On the 9th, the Japan national team (19th in the FIFA rankings) made final preparations at Osaka's Panasonic Stadium Suita in preparation for their match against the Paraguay national team (37th in the FIFA rankings) (same venue on the 10th).
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GK Ayane Suzuki (23 = Parma) cautions against the “tsukkomi” characteristic of South America. When it comes to set plays, he attacks the ball with great force. The key is whether you have the courage to face it. “The opponent's strength is attacking, so I want to prepare as quickly as I've always done and not be afraid of that.'' Even in the World Cup, playing against South American teams is a challenge. As the match was set to simulate the actual match, he vowed to keep a clean sheet, saying, “First of all, as a keeper, I need defensive stability.I want to keep zero goals.''
Paraguay coach praises Japan national team: “An organized team that makes use of individuality, that's what we're aiming for.''