The only thing the match between Japan and Cameroon did was reaffirm that the Group E favorites to advance to the second round are indeed Netherlands and Denmark.
Prior to the match, Japan head coach Takeshi Okada said that the Blue Samurai were arriving at the World Cup well-tuned, ready to come out attacking and perhaps even reach the semifinals.
Japan’s defense was the only well-tuned part of their play, the attack was relatively weak and, judging by this game, Okada’s boys would be very lucky to even reach the second round.
Salvo the goal, which had as much to do with Cameroon’s lack of communication and chemistry in the back s as with Keisuke Honda taking advantage of the error, Japan rarely troubled the Indomitable Lions. And, as expected all along, it was mainly the defense that won them the game.
“Our defense did a great job today,” said a confident Okada after the match. “We need to be more aggressive, but this game was nothing more than a warm-up for the next game.”
If the game was “nothing more than a warm-up,” then Japan must need to improve a lot within the next week, especially since their next opponent are Netherlands. Although the Dutch didn’t exactly blow Denmark away earlier in the day, it goes without saying that the Oranje attack is much more powerful than Cameroon’s. Thus, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Japan bunker down on defense and hope for a draw to keep their Round of 16 chances alive heading into the final group game.
Cameroon came into the match considered by many to be the strongest African nation in the World Cup. But they didn’t live up to their billing, lacking the creativity to unlock a Japanese midfield that did very well to stay behind the ball and close off any gaps in the center of the pitch.
The Indomitable Lions’ tame attack troubled Japan only twice, and the closest they came to scoring Stéphane Mbia rocket from 30 yards out that ricocheted off the crossbar.
Captain Samuel Eto’o was quiet throughout the entire match. Playing wide-right in the attack, he came alive just once in 90 minutes of play, when he dribbled past three defenders on the right side of the box early in the second half and passed to a teammate who, not unexpectedly, curled it wide.
If Cameroon were unable to trouble Japan much, logic says that they will go unnoticed against a much-tougher Denmark when they play on June 19.
And, judging from the match between Japan and Cameroon, further logic says that it will be Netherlands and Denmark who ultimately move on to the knockout rounds.
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