Scotland win the Kirin Cup

Scotland held Japan to a goalless draw at a drizzle-drenched Saitama Stadium to claim the Kirin Cup.

In wet and miserable conditions more akin to Tynecastle than Tokyo, the Scots were often second best against a Japan side keen to end their domestic preparations for the World Cup on a high.

Japan left-back Akira Kaji hit the woodwork in the first half, while Scotland goalkeeper Neil Alexander made a point-blank save from Shinji Ono two minutes before the break.

Japan's superiority continued in the second half as Gary Caldwell was forced to clear Mitsuo Ogasawara's goalbound effort off the line eight minutes after the restart as the hosts looked the more likely to score.

But, try as they might, Japan were unable to find a way through to goal and the draw was enough to guarantee the Scots lifted the trophy.

Scotland boss Walter Smith sent his team into the game with only one change from the 5-1 win over Bulgaria as Kris Boyd failed to shake off the groin strain he picked up on Thursday, meaning James McFadden started up front.     

The game began at a pedestrian pace with Scotland having the better of the opening exchanges, but, by midway through the half, the Japanese turned up the intensity and took control.

The Scots survived a scare 24 minutes into the game when Kaji's long-range effort beat the diving Alexander, only for the ball to come back off the Cardiff goalkeeper's post before Tatsuhiko Kubo skied his attempt with the rebound well over the bar.

Kaji's crack at goal came just seconds after the Japanese were forced into some desperate defending at the other end.

Yuji Nakazawa was called into action twice in the space of a minute, first to plant a firm header on Gary Teale's testing cross from the right and then to deny McFadden after Gary Naysmith sent in his centre from the left.

But the momentum was swinging towards Japan as Zico's team finally started to test the Scottish defence.

Ogasawara shot straight at Alexander from the edge of the penalty area in the 29th minute.

But that proved to be a range-finder as, less than a minute later, the Kashima Antlers man forced a fine save out of Alexander, who pushed Ogasawara's left foot drive wide for a corner.

As Scotland dropped back to try to hit the Japanese on the counter-attack, the onus was increasingly on the home side to crack the visitors' back-line.

Kaji came close when his cross from the left evaded the entire Scottish defence to fall at the feet of Kubo, only for the Yokohama F Marinos man to see his shot deflected wide.

With two minutes of the half remaining, Ono should have given Japan the lead when he was put through on goal by a fine piece of skill by Keiji Tamada.

But the former Feyenoord man's shot was blocked by Alexander and Ogasawara's resultant shot from the edge of the area could only find the side-netting.

Japan went close again just eight minutes after the resumption when Ono released Yasuhito Endo into the penalty area and the Gamba Osaka midfielder pulled the ball back to Ogasawara, whose shot was cleared by Caldwell with Alexander well beaten.

With a flurry of substitutions from both sides breaking up the rhythm of the game in the final 30 minutes, chances became scarce, although Gavin Rae - on in place of Scott Severin at half time - should have done better when he was put in on goal.

But his weak shot rolled straight into the arms of Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.

Alexander was then called upon in the dying minutes to push away Alessandro Santos' free-kick as the Scots held on for the draw.

Teams

Japan,  Kawaguchi, Miyamoto, Santos, Nakazawa (Tsuboi 50), Kaji,Fukunishi, Ogasawara, Ono, Endo (Sato 72), Kubo (Maki 62),Tamada.

Subs Not Used: Doi, Narazaki, Tanaka, Komano, Moniwa, Motoyama,

Abe, Hasebe.

Booked: Miyamoto, Santos.


Scotland, Alexander, Anderson, Gary Caldwell,Murty (McNamee 80), Naysmith (Murray 46), Weir, Fletcher,McCulloch (Lee Miller 70), Severin (Rae 46), Teale (Burke 59),McFadden (Boyd 59).

Subs Not Used: Turner, Smith, Steven Caldwell.

Booked: Gary Caldwell, McFadden, McCulloch, Fletcher, Boyd.