Familiar failings leave Japan at World Cup crossroads

DALLAS, June 30 : Despite coach Hajime Moriyasu's pre-tournament declarations that his team should challenge for the title, Japan will travel home from the World Cup having been knocked out in a fashion that has become all too familiar.

The 2-1 loss to Brazil in Houston on Monday carried echoes of Japan's elimination at each of the previous two tournaments as the country's wait for a victory in the pressurised environment of the knockout rounds goes on.

On five occasions Japan have progressed to the knockouts and each time they have slipped out of the competition, unable to build on encouraging displays in the group phase.

Turkey and Paraguay knocked the relatively inexperienced Samurai Blue out in 2002 and 2010 respectively, but it is the three most recent exits that have shown traits that now run the risk of becoming a complex for Japanese football.

Against Belgium in 2018 and Croatia in 2022, as against the Brazilians at Houston Stadium, Japan took the lead only to squander that advantage as the match wore on.

Gabriel Martinelli's decisive goal in the 95th minute for Carlo Ancelotti's side carried haunting similarities to Nacer Chadli's winner deep into stoppage time for Belgium eight years ago as the Japanese campaign ran out of steam.

'HEAD HELD HIGH'

"Japan leaves this World Cup with its head held high," wrote former Japan boss Philippe Troussier on social media. "Against Brazil, the difference wasn't talent or organization, it was squad depth.

"In the second half, Japan no longer had the resources to sustain the same attacking pressure. A proud exit that highlights how far this team has come, while also showing the final step still needed to compete with the very best."

Injuries certainly undermined Japan's hopes, with