Classy Japan set the standard in opening round
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Ray Wilkins joined a long line of pundits making Japan favourites for the Asian Cup after his Jordan side were outclassed by the reigning champions in their final Group D match on Tuesday.
The Samurai Blue may have disappointed with a first round exit at the World Cup in Brazil last year but Asia is their turf -- as a record of four titles in seven attempts in the continental championship amply illustrates.
On Tuesday, their passing and movement made them look irresistible at times in their 2-0 win over Jordan as they extended their record of not having lost a group match at the Asian Cup since three defeats on their 1988 debut.
Only the results of the other games in the group had prevented them from taking their place in the last eight after victories in their first two matches and goals from Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa sealed the deal in Melbourne.
"They are such a good side, any team that beats them may well win the tournament," former England skipper Wilkins said in a pitchside TV interview.
"They have a fantastic mixture of youth and experience and I think it will be very hard to beat this team.
"I'm disappointed for our lads because they've worked extremely hard but when you play against class, the class will show."
With three wins from three matches, seven goals scored and none conceded it would take a stern critic indeed to pick many holes in the Japanese effort in Australia so far.
They should have scored more often given the chances they created over the three matches but Honda, who hit the woodwork three times against Iraq, finally got a goal from open play on Tuesday to add to his two penalties.
Their defence has yet to be truly tested and that test may come when they meet an attack-minded United Arab Emirates side in the last eight in Sydney on Friday.
"The team has defended very well in this tournament, and the defending was not only from the defenders," coach Javier Aguirre said.
"Difficult games are waiting for us but we hope to continue with zero goals against."
Aguirre has also selected the same starting line-up for the first three games which could cost Japan in the latter stages of such a compressed tournament.
"We will try to rest as well as possible," the Mexican said of his plans for the next couple of days.
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
