Japan to play Kazakhstan

Wldcup - Asian champions Japan hope to gain momentum in their bid to reach the 2006 World Cup with a friendly against Kazakhstan Saturday and then Syria before their qualifying showdown against mysterious North Korea.

Japan were seeded separately from bitter rivals South Korea in the Asian final qualifying round, but face a far from easy ride to next year's tournament in Germany.

The Asian champions have been drawn in a so-called "group of death" that includes mighty Iran, fast-improving Bahrain and political nemesis North Korea.

After the tune-up matches against Kazakhstan and Syria next Wednesday, Japan will face a real test on February 9 when they play host to North Korea, with the game taking place amid mounting political tension between the countries.

North Korea remain "one of Asia's mystery teams", as the website of football's world governing body FIFA puts it, with the communist state keen to defeat the country it denounces daily through its official media.

"We definitely want to get off to a flying start by winning the first game and gain the momentum. It is the most important," Japan coach Zico said of the North Korea game at the Saitama stadium near Tokyo.

"We are determined to go for scoring goals at any risk in our first two home games against North Korea and Bahrain," the Brazilian legend said. Bahrain play in Japan on March 30.

"By crushing them solidly at home we can take a mental advantage in away games like we did against Oman in the first round", when Japan needed only a draw to reach the final round, Zico said.

Zico believes Japan can beat the North Koreans, who come mostly from the "April 25" Korean People's Army team, if his players play 100 percent, saying Japan has matured after learning to live without their Europe-based stars.

Japan was without key players such as Hidetoshi Nakata of Fiorentina, Shinji Ono of Feyenoord and SV Hamburg striker Naohiro Takahara when they defended the Asian Cup in August by beating hosts China in Beijing.

"When I was appointed as the coach, I was groping for a way to do my job. My players considered me to be 'a famous player'. But since we started gaining good results, they started treating me as Zico who coaches Japan," said Zico, who took over in July 2002.

"After winning the title without Europe-based stars, we gained a great amount of confidence and strong wills which never ease off. It has a good effect on the Europe-based players, too.

"They cannot simply make the regular starting line-up whenever they join the team now. They now feel like they will be dropped out unless they contribute to a win as one of the team's gears," added Zico.

North Korea stunned the world by advancing to the quarter-finals of the 1966 World Cup finals in England, their only appearance on the world stage, by upsetting European giants Italy.

But North Korea have cloistered the team for 10 years of intense training after they failed to qualify for the US World Cup in 1994.

Japan finished the first qualifying round top of their group after winning all six qualifiers, while North Korea ended with three wins, two draws and a loss.

Japan have four wins, three draws and four defeats against North Korea in overall matches, while they have beaten Bahrain on their two previous meetings. Against Iran they have four wins, four draws and five defeats.