Japan reinforce their heavyweight status

Japan reaffirmed their status as a heavyweight football nation with victory at the Asian Cup and coach Alberto Zaccheroni believes there are bigger and better things to come.

Substitute Tadanari Lee scored an extra-time winner as his side edged Australia 1-0 to win a pulsating final on Saturday and become the most successful team in the history of the competition.

Automatic

Lee sent a stunning left-foot volley past the diving Mark Schwarzer in the 109th minute to hand his country their fourth title at the continental showcase, a feat no-one else has achieved. The win, following their successes in 1992, 2000 and 2004, carried the added bonus of an automatic place at the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil — the traditional World Cup warm-up tournament.

“It is a great victory. We have a really great team. They were united and won the title against such strong opponents,” said Zaccheroni, who singled out Lee for praise.

“I knew he would do it. What is great about this team is that players who started on the bench could produce results on the pitch.”

Zaccheroni, who was recruited after last year’s World Cup and tasked with bettering their last-16 performance in Brazil in 2014, said it was a tribute to his players that they won after a gruelling semi-final.

Great speed

“We improved throughout the tournament. Our attack played with great speed and accuracy.

That’s a great feature of this team at the momnent. To get into the final, physically we were very exhausted,” he said.

“So to play against a tactically and physically very good Australian team and win is a great achievment.

“This is an excellent team with fantastic players and I’m really proud of myself to be managing them.” Like their great rivals South Korea, who they beat in the last four on penalaties, Japan brought a young team to Doha, but it showed that they have big potential.

Future

Captain Makoto Hasebe, who plays for German team Wolfsburg, said it bode well for the future.

“It is meaningful that we have won the tournament despite the fact that we have come as a young team,” he said.

“I think it was a great experience for the young players and I hope they will build on it.”

But he is convinced they still have room to improve.

“To fight in the world, we must improve our individual skills otherwise we cannot win. In this sense, we can see a task ahead of us. I hope everyone of us will work hard after going back to their clubs,” he said.

Outdone

“We were outdone by Australia physically. We must improve ourselves in this area.”

In an indication of Japan’s quality, CSKA Moscow star Keisuke Honda was voted the tournament’s most valuable player.

“It hasn’t really sunk in,” said the midfielder, who has reportedly attracted the interest of several English clubs.

“I am not personally satisfied with my performance and I want to improve myself more and more and want to show an improved Honda to the people of Japan.”

Asked what winning thr tournament meant for Japanese football, he replied: “I have seen Japan win this title a number of times since I was a child.

“But I personally think this victory is more valuable than previous ones. We beat Qatar, we beat South Korea and we beat Australia to win the title.

DOHA, Sunday (AFP)