Goal-shy Japan strikers raring to find Dutch net

Japan’s low-scoring forwards are raring to ruffle the Dutch net in their World Cup clash on Saturday after they were upstaged by star midfielder Keisuke Honda’s winning goal against Cameroon.

Boosted by the 1-0 win over the African powerhouse in their opener on Monday, the Blue Samurai believe they can at least frustrate Group E favourites Netherlands as they did in a friendly loss away last September.

Honda, who helped the CSKA Moscow reach the Champions League quarter-finals after moving from Dutch side VVV Venlo in January, played as a lone frontman against Cameroon and scored in the 39th minute with a clinical finish from a cross.

Shimizu S-Pulse forward Shinji Okazaki, 24, revealed there was intense competition between the Japanese strikers.

“Keisuke got the one chance and he put it away to prove his goalscoring skills. I can’t be outdone because we are the same age,” he said.

“I can’t go home like this. I hope I can score a goal against the Dutch.”

Okazaki scored a whopping 15 international goals last year — mostly against weak sides and including hat-tricks against Hong Kong and an under-strength Togo — but only one this year.

Coach Takeshi Okada sent him in to replace French-based midfielder Daisuke Matsui in the 68th minute against Cameron, and he came close to opening his account at this World Cup, slamming a shot off a post.

Saturday’s match in Durban is crucial after the Netherlands failed to impress in beating Denmark 2-0 without ace winger Arjen Robben, who is also expected to miss the Japan game.

Striker Takayuki Morimoto, who was sidelined in the Cameroon match, said he was ready for the Netherlands.

“Coach Okada uses players for clear purposes. He needs a goal when he sends me in. I will go for goal when I am sent in,” said the crewcut 22-year-old, who has scored one goal, against Togo, since his international debut last October.

“The Netherlands are strong but it is not impossible to beat them. I want to capitalise on a rare chance we may get,” Morimoto said.

But Japanese forwards have failed to score in four friendlies since Okazaki struck along with Honda in a 2-0 win over Bahrain in an Asian Cup qualifier in March.

In a friendly against the Dutch in Enschede in September, the former Asian champions dominated in the early stages before eventually crumbling to a 3-0 defeat, conceding three goals in the last 20 minutes.

“The Netherlands have many players skilled in passing the ball. We will be attacked at will if we don’t put pressure on them. I want to go and get the ball up front,” said Okazaki.

Defensive midfielder Yuki Abe warned of the threat from Holland’s midfield maestro Wesley Sneijder of Inter Milan.

“He wants to have the ball and I must guard against his through passes because he is dangerous with them,” Abe said.

Coach Okada said there would be no major change in his starting line-up but he tested two forwards up front in training on Wednesday, including Okazaki.

“I’m not yet certain about who will play where,” he said.