After beating Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia, Japan will be looking to keep its high-powered attack rolling when it takes on host Qatar in the Asian Cup quarterfinals.
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni believes it will be a tricky encounter because Qatar is the host and will have the crowd on its side Friday as it attempts to reach the semifinals for the first time.
Qatar also wants a good result to show that its team - ranked only 105th in the FIFA world rankings - is making progress ahead of the 2022 World Cup it will host.
The two teams have never met this far into the tournament but have played twice in the group stage - drawing in 2007 and Qatar winning 3-0 in 1988. Overall, they have played seven times with Qatar winning twice, Japan once, and four draws.
''Qatar is the host and will be very motivated and they can make life difficult for us, but we have to play our own game,'' said the 57-year-old Zaccheroni, who has coached AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus. ''I've watched them, I know their weaknesses and strengths, I know what to expect. We have to impose our own game.''
Japan captain Makoto Hasebe said his team is not about to underestimate Qatar despite being ranked 76 places above them and considered the second best team in Asia behind Australia.
''I will respect Qatar,'' Hasebe said. ''But if we play to our potential and fight well, I expect we will win.''
Both teams come into the quarters having steadily improved their form. Qatar was beaten by Uzbekistan 2-0 in its opener and the three-time champion Japan was held by Jordan.
Qatar got its campaign going with a 2-0 win against China in its second match before beating Kuwait 3-0 to clinch a spot in the quarters. Likewise, Japan's first win came in its second game, a hot-tempered 2-1 victory over Syria, and it then routed three-time Asian Cup champion Saudi Arabia 5-0.
Qatar's coach Bruno Metsu heaped praise on Japan as the ''Barcelona of Asia'' and admitted he's finding it difficult come up with a game plan to beat them.
''We are preparing to meet one of the best teams in Asia,'' he said. ''They have been playing really good football the past three games. The team is better than it was during the World Cup.
''In the games I've watched, they play with the same style. They are very serious and have good discipline. Perhaps you need a computer to find a way to beat them.''
Qatar defender Mesaad al-Hamad acknowledged that Japan - which has several players on European clubs while Qatar has none - has more experience on the international stage. But he said he was confident the home crowd would carry the team to victory.
''Even though Japan has won more international matches, we are the host,'' Al-Hamad said. ''Qatar has the team spirit while some Japanese players might dominate over others.''
Al-Hamad also said winning the right to host a World Cup will spur the players on to do their best.
''All eyes are on us as hosting country for the 2022 World Cup,'' he said. ''We hope to deliver a good match and go to the next stage.''
Metsu, who led Senegal to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals, insisted team harmony remained good despite the dropping of midfielder Hussein Yasser. The 27-year-old argued with Metsu during a training session on Tuesday and walked out of practice.
''If one player does not have the spirit of the team, it is better for him to go,'' Metsu said of Yasser.
