Japan Coach Zico Drafts in Ogasawara For Crucial Croatia Clash

Ogasawara played as a central midfielder in an internal practice match on Wednesday when Japan resumed full team training after their 3-1 defeat by Australia in their opener.

"Ogasawara has experience, and it will be a good chance for him," Zico said afterwards. "He has proved himself in action lately and I expect a great deal from him."

Ogasawara, who sat on the bench against Australia, fits into Zico's plan to employ a four-man last line, which can free up two side backs to join four midfielders in pressing the opponents.

Zico's cautious three-back defense, joined by two wingers, pushed Japan far too deep and invited the Socceroos' three-goal onslaught through late substitutes in the last nine minutes of play.

"We lost to Australia in a way we could hardly imagine and it was a great shock to the players," Zico said. "But we have put it all behind us."

Zico said it was not a physical inferiority or lack of stamina that had led to Japan's energy-sapping losses. "Australia took their chances well and they had luck on their side as well."

Ogazawara has been out of Zico's 3-5-2 formation as Bolton's Hidetoshi Nakata, Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura and J-League star Takashi Fukushi commanded central midfield.

"I didn't think about getting on during the Australia match. I wanted the team to win. That was all," said the soft-spoken 27-year-old Ogasawara, who played only six minutes in the 2002 finals on home soil.

Goals and good omens

But the Kashima attacking midfielder has scored seven international goals which all contributed to Zico's victories. Japan have never lost in the last five matches in which Ogasawara was in the starting line-up.

Ogasawara, capped 50 times since 2002, scored the winner in the 1-0 away win over Bahrain to push Japan's march toward becoming the first to qualify for Germany 2006.

On the home front, Zico has been under fire for his substitution strategy against Australia with protest calls continuing to flood the Japan Football Association head office on Tuesday, according to media reports from Tokyo.

He substituted striker Atsushi Yanagisawa with former Feyenoord midfielder Shinji Ono late in the second half to boost Japan's attacking midfield. But it only confused the Japanese formation.

Coach criticized for getting substitutions wrong

"I will add one more to our midfield. It is the best measure for a must-win match," said Zico, a star player of Brazil's three World Cups. "We must score goals against Croatia and concede none. That's all."

In practice, Nagoya Grampus striker Keiji Tamada, one of Zico's supersubs, worked behind the forward duo of Hamburg's Naohiro Takahara and former Messina reserve Atsushi Yanagisawa.

Nakata, 29, playing in his third straight World Cup since Japan's winless debut in 1998, said he had been impressed by Croatia, in their narrow 0-1 loss to Brazil. "But I still believe we are a better team. We just have to get the best out of ourselves."

"We have nothing to lose," said goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, who also played in Japan's 1-0 loss to Croatia at France 1998. "They are well organized but they don't have outstanding stars any more."

Croatia are, however, hard to beat and will be even harder to beat if captain Niko Kovac recovers from a rib injury in time to play on Sunday as expected.

Kovac came off after just before half time against Brazil following a heavy challenge from Ze Roberto. He trained the next day, but only for 15 minutes before sitting out the rest of the session.

"Niko Kovac had treatment and feels much better, although he is still in pain. I'm optimistic he will play," team doctor Zoran Bahtijarevic told a news conference.

Croatia are also optimistic that striker Ivica Olic, who came on as a substitute in the second half of Tuesday's match, would be fit for the Japan match. He has been receiving treatment in Berlin for a strain to his left thigh.