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BSP-06
FBL-COPAAMERICA-2019-JPN
Japan eager to show ‘strength’ at Copa America
SAO PAULO, June 14, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Japan plan on displaying their
“strength” at the Copa America when the Blue Samurai make their second
appearance as guests in a tough Group C alongside champions Chile, coach
Hajime Moriyasu said on Thursday.
“I’m really looking forward to playing in the Copa America, it’s one of the
highest level tournaments in the world,” the coach told reporters in Sao
Paulo.
“How can we show our strength and which way we play, that’s what we want to
find out in this tournament,” the coach of the Asian Cup runners-up added.
Japan may not be amongst the favorites but Moriyasu insisted his players
have arrived in Brazil with a winning mindset.
“We will play in order to win the title, but first and foremost for us is
to play game by game and do our best in each, then think of the next one,”
the 50-year-old coach underlined.
Previously, Moriyasu had announced that the Copa America would serve as a
warm-up for the Olympic Games to be held in Tokyo next year.
The Japanese arrived in Brazil on Wednesday and will play their opening
match against Chile in Sao Paulo on Monday.
They held their first training session on Thursday at Brazilian giants Sao
Paulo’s headquarters, where around 400 children and adults of Japanese origin
watched the hour-long practice.
Their first match will likely feel like a home game given the huge Japanese
migrant community in the sprawling metropolis.
There is an estimated 1.5 million people of Japanese descent in Brazil,
many of whom live in Sao Paulo.
They begin their Group C challenge at the Morumbi stadium against the two-
time reigning champions, who can boast the likes of Barcelona’s Arturo Vidal
and Alexis Sanchez of Manchester United.
“Chile is one of the strongest teams in the world,” Moriyasu warned.
Japan’s sole previous participation as invitees dates back to Paraguay in
1999, when they finished winless and were eliminated in the first round
following defeats to Peru (3-2) and the hosts (4-0), although they did draw
1-1 with Bolivia.
On this occasion, they are slotted into Group C alongside Chile, record 15-
time winners Uruguay and Ecuador.
Japan had a low-key preparation for the tournament, beating El Salvador 2-0
and drawing 0-0 with Trinidad and Tobago.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0842 hrs