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Japan coach Asako Takakura rallied her troops ahead of what she called a must-win Group D clash against Scotland in the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Japan surprisingly drew their first game 0-0 against an unfancied Argentine side, who were compact in defence, and the Japanese attack was found wanting. Should they fail to beat Scotland, the 2015 finalists could well find themselves going home after the group stages, with a strong England side waiting in their final group game.
Match Details
Kickoff time: 15:00 local time (18:30 IST, 14:00 BST)
Venue: Roazhon Park, Rennes
Live telecast: Sony Pictures Network (in India), BBC One (in the UK)
In their first game against Argentina at the Parc des Princes in Paris, Japan hogged possession, completed multi-fold more passes than Argentina, but were toothless in the final third, as exemplified by the only three shots on target they had in the game.
“As opposed to the Argentina match, we just didn’t manage to make the corrections. It is about adjusting within the match when we encounter difficulties.
“We have to bide our time and the players have to be patient and persevere,” Takakuru said.
Scottish coach Shelley Kerr, meanwhile, challenged her side to earn the country's first ever World Cup win. Kerr would have been encouraged by the second-half performance against England, when they were definitely the better side against their much-fancied neighbours.
With both sides needing a win to strengthen their chances of knokcout qualification, we could well be in for a treat at Rennes.
Prediction: Japan 2-1 Scotland
