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Rediff.com  » Sports » Don't panic, Zico tells Japan forwards

Don't panic, Zico tells Japan forwards

June 20, 2005 21:15 IST
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Japan coach Zico will have just one piece of advice for his forwards when they play Brazil for the last Confederations Cup semi-final place -- don't panic.

The Asian champions did everything right except shoot straight in their second Group B game against Greece on Sunday, until substitute Masashi Oguro poked in the only goal 14 minutes from time.

"We play fast, good football, but the problem is we're not scoring goals," Zico said. "Every time the players were through on goal you could see they just panicked.

"That's not a problem of technique, it's psychological. The players need to learn to calm down. That way we'll score more goals."

Zico, still revered as one of the best players ever produced by Brazil, will now attempt to knock the country of his birth out of the Confederations Cup.

Brazil, beaten 1-0 by Mexico on Sunday, are clinging on to second place in Group B, ahead of Japan on goal difference.

Japan need to beat them in Cologne on Wednesday to pip the world champions to a place in the semi-finals alongside hosts Germany, Argentina and Mexico.

Zico is looking forward to the challenge.

"I'm confident, I really am," Zico said. "But we have to stick to our own style of play.

"In our first game against Mexico we played well, but the final ball to our forwards was often poor.

"We solved that problem against Greece, had 20 shots on goal and beat the European champions.

"It will be a completely different game against Brazil, of course, but it's important that we retain our spirit and believe that we can win."

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Source: REUTERS
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