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Japan coach admits he `took a risk' in loss to Saudi Arabia

Japan coach Ivica Osim has admitted that his formula of "beautiful soccer" flopped as the defending Asian Cup champions crashed to Saudi Arabia's formidable strikeforce in the semi-finals.

Yet despite the end of their bid for a third straight continental cup, his players as well as Japan Football Association president Saburo Kawabuchi vowed to stick with Osim in the drive to the 2010 World Cup finals.

"I took a risk in pitting our two stoppers against the opposite side's two top forwards all along," said the Bosnian coach after Japan bowed 3-2 to the Saudis, who won the Asian Cup in 1984, 1988 and 1996.

"If I avoided the risk and put a libero [sweeper] to have three stoppers against the two forwards, we would have lost our numerical advantage in midfield," he said.

Osim said the theory was that a thicker midfield would allow a "playmaker or a beautiful player" to come forth.

"Wasn't it more attractive the way we played? It makes the game more open and shows beautiful football [soccer] that way," said Osim, who led the former Yugoslavia to the 1990 World Cup quarter-finals.

"Unfortunately, we lack something and you know what was missing," he said, adding that his squad, especially key players, were overly tired and lacked concentration.

Saudi livewire forward Malek Maaz scored the opener and netted a brace with strike partner Yasser "Sniper" Al Qahtani also scoring.

Japanese center backs Yuji Nakazawa and Yuki Abe headed home on corners in a desperate attempt to catch up.

Celtic midfield star Shunsuke Nakamura, the Scottish Player of the Year, and Frankfurt striker Naohiro Takahara failed to shine as Japan squandered scoring chances against Saudi Arabia's determined defense behind their big firepower.

"I don't think Japan were inferior in capability. We had far more chances but the luck was on the other side," Osim said. "They scored goals on all three chances when our concentration lapsed."

"Their two top forwards were fierce," admitted Nakamura, whose free kicks helped Celtic win a second straight Scottish Premiership title.

He added that Maaz and Al Qahtani freed up the other players to concentrate on defending.
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