Australia pinch point in Japan WCup qualifier

Australia pinched a vital point against a rampant Japan as the two sides fought out a goalless draw on Wednesday to share the spoils in Asian World Cup qualifying.

The result kept the Socceroos in firm control of Group 1 with three wins and a draw for 10 points, ahead of Japan with two wins and two draws for eight points.

Only the top two teams from the group, which also includes Qatar, Bahrain and Uzbekistan, qualify for South Africa in 2010 while the third-placed team has to go through play-offs.

“After 90 minutes, I have to be fair that I am pleased with my 0-0,” said Australia coach Pim Verbeek.

“I can only give my players compliment for trips they made, the time difference, and more or less no preparation, and they did a good job against a strong team because Japan played very well today. I am very pleased with the result.

“I think we did excellent today. I think we made a big step today by having 0-0 against Japan. We didn’t deserve to win the game, but for us 0-0 was excellent,” he added.

Japan coach Takeshi Okada appeared disappointed, saying Japan must be more accurate infront of goal and create more chances.

“It is not that we critically lack something. I believe Australia is a good team but I don’t think we are any inferior. I’m sure we have improved.”

Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura said: “Of course, we wanted to have three points from a win, but it ended in a way they had planned. We were close to winning, we just needed one step further, but that one step is a big difference.”

On a chilly night Japan were the better team and creating more chances, but Verbeek’s men will be happy with the draw after soaking up long periods of pressure in front of a patriotic home crowd.

The home team got off to the better start, with striker Keiji Tamada getting the first shot on target in the fourth minute.

Soon after defender Atsuto Uchida broke through only to fall victim to the off-side trap, while Australia had their first sniff of goal when Luke Wilkshire’s freekick just failed to reach Everton’s Tim Cahill.

Nakamura was a lurking danger and unleashed a trademark shot only to see it hit the top of the net.

Then Yuto Nagatomo was hauled down in the 36th minute but Yasuhito Endo couldn’t capitalise from the freekick.

The Australians surprisingly had to wait until first-half injury time for their first clear-cut shot on goal when Cahill had a chance.

But they came out with a more aggressive attitude after the break and piled on the pressure, but with nothing to show for it.

The Japanese fought back with substitute forward Yoshito Okubo and Endo hitting sizzling shots to keep goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer busy in the 68th and 69th minutes.

The Japanese continued to threaten, but Keiji Tamada’s header went over the bar, while Makoto Hasebe’s shot hit Okubo and went out, allowing Schwarzer to keep his fourth straight clean sheet.

The stalemate means the two teams remain all-square in their overall head-to-head record with six wins, six defeats and five draws.

In their next matches, Japan play Bahrain on March 28, while Australia will meet Uzbekistan on April 1, both at home.