Few chances as Japan hold WCup hosts S.Africa

World Cup hosts South Africa and fellow 2010 qualifiers Japan drew 0-0 in Port Elizabeth on Saturday after a friendly of few scoring chances.

New Brazil-born coach Carlos Alberto Parreira expressed satisfaction that a run of eight South African losses in nine games had ended, but admitted there was considerable room for improvement when it comes to penetration.

“This was a difficult match because Japan came here having scored a lot of goals recently and I’m satisfied with our performance while accepting that we will have to do much better.

“Japan marked very well and that is why Benni McCarthy never got a clearcut chance, but for my first match back in charge it was okay,” said the coach who quit last year to be with his ill wife in Rio de Janeiro.

It was also a new start for striker McCarthy, axed by Brazilian coach Joel Santana after shunning a friendlies call-up, but his Japanese ‘minders’ ensured there would be no dream comeback goals after eight months in the wilderness.

The ‘Blue Samurai’ came closest to scoring through Makoto Hasebe and Shinji Okazaki in the first international staged at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, one of 10 venues where the first World Cup in Africa will be staged.

Man-of-the match and South Africa goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs foiled Hasebe from German champions Wolfsburg by tipping a fierce early drive over the bar before a near-capacity crowd.

Okazaki, hat-trick hero when Japan crushed Togo 5-0 at home last month, then beat Josephs from an acute angle only to see his shot trickle wide millimetres beyond the far post.

Tight marking by Japan, who will represent Asia in South Africa next year with Australia, North Korea and South Korea, meant Bafana Bafana (The Boys) rarely got within range to test goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.

And when the Kawashi Frontale custodian was called into action, he showed his prowess by getting down quickly and parrying a Siphiwe Tshabalala ‘rocket’ away for a corner.

Katlego Mphela, the only South African to score since a fourth-place finish at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, had a chance as half-time loomed but fired wide.

The second half was even tighter with defences on top until 11 minutes from the final whistle when Josephs once again foiled Okazaki and that proved the final chance to end the stalemate.

South Africa complete their friendly schedule for this year against non-World Cup qualifiers Jamaica on Tuesday at Vodacom Stadium in the central city of Bloemfontein.