Japan's midfielder Makoto Hasebe (right) fights for the ball against Trinidad and Tobago's midfielder Evans Wise (second right) and forward Gary Glasgow (second left) as Japan's Koji Yamase looks on, during the first-half of their international friendly match at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday.
- Reuters
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters)
Brazilian-born midfielder Alex scored twice to give new Japan coach Ivica Osim the perfect start with a 2-0 home victory over Trinidad and Tobago yesterday.
However, after the match around 150 angry fans called for the resignation of Japan Football Association (JFA) chief Saburo Kawabuchi in protest against the team's poor World Cup campaign.
Alex's first-half double gave the Asian champions a much-needed tonic as they seek to erase the memory of their uninspired first-round exit under previous boss Zico.
Japan went ahead in the 16th minute after Keyeno Thomas brought down new cap Kazuki Ganaha 20 metres out. Alex stepped up to curl a superb left-foot shot into the right side of the net.
Alex was even more impressive five minutes later when he latched on to a pass from defender Yuichi Komano to chip keeper Jan Michael Williams from just inside the box to make it 2-0.
Alex was one of just four World Cup players among Osim's streamlined squad of 19 as the former Yugoslavia manager prepares for next week's Asian Cup qualifier at home to Yemen.
Osim praised his players for dictating a high tempo despite the intense humidity in Tokyo.
"We played with a good tempo from the start and looked sharp even though we only had three days together before the match," he told reporters.
"There were some encouraging signs but we have to make sure we can maintain that sort of tempo for the full 90 minutes."
Osim's joy, though, was soured by the public protest outside Tokyo's National Stadium as fans called for Kawabuchi to stand down.
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