National team manager Alberto Zaccheroni will take nothing for granted in Friday's World Cup qualifier against Jordan, but if Japan can build on last weekend's impressive 3-0 win over Oman, three more points should follow.
Japan faces Jordan at Saitama Stadium having opened the final round of qualifiers last Sunday night with one of its best performances of the past 12 months. Precise passing and constant movement dissected Oman's defense almost at will, and although the visitors put up so little resistance that manager Paul Le Guen declared afterward that his team "didn't exist," Zaccheroni will be heartened by how his own side handled the occasion.
Anything less than a win at home against one of the weakest teams in the group would have been a serious setback, and Japan's record against opponents with no desire to attack has not always made for happy reading. An early goal from Keisuke Honda helped settle the nerves, however, and it was not the only important contribution the CSKA Moscow midfielder made over the 90 minutes.
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