Japan hoping attack best form of defence in must-win game

Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni has tried to improve Japan defensively but after the Ivory Coast defeat, players believe attack will be their best way out of Group C.

Itu, Brazil (dpa) - After being muscled out of their first group game by Ivory Coast last Saturday, Japan aim to bounce back with the fast-flowing, attacking football of recent years when they face Greece on Friday in Natal.

"Japanese players have very good technique and the agility to play fast football," goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima told FIFA.com. "This is the way of football that is comfortable and natural to us."

Since the arrival of Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni, the Blue Samurai have tried to add some Serie A style defensive impenetrability to their attacking flair but so far without success.

Ominously they conceded three against Zambia in their last warm-up game and never looked like defending the lead Keisuke Honda gave them against the Ivory Coast.

"For four years now we have focused on attack," Kawashima added, "We want to keep the ball and move it forward, using all of our technical ability to score goals. This is how we will play."

Whether Zaccheroni agrees with his players, that an inability to defend well makes all-out attack their best tactic, remains to be seen. It did not seem that way in the immediate aftermath of the opening defeat.

"Defensively, we were not effective, we gave them far too much space. They were allowed too much freedom to play and we lacked speed which is usually our big strength," he said.

A sense that the players were surprisingly sluggish against Ivory Coast in part explains the relaxed sessions that have followed Saturday's reverse. On Monday wives and families were allowed to watch training and spend time with the players at their base-camp in Itu just outside of Sao Paulo.

Japan can console themselves with the fact that Greece had an even worse start to the tournament than they did, losing 3-0 to group leaders Colombia in Belo Horizonte.

And if Japan are a team with a reputation for attacking that is trying to defend more effectively, then Greece are a side famed for defending which is trying to become more open in attack.

"I know that everyone expected Greece to have 11 men behind the ball and defend and give everything to keep a clean sheet," Greek striker Georgios Samaras told FIFA.com.

"But I think what they saw was a team that likes to attack and that tries always to create chances. We went out to win against Colombia, and that philosophy will not change. We just hope it brings a better result for us because Japan is now a must-win match."