Coach Alberto Zaccheroni has called for total control when Japan kicks off its 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign against North Korea, and says he is confident that monsoon-like conditions forecast for Friday's match will not affect the Asian champions' performance in Saitama.
"We have got to show what we are made of and not just be good for 10 minutes here or 20 minutes there. We have to control for the whole 90 minutes," Zaccheroni told a news conference on the eve of the match.
"This is where the pressure really starts. The players all know how important this match is and they have done very well in training, are motivated and I have complete trust in them. Over the last year the players have been fantastic both on and off the pitch."