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Zico's Japan look to get their World Cup campaign back on track after falling apart against the Socceroos of Australia by taking on the difficult Croats in Nuremberg. Croatia gave reigning champions Brazil a run for their money in their first game and will be no pushover as they make a bid for a qualifying spot and a place in the last 16. Tune on for all the action as it happens on DW-WORLD.DE's World Cup Live Ticker from 15:00 CEST.

The 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 Coach: Zico 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 Coach: Zlatko Kranjcar Referee: Frank de Bleeckere (Belgium)

Two teams need to win.
We can expect an interesting game where the need to win is crucial but where a late loss would be close to a disaster. Japan will have to avoid thinking of their first game and look ahead, wheras the Croats can use their game against Brazil as a well to draw confidence from. They will also be happy to have Niko Kovac on the pitch after he had to leave the first game injured.

The teams move in on the pitch.


The anthems.
The Japanese begin the singing on yet a sunny World Cup day. The 10000 blue clad in the crowd sing along.

Japan win the toss.
Miyamoto looks to the sky before he makes his decision.

1. min.
The Croatians start the game.

1. min.
Fukunishi goes down.
Free-kick for Japan.

2. min.
First Japanese attack.
They combine well on thr right side and win a free-kick outside the box.

2. min.
The ball is steered out to a corner.

4. min.
First shot on goal.
Niko Kovac flips the ball over to Kranjar who fires away but the shot is held by Kawaguchi.

6. min.
A long cross reaches down to the Croatian box but the attack ends in a harmless high ball that is easy to pick for Pletikosa.

7. min.
The Japanese break Babic and Nakamura runs through the middle. No proper finish, though.

9. min.
Both teams have started carefully as if their greatest fear is to make a mistake. Croatia have lost several balls on midfield and in doing so have slowly invited the Japanese to take control.

11. min.
Prso falls outside the box but is deemed an actor.

13. min.
A long cross reaches Klasnic who is free but doesn't get much power on the ball.

14. min.
The tempo is not the highest . Both teams are trying to play their way into the box but hardly get to any dangerous attempts.

17. min.
A sudden change in pace.
Kaji has run up the right side and hits a good cross into the Croatian box but the defence stands firm and doesn't let the shot come alive.

19. min.
A cross from thirty meters.
Klasnic hurls himself left foot first to try to get a toe on the cross just outside the five meter line but the ball is too long.

21. min.
Penalty for Croatia.
Miyamoto gets the yellow as he brings down Prso in the box.

22. min.
Saved!!!
Kawaguchi throws himself to the left and saves Srna's poorly shot penalty.

25. min.
The Croats are trying to keep the pressure up instead of resigning after the lost chance to take the lead.

26. min.
Alex shoots wide.
The Japanese defender tries from thirtyfive meters but the ball goes a couple of meters wide to the right.

28. min.
What a shot.
Kranjcar turns around outside the box and rockets a shot that is saved by the crossbar.

30. min.
Ogasawara gets a decent shot on goal but it's in the middle and no problem for the Croat goalie.

31. min.
Robert Kovac sees yellow.
A free-kick for Japan thirty meters out follows.

33. min.
A weird bounce makes Kawaguchi miss the ball and the Croats get a cheap corner.

34. min.
The game goes back and forth between the halves but the tempo is still too slow and lots of sloppy passes make it a pretty mediocre performance so far.

36. min.
Nice stuff from Nakamura.
The Japanese dribbles his way to the box and flicks the balll back. The shot taken by Nakata is steered over the goal line by Pletikosa.

39. min.
Another bad pass, this time Japanese, gives Klasnic the chance to fire off a quick shot that Kawaguchi, fully stretched, has to tip over the line.

41. min.
Kawaguchi gets booked.
The Japanese goalie is too slow in getting the ball back in play.

42. min.
Corner.
Prso is a bit late heading the corner and the ball goes high.

44. min.
Suffering in the sun.
Both teams have kept the pace down but it seems to be the Japanese who suffer the more at the end of the first half as Croatia have more and more of the ball.

45. min.
First half ends.
No injury time is added to the relief of both teams. They have both had a couple of chances but none of them have been able to convince in a first half that for the most of the time had the pace and accuracy of the last rounds of a heavy weight fight.

45. min.
Inamoto goes on for Fukunishi.
And second half is on.

46.. min.
Free-kick Croatia.
Good position on the left side of the box.

46. min.
Srna hits the wall.


47. min.
Japanese counter
Inamoto unsuccessfully tries to reach the ball before it goes over the left line

49. min.
Corner kick for Croatia after Tudor runs down the right and gets his cross blocked.

51. min.
Great chance for Japan
Kaji and Takahara combine nicely to see Kaji break through into the box where he finds Yanagisawa who completely misses his opportunity in front of the Croatian goal. The ball bounces off his foot and goes wide.

53. min.
Alex hits a cross that has to be punched out by Pletikosa.

54. min.
A Quick counter by the Croats.
Kranjcar is first in the Japanese box and gets a foot on the incoming ball. It is about a meter wide.

56. min.
The game is opening up as both teams realize a victory is what they need.

58. min.
The tempo is higher but the many mistakes remain.

59. min.
Croatian corner.
Srna hits it and Niko Kovac is a split hair away from getting the header. The ball dips down to Klasnic who doesn't get it under control.

60. min.
Japanese Free-kick twentyfive meters out.
Nakamura hits it high.

61. min.
Yanagisawa leaves the pitch for Tamada.


62. min.
Header from Simunic.
A free-kick from the right is hit into the box where the tall Croat is first on the ball. It dives towards the left of the goal and goes a meter wide.

65. min.
Babic goes solo.
The Croat runs through from the midline to the box but his foot hits as much grass as ball.

67. min.
Japanese corner kick.


68. min.
Alex wins a free-kick on the left side of the box.

68. min.
Ogasawara hits the free-kick straight on goal but it's too lose.

68. min.
Srna gets the card.


69. min.
Tudor goes off for Olic.


71. min.
Another Japanese corner.

72. min.
Alex
Alex brings down Olic to stop the Croatian counter.

73. min.
Trying, trying
Prso juggles around down on the left and manages to get the ball into the box where three Croats are waiting. One of them elbows and it's a Japanese free-kick.

76. min.
Ogasawara gets the ball on the spot and tries to turn around but loses control.

77. min.
Tamuda slips through and touches the ball but it hits a foot and goes out wide.

78. min.
Modric enters for Kranjcar.


80. min.
Mistake leads to counter for Croatia.
But it's too slow and the shot easily held.

81. min.
Better this time
Olic drives the ball along the ground from the box line and it's not far from finding the net.

83. min.
It is the Croatians who more eagerly seek the winner which could open up for a Japanese counter as the two tired teams near the end.

85. min.
Oguro comes on for Takahara.


86. min.
Srna leaves for Bosnjak
The Croatians now play four forwards.

88. min.
Alex trickles into the box.
The Japanese passes the ball along the five meter line but it's kicked out for a corner.

90. min.
Three minutes added


90+1. min.
Kovac wants free-kick
but the ref has no understanding as the Croat falls on his way towards the box.

90+3. min.
It's over and it's a draw.


Both teams are still alive and kicking, but just. The last twenty minutes were pretty slow, with the Croatians trying a bit harder. Both teams had their chances, although not many or of superior quality, but of course the Croats will be the more upset having missed a penalty in first half. The draw means both can still go through and at the end of the day they seemed fine with the result, leaving us in suspense until June 22.