Japan had no trouble getting past a weak Tunisia side and joined the Netherlands with four points in Group F.
It was an easy one for the Samurai Blue who could have been two or three-nil up within the first 10 minutes.
Instead, it took them a while longer to finally get a two-goal cushion and be truly comfortable en route to their 4-0 win. The Eagles of Carthage had nothing to threaten them with and looked ultimately hopeless despite the managerial change.
And though goalscorers Daichi Kamada, Ayase Ueda and Junya Ito are Japan’s front three, it was their defenders who made the difference and kick-started their sequences.
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How were Japan’s defenders the driving force behind win over Tunisia?
Takehiro Tomiyasu in the first goal
Japan’s first goal was a thing of beauty and a proper lesson of how to transition from defence into attack. Courtesy of former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu.
It was his forward pass for Kamada that broke two of Tunisia’s lines and their whole defensive configuration. Not only that, but the Crystal Palace midfielder dragging Montassar Talbi along with him and getting two teammates charging forward ahead of four Tunisian defenders desperately running back towards their own box made it possible for them to score.
And Kamada’s movement from the left to the right-hand side was pivotal in opening up the flank for Keito Nakamura’s run. He then set up Kamada for the goal. Perfect execution.
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Ko Itakura in the second goal
For the second goal, it was yet another Japanese defender from Ajax who initiated the attacking sequence.
Ko Itakura not only read the play well and intercepted a pass but immediately looked up and found Ayase Ueda, who then scored.
It wasn’t like he perfectly set him up for an easy tap-in, but it was another example of a Japan defender playing a forward, line-breaking pass that made it possible for them to score.
Bonus: Zion Suzuki and Ao Tanaka
Notice how we talked about centre-backs Tomiyasu and Itakura, but didn’t specify the position in the headline and instead went with ‘defenders’. That’s because the goalkeeper was also important in the build-up.
Of course, Tunisia didn’t press Japan too much so it never became an issue. But Zion Suzuki was always comfortable enough in possession to play it short for the nearest centre-backs. However, he also has great passing range to go more direct whenever the opportunity presents itself.
And he played one beautiful long ball for Ueda around the 10-minute mark. It could have even turned into a second assist were it not for Tunisian centre-back Dylan Bronn clearing Ueda’s cross off the line before Daichi Kamada could poke it home.
Ao Tanaka, however, got an actual second assist of his own in the third goal. And while dropping deep as a third centre-back between Tomiyasu and Itakura, while Hiroki Ito acted as a left-back. Same idea: forward line-breaking pass and a smart touch from Ueda to send Junya Ito through.
Blatant difference in man-marking
Since we are talking about defenders, let’s mention them defending rather than just helping initiate build-ups.
The difference between Tunisia’s and Japan’s execution of their man-oriented marking was night and day.
For the first and second goals, not only did Montassar Talbi and Omar Rekik allow themselves to be dragged way too far out of their own box, but were nowhere near their men when it happened.
So they went far out enough to undo their defensive configuration, but at the same time not close enough to the attackers to make a difference and stop them from doing whatever it was they wanted to do. Play a pass, turn around with or without the ball. Being in-between two spaces/actions is the worst sort of limbo in any sport.
Japan, on the other hand, played it all perfectly. Tomiyasu, Itakura and Hiroki Ito would often find themselves interchanging positions due to chasing their man for long distances, but were always with them from the start until the end.
It wasn’t the largest win of the World Cup, but what Japan did to Tunisia was certainly one of the most dominant and one-sided fixtures so far.
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