BONN, June 21, 2006 (AFP) - Japan coach Zico has told his charges not to be psyched out by Brazil ahead of the Asian champions' make-or-break World Cup match against the five-time champions and holders on Thursday.
"We are not confronting an awful monster," Zico said. "They are a strong team. But, as professionals representing Japan, we must never give up as long as there is the slightest of chances.
"We'd better be more optimistic in the way we think," he told reporters Tuesday on the eve of Japan's departure from their training base here for their final Group F match in Dortmund.
Zico, a former star of Brazil's three World Cup campaigns, recalled that Brazil lost to unfancied Norway at France 1998 in their last group match after having secured a spot in the second round.
"They lost because they let up after reaching the second round," said Zico, who was a technical advisor to Brazil's World Cup squad in 1998.
He also recalled that the three-time Asian champions battled to a 2-2 draw with Brazil in the first round of the Confederations Cup in Germany last year. Zico said Japan would have won the match were it not for an incorrect offside call which denied Japan a third goal.
Brazil have already qualified for the second round by beating Croatia 1-0 and Australia 2-0.
Japan, who lost to Australia 3-1 and drew 0-0 with Croatia, need to beat Brazil at least to vye for the group's second and last berth in the round of 16.
"None of us should give up just because Brazil are the favourites and a tremendous team," Zico said.
Zico refused to reveal his starting line-up against Brazil, amid speculation that he would shake up his a forward line which has lacked punch.
"The line-up is firmly set in my head," he said. "Maybe, this is the first and last time that I look as if I am hiding something," he quipped.
His team focused on shooting during the evening practice while Japanese supporters went overboard in the stands of the North Sportspark stadium.
In unsually direct reactions, they made catcalls and booed when players missed the goal while they erupted with big applause when they ruffled the net.
"You are as useless as before!" a man shouted when former Messina forward Atsushi Yanagisawa was off-target.
In the Croatia game, Yanagisawa wasted Japan's best opportunity, slicing wide of an open goal from just three metres. He also bungled a chance in front of goal when Japan were 1-0 up against Australia.
His frontline partner, Hamburg second-string forward Naohiro Takahara, has failed to hit the mark since scoring twice in a 2-2 warm-up draw against hosts Germany.
"I want them to convert practice shots no matter what. I cannot feel any passion about the strikers," said 31-year-old fan Toshiyuki Kurobe from Nagoya.
A record 2,000 people filled the section reserved for supporters at the stadium.
Japanese substitute, Grenoble's Masashi Oguro, is raring to go after playing in the final moments of the two earlier matches.
J-League forward Seiichiro Maki, who has scored three goals in six international matches he played this year, is also hoping for his World Cup debut.