* Asian champions struggle against lively UAE side
* Kagawa disappoints but Japan coach "satisfied" with result
(Adds quotes, details)
NIIGATA, Japan, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Mike Havenaar spared
Japan's blushes with a 69th-minute winner to give the Asian
champions a 1-0 victory over the United Arab Emirates in a World
Cup qualifying warm-up on Thursday.
The Dutch-based forward powered home a close-range header
from Yuichi Komano's cross just when the Japanese appeared to be
running out of ideas in front of 42,000 in Niigata.
Midfielder Keisuke Honda blazed just over with barely a
minute gone, but that was close as Japan got in a disappointing
performance from the Blue Samurai until Havenaar's winner.
"It was a relief to score," Havenaar told reporters. "I
haven't been putting them away of late so it felt good to stick
one in. The next game is the big one and we have to win it."
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni made no bones about the fact
there was plenty to work on before his side face Iraq in a World
Cup qualifier on Tuesday.
"The result was important but equally important was to
measure where we are before the Iraq game," said the Italian.
"There was positives and negatives to take from tonight but
we can go away and analyse the performance now. It was important
to check the condition of the team and individual players."
Shinji Kagawa was hauled off at halftime after annoying
Zaccheroni with one too many stepovers, the last of which left
him in a heap as he tripped over his own feet.
Japan's big-name midfielders were overshadowed by
frizzy-haired playmaker Omar Abdulrahman, the 20-year-old at the
heart of the away side's best moves.
Captain Makoto Hasegawa and Honda were also substituted
early ahead of next week's clash with Iraq, currently under the
stewardship of former Japan coach Zico.
Japan overpowered Oman 3-0 and Jordan 6-0 at home before
being held 1-1 in Australia in June in their first three games
in the final round of Asian 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
The Blue Samurai lead World Cup qualifying Group B by five
points from Iraq, Australia and Jordan.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/1-soccer-japan-made-sweat-1-0-win-124445032--sow.html
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