As a result, their odds of qualifying for the last 16 for the fourth time in their history appears doubtful, though they proved to be a formidable opponent in Russia four years ago.

Since a 3-0 defeat against Tunisia at the Kirin Cup final, Hajime Moriyasu's men have been a lot sharper defensively, posting five successive clean sheets.

While few expect them to make it beyond the group stage in Qatar, this is a team that should not be taken lightly, with Japan holding World Cup favourites Brazil goalless until the 77th minute in a 1-0 defeat in June, one of only two losses for them all year.

Their defensive performances have stood out lately, but this team is filled with creative midfielders who flourish at club level and with the national team.



译文(自动翻译仅供参考):

因此，尽管四年前在俄罗斯世界杯上他们被证明是一个强大的对手，但他们历史上第四次进入16强的可能性似乎令人怀疑。

自从麒麟杯决赛0 - 3输给突尼斯后，森康元的球队在防守上变得更加犀利，连续5次零封对手。

虽然很少有人认为他们能在卡塔尔的小组赛中出线，但这是一支不容小觑的球队。今年6月，日本队0 - 1负于巴西队，直到第77分钟，日本队都没有进球。这是日本队全年仅有的两场失利之一。

他们的防守表现最近很突出，但这支球队充满了在俱乐部和国家队都表现出色的富有创造力的中场球员。