SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Struggling Japan train ahead of first match against Cameroon

Record ID: 455034

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Struggling Japan train ahead of first match against Cameroon
  • Date: 7th June 2010
  • Summary: GEORGE, SOUTH AFRICA (JUNE 6, 2010) (REUTERS) MEDIA WAITING FOR JAPAN WORLD CUP SQUAD TO ARRIVE POLICE JAPAN NATIONAL TEAM WALKING ON TO PITCH CLOSE-UP OF JAPANESE MIDFIELDER KEISUKE HONDA AS HE WALKS ON TO PITCH MORE OF TEAM WALKING ON TO PITCH FOR TRAINING SESSION REPORTERS WATCHING VARIOUS OF TRAINING SESSION COACH TAKESHI OKADA AT TRAINING SESSION TEAM RUNNING JAPAN MIDFIELDER JUNICHI INAMOTO DURING TRAINING SESSION MORE OF TRAINING SESSION YUJI NAKAZAWA AND YOSHIKATSU KAWAGUCHI ON PITCH VIEW OF PITCH WITH TEAM TRAINING OKADA TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPAN COACH TAKESHI OKADA, SAYING: "Today we finally arrived in South Africa, the team are feeling the excitement of the World Cup. We have to prepare very well this week for the next match against Cameroon, this is what I said to the team." CAMERAMAN FILMING TRAINING SESSION YASUHITO ENDO AND SHUNSUKE NAKAMURA WALKING ON PITCH
  • Embargoed: 22nd June 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA3UJOPXQJ54LEDGP66DZEC00G8
  • Story Text: Japan began training for their first World Cup match on Sunday (June 6) as they took to the pitch in the town of George on South Africa's scenic Garden route.
    Japan are coming into the tournament on the back of a four-match losing streak and face the Netherlands and Denmark following their Group E opener against Cameroon.
    Coach Takeshi Okada said his team would be well prepared for their first match.
    "Today we finally arrived in South Africa, the team are feeling the excitement of the World Cup. We have to prepare very well this week for the next match against Cameroon, this is what I said to the team," Okada told reporters.
    Before departing for South Africa, Okada said his team was lining up an extra match to make some late tweaks after an alarming run of form in the build-up to the finals.
    Japan slumped to their fourth defeat in a row against Ivory Coast last Friday and coach Takeshi Okada has pencilled in a game at their World Cup base before the tournament begins on June 11.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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