was eliminated 3-2 on a goal scored late in second-half stoppage time.
Croatia prediction: Japan to advance +154 (FanDuel) Japan has already shown us that they can beat anybody — and lose to anybody — on any given day. In their wins over Germany and Spain, Samurai Blue were able to sit back and wait for their moments, but in a loss to Costa Rica it was Samurai Blue that had most of the ball and they struggled to get anything going. Luka ModricGetty Images The good news for Japan, is even though they are underdogs against Croatia, the Checkered Ones profile pretty similarly to Spain and Germany. Croatia want to be on the ball and let their midfield control the flow of the game.
Japan is playing in its seventh World Cup and has never been past the Round of 16, which is where its tournament journey has ended in 2002, 2010 and 2018. Croatia, meanwhile, was unbeaten in Group play with a win over Canada and draws with group winner Morocco and Belgium. The 2018 World Cup runners up are led by veteran Luka Modrić, the nation’s only player to to win the Golden Ball Award. How to watch Japan vs. Croatia (World Cup 2022 Round of 16 | Monday, Dec. 5)What time does the match start? What TV channel will it be on? - Monday’s match will start at 10 a. m. EST from Qatar.
To maximise all the tactics we have been practising in the last four years we need courage. The Japanese samurai is famous around the world and we would like to fight like samurais. Tomorrow we would like to showcase how courageously we fight. ”Quick GuideQatar: beyond the footballShowThis is a World Cup like no other. For the last 12 years the Guardian has been reporting on the issues surrounding Qatar 2022, from corruption and human rights abuses to the treatment of migrant workers and discriminatory laws. The best of our journalism is gathered on our dedicated Qatar: Beyond the Football home page for those who want to go deeper into the issues beyond the pitch. Guardian reporting goes far beyond what happens on the pitch.
“I have never forgotten, ” Nagatomo said, before returning to the subject of Japanese samurai warriors as a metaphor for Japan’s World Cup campaign. “They try to improve their techniques, ” he said. “But if they are scared during the battle they will not be able to use their weapons and techniques fully. ”Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said the loss to Belgium was a valuable lesson for his team. “That experience was very precious and we can reflect on what we learned in that match with Belgium, ” he said.
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At the same time the Japan football association has a target of contributing to Asian football by sending Japanese coaches to many countries in the region. It is great that Japan is contributing so much to the development of Asian football but unless we can win a World Cup we cannot lead other countries. ”Zlatko Dalic, the Croatia head coach, believes there are parallels between the teams in terms of character and as two proud football nations succeeding in upsetting the established order. “We reached the final in 2018 because we believed in ourselves, we never gave up, we never surrender and we are prepared to fight, ” he said. “I think we have similar mentalities and we are on equal ground.
Japan vs. Croatia World Cup 2022: Free live stream, TV, how to watch Round of 16Following its win in Group E, Japan looks to advance to quarterfinals for the first time. Standing in the way is Group F second-place finisher Croatia. The match will air on TV via FS1 in English and Telemundo in Spanish. Fans can also watch World Cup soccer matches for free by signing up for a free trial of fuboTV. LIVE STREAM: Sign up here to watch the World CupJapan came out of the group following wins over historic European powers Spain and Germany, which finished second and third, respectively, in group play.
| TV: Fox/Telemundo | Stream: fuboTVTuesday, Dec. 6Morocco vs Spain | 10 a. | TV: Fox/Telemundo | Stream: fuboTVPortugal vs Switzerland | 2 p. | TV: Fox/Telemundo | Stream: fuboTVMore coverage via the Associated PressDOHA, Qatar (AP) — Japan defender Yuto Nagatomo has told his teammates they’ll need to show “samurai spirit” in Monday’s round-of-16 match against Croatia at the World Cup. And they’ll need another quality that Nagatomo learned playing for almost a decade in Italy, mostly with Inter Milan. “Coraggio, ” Nagatomo said.
”Ao Tanaka scores the winner against Spain. Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty ImagesMoriyasu said lessons had been learned since 2018 and that Japan have improved because of individual development. That in turn, he believes, has enabled Japan – along with South Korea – to be standard bearers for east Asia on the global stage. But his sights are much higher. Japan’s manager said: “In order for Japan to win the World Cup we have been strengthening and nurturing youth players.
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