FIFA Updates

TOKYO, Aug 27 (Reuters) – Japan midfielder Yasuhito Endo
has warned that group opponents Saudi Arabia will be a serious
threat at next year’s Asian Cup in Qatar.

The Blue Samurai have also been drawn alongside Jordan and
Syria in Group B but Endo believes the rugged Saudis could pose
problems for fellow three-times winners Japan.

“Saudi Arabia are the most difficult to play against,”
reigning Asian player of the year Endo told the Asian Football
Confederation website (the-afc.com).

“In the whole of Asia I find it difficult to play against
them.”

Endo was recently linked with a move to Liverpool and is an
automatic choice for Japan, helping his country reach the last
16 of this year’s World Cup in South Africa.

The 30-year-old Gamba Osaka playmaker said the Asian Cup
was a priority for Japan after they were beaten 3-2 in the 2007
semi-finals by Saudi Arabia.

“We couldn’t win it last time so I’d like to become
champion,” said Endo. “I think Japan are the number one (side)
in Asia.”

Japan, who are still without a manager, face Paraguay in a
friendly in Yokohama on Sept. 4 before playing Guatemala in
Osaka three days later. Japan lost to Paraguay on penalties at
the World Cup finals.
(Reporting by Alastair Himmer. Editing by Peter Rutherford.
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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.

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