Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni has brushed off concerns over the Asian champions' recent lack of firepower, but admits he is expecting another tight World Cup qualifier against Tajikistan in Osaka on Tuesday night.
In the absence of star midfielder Keisuke Honda, who is recovering from a serious knee injury, Japan has gone off the boil since romping past South Korea 3-0 in a friendly in Sapporo in August.
Zaccheroni's men needed a 94th-minute goal from defender Maya Yoshida to squeeze out a 1-0 win in their opening Group C game at home to North Korea, before grinding out a 1-1 draw to take a fortuitous point away to Uzbekistan last month.