Japan, Croatia match ends in goalless draw

NUREMBERG: Japan and Croatia battled to a goalless draw on Sunday which left both nations with a slim chance of reaching the second round of the World Cup.

Both teams now have one point, while their Group F rivals Brazil and Australia were playing in Munich later in the day.

Japan have the unenviable task of facing Brazil in their final group game in Dortmund on Thursday, when Croatia take on Australia in Stuttgart.

The Asian champions had goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi to thank for throwing them a lifeline as he brilliantly saved Darijo Srna's 21st minute penalty after Dado Prso had been tripped in the penalty area.

Japan had more chances of the two sides but were continually let down by poor finishing.

Atsushi Yanagisawa wasted Japan's best opportunity, somehow slicing wide of an open goal from Akira Kaji's cross had left Croatian keeper Stipe Pletikosa stranded early in the second half.

Brazilian-born midfielder Alex proved a constant threat to the shaky Croatian defence, but failed to find the target.

Japan must do without their captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto for the Brazil clash after he picked up his second yellow card of the competition when he caught Prso's heel to concede the penalty.

Although Srna's spot kick was hit hard and low, Kawaguchi leaped to his left to push it round the post.

Chances for Croatia were few and far between.

Marko Babic should have done better with his shot after surging half the field in the second period only to blast wide, while Niko Kranjcar raced on to a defence-splitting pass but could not stretch far enough to get his shot on target.

The towering Josip Simunic's header went wide as Croatia grew increasingly desperate.

Robert Kovac also picked up his second yellow card of the tournament in the 31st minute but Shunsuke Nakamura's 30-meter free-kick rebounded off the wall.

In the 35th minute, Hidetoshi Nakata went close with a long-range shot but Stipe Pletikosa punched the ball to safely.
Teams:

Japan (4-4-2): 23-Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi; 21-Akira Kaji, 5-Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, 22-Yuji Nakazawa, 14-Alex; 8-Mitsuo Ogasawara, 7-Hidetoshi Nakata, 15-Takashi Fukunishi, 10-Shunsuke Nakamura; 9-Naohiro Takahara, 13-Atsushi Yanagisawa.

Croatia (3-4-3): 1-Stipe Pletikosa; 7-Dario Simic, 4-Robert Kovac, 3-Josip Simunic; 2-Darijo Srna, 5-Igor Tudor, 10-Niko Kovac, 8-Marko Babic; 19-Niko Kranjcar; 17-Ivan Klasnic, 9-Dado Prso.

Referee: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium).
Linesmen: Peter Hermans (Belgium), Walter Vromans (Belgium).