Japan gave notice of their potential on Thursday when they beat Denmark 3-1 in their final Group E fixture and clinched a place in the last 16 of the World Cup on foreign soil for the first time.
"Our team has a strength that some others don't have. All 23 of the players and all of the staff, we are one team together really," said Japanese coach Takeshi Okada.
Photographs: Reuters
Image: Japan players celebrate after winning their match against Denmark
On a cold night at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Japan were in control from the start and stretched the Danish defence with ease.
Their intricate, almost meticulous, one-touch play and the speed of their movement created a series of chances before they took the lead after 17 minutes with a superb goal by Honda.
Taking a free-kick 30 metres out on the right, the blue-gloved striker with bleached hair struck a left-foot shot that faded to the left and away from the flat-footed Danish keeper Thomas Sorensen, who looked helpless.
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