FIFA Updates

Japan star Yasuhito Endo has admitted that the team are short of confidence at the moment.

Two goalless draws in the space of a week at home to supposedly inferior opposition in the shape of Venezuela and China have resulted in the knives coming out once again for coach Takeshi Okada.

Japan were booed off the pitch on Saturday after the China match in the opening game of the 2010 East Asian Championships.

A win will be expected against Hong Kong on Thursday leaving the stage set for the big match against South Korea on Sunday.

Both teams are preparing for the World Cup and Endo hopes that those preparations will get a much-needed boost over the next few days.

“I think there will be some member changes. The team is a little low on confidence at the moment,” Endo said according to the-afc.com.

The 2009 Asian Player of the Year knows that the match against Korea on Sunday is key.

“Korea are strong. For our confidence we must win the next game (with Hong Kong) and then I hope that we are able to beat Korea too,” he said.