SAITAMA, Japan, Oct 8, (AFP): Japan upset a full-strength Argentina side 1-0 Friday in a friendly win that crowned the coaching debut of former AC Milan boss Alberto Zaccheroni.
Shimizu S-Pulse striker Shinji Okazaki scored the winner in the 19th minute while the Blue Samurai stopped several scoring attempts by Barcelona star striker Lionel Messi.
Messi’s 25-metre free kick in stoppage time banged off a Japanese wall and a sold-out crowd of more than 60,000 at the Saitama Stadium roared with joy at the final whistle.
It was the first win for the Blue Samurai in seven international matches against Argentina.
The result ended Argentina caretaker coach Sergio Batista’s 100 percent record since he took over from Diego Maradona after the South Americans crumbled to Germany in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Batista’s squad beat Ireland 1-0 away on August 12 and crushed world champions Spain 4-1 at home on Sep 7, but came unstuck against a committed Japanese side.
Japan, who reached the last-16 in South Africa for their best World Cup finish on foreign soil, fielded seven European-based players.

Batista blamed the defeat on “poor condition, jetlag and fatigue”.
“Japan were a better side today. They were well disciplined and compact on the whole,” he said. “We had many players who were injured. Japan were good on the defensive.”
Many among the crowd were keen to get an up-close glimpse of the talismanic 23-year-old Messi. They didn’t have long to wait as Messi squandered two early chances, lofting the ball onto the top of the net after trapping a return pass in front of goal in the seventh minute.
Seven minutes later he dribbled up the field and attacked from the right but Lierse goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima deflected his effort.
Okazaki’s goal came after Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero punched a 30-metre shot by Japan captain and Wolfsburg midfielder Makoto Hasebe.
Okazaki rushed into the box and hit the rebound beyond the diving Romero into the right corner of the net.

In the 27th minute, Kawashima had to stretch to stop Messi’s 30-metre free kick.
But Japan too had chances to extend their lead. Two shots by CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda and Schalke defender Atsuto Uchida within five minutes of half-time went either straight into the keeper’s hands or over the bar.
Deep into the second half Manchester City striker Carlos Teves trapped a cross from Messi off guard in the area and slapped it far wide.
On 70 minutes, J-League leading scorer Ryoichi Maeda nearly doubled the score when he dribbled away from the Argentine defenders and shot off the right post.
Messi bungled another chance in the 75th minute when he slammed a Tevez cross straight to Kawashima.

Japan came close to scoring again in the 88th minute when Maeda dribbled past two Argentine defenders but his left-foot shot was swept away by Romero.
The Blue Samurai will play traditional rivals South Korea away four days later in their final match before travelling to Qatar in January for the Asian Cup where they aim to bring back the title they lost in 2007.
In Abu Dhabi, a much changed Brazil from the one that disappointed at the World Cup finals eased to a 3-0 victory over Iran in an international friendly here.
Goals by Daniel Alves, Alexandre Pato and Nilmar were enough to see the Brazilians to an easy win on what was their second appearance in the United Arab Emirates - they walloped the UAE 8-0 in 2005.
Brazil - now under the management of Mano Menezes after Dunga was sacked following their exit in the World Cup quarter-finals to the Netherlands - opened the scoring in the 14th minute through a terrific freekick by Alves.
Despite being cheered on by the 20,000 strong crowd the Iranians couldn’t deliver much of a threat but the Brazilians also could not add to their tally during the first period.
Their domination eventually paid off when Pato - who was left out of the World Cup squad - struck in the 69th minute as he shot home from inside the area and Nilmar scored in similar fashion two minutes into time added on.

Menezes, whose first match in charge saw his side beat the United States 2-0, said that it had been another chance to try out some fresh talent as he tries to put a side together for next year’s Copa America and then for the 2014 World Cup which Brazil are hosting.
“At the moment, we are in the middle of testing out certain players in order that we can evaluate them and their ability at this level,” said Menezes, who was not first choice for the hotseat but got the nod when Fluminense refused to release Muricy Ramalho.
“We are in the early stages of constructing a new team and we have a lot of work to do.
“We are going to continue these experiments in the next lot of friendlies with Ukraine and Argentina so we get an idea of their potential,” added the 48-year-old former Corinthians handler.
Pato said he was delighted with his and the team’s performance.
“We are happy with our performance throughout the match which was a tough one to play in,” said the 21-year-old AC Milan marksman.
“We are also satisfied with how the less experienced players performed.”