Cote d'Ivoire vs Japan preview - Hasebe hands Japan fitness boost

Posted Saturday, June 14, 2014 by PA

Japan captain Makoto Hasebe is ready to start his side's World Cup opener against Ivory Coast on Sunday.

The Blue Samurai take on the African nation in Group C at the Pernambuco Arena in Recife at full strength.

Hasebe missed his team's last two warm-up games and only recently returned to action after his recovery from a serious knee injury.

"There is no problem and I have been taking part in full training," the Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder said. "Obviously it is the coach that decides but I am ready to go."

Hasebe's fitness is great news for Japan's Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni, who has a lot of faith in his side.

"I have confidence in this team," he said. "I like how it has been built from a technical level and a physical one.

"I believe we can do well but it all depends on us."

Japan have never reached the quarter-final stages of the World Cup but are optimistic they can do so in Brazil.

"We have prepared to be in top form," Inter Milan defender Yuto Nagatomo said.

"We are improving each day as a team and we can do well but it is important to start well."

Nagatomo says it will be important for his side to take command early on.

"Against the Ivory Coast, we will need to do all we can to take the lead otherwise it will be difficult for us," he said. "Ivory Coast has a great team with Gervinho, (Didier) Drogba, (Salomon) Kalou and (Yaya) Toure being four fantastic and strong players. We will have to be very careful."

Zaccheroni is expected to play AC Milan's Keisuke Honda and Manchester United's Shinji Kagawa in support of striker Shinji Okazaki.

Okazaki enjoyed an impressive season in the Bundesliga, scoring 15 goals for Mainz.

Ivory coach Sabri Lamouchi is hoping to recover talismanic midfielder Toure for the encounter.

Toure, who scored 20 goals to help City win the Barclays Premier League this season, is trying to come back from a hamstring injury.

"Yaya is currently recovering and everything is going well," Lamouchi said. "But he is not back to full fitness yet.

"You will have to wait until Saturday to see if he will be playing or not."

Lille forward Kalou will play alongside Gervinho and Drogba in attack.

Lamouchi says it is imperative that his players be focused in defence from start to finish against a side that loves pace.

"It is clear that we will have to be more compact," he said. "Japan are dynamic, pacey and move quickly forward, so we will need to remain very close to each other."

Les Elephants have never progressed past the group stages but with Greece and Colombia in their pool, they are hopeful of reaching the knockout stages.