East asian champions eye universiade title
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Updated: 2001-08-19 14:12

East Asian Champions Japan will try to win the men's soccer title at the upcoming Universiade, said Japanese head coach Takii Toshiro on Sunday.

"Our objective in Beijing is to win the title," the Japanese college professor told Xinhua through an interpreter after a training session in the fitful rain Sunday morning.

Takii put the hosts China as Japan's number one opponents on their way to the title and he was confident about the potential clash between them.

"I think we will meet China in the final match," he said.

The Japanese team, which was formed one and a half year ago of all-college students, beat Australia under-21 squad to win the East Asian Games and their chances of repeat the feat depend on the performance of Ishikawa Tatsuya, a member of the Japanese team who lost to Spain at the World Youth Championships final in Nigeria in 1999.

It was the squad's first training in Beijing after their arrival on Saturday and the players had to practice long balls and headers due to the grass soaked in the water.

"We won't play much long balls in the games and we did it now because of the weather," said assistant coach Susa Tetudazo.

Japan traditionally preferred ground play to long balls in their efforts to follow the Brazilian style and their Olympic team beat Brazil 1-0 at the Atlanta Games in 1996.

Japan will open their title pursuit on Tuesday against Czech Republic in their first Group D match. Other teams in Group D are Ireland and Iran with the top two finishers qualifying for the quarter-finals.