Hajime Moriyasu warned his Japan side Friday they will need to match the intensity of a Tunisia team fired up by a change of coach for the landmark 1,000th World Cup game.
Fresh from a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in Texas, Japan face a Tunisia side smarting from being thrashed 5-1 by Sweden in Group F.
Frenchman Herve Renard has been parachuted in by Tunisia ahead of Saturday’s game in Monterrey, Mexico, after Sabri Lamouchi was given the boot on Monday.
Lamouchi is the first coach in World Cup history to be sacked after just one game.
The Netherlands are outside bets to win the World Cup in North America, but Moriyasu said a wounded Tunisia will be “an even more intense game”.
“They will have a great motivation to do their best so they can get to the next stage. I believe they will battle us with that mentality and we will not take that passively,” the Japan coach said.
“To win we should have a stronger will than them.”
He believes that the well-travelled Renard, who masterminded Saudi Arabia to a shock 2-1 win over eventual champions Argentina at the 2022 World Cup, will have Tunisia raring to go.
“He will bring out the best in the players,” said Moriyasu, who will be without key attacker Takefusa Kubo through injury.
“The new coach will definitely fire up the players.
“Mr. Renard’s passion I am sure comes through in his team talks.”
Moriyasu is also wary of the different conditions compared to the game against the Netherlands, which took place in an air-conditioned stadium with a roof.
The Monterrey weather is forecast to be close to 30C on Saturday with possible storms.
“It will be a more difficult environment,” said Moriyasu, who has stated that his aim is to win the World Cup.
Japan had a training camp in Monterrey before the tournament, and the coach said that will help prepare them.
“We have taken measures to deal with the heat and have experienced this environment,” he said.
“We have prepared very well and the players are calm.”
Moriyasu said that being involved in the 1,000th World Cup match was an honour and he wants his men to put on a show.
“We want to make sure that it is a brilliant game worthy of being the 1000th game of the World Cup,” he said.
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