The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tokyo

Japan coach Takeshi Okada and his squad vowed Sunday to avenge their defeat to Bahrain after powering themselves into the final round of Asian World Cup qualifying.

Table-toppers Bahrain, who shamed Japan 1-0 at home earlier in their group, will clash with the former Asian champions again next Sunday in Saitama in their final group fixture.

"It won't be just a match to complete as a formality," Okada said when his team returned home after blanking Thailand 3-0 away on Saturday to clinch a berth in the final round.

"They made our blood boil so much that we'll never forget for the rest of our lives," Okada said of the March 26 defeat, which had left him under tremendous pressure.

"I will fight for my pride and the pride of Japanese football," said Okada, who took over from Ivica Osim last December after the Bosnian suffered a serious stroke.

The Gulf side also advanced to the final round by drawing

with Oman 1-1 at home to lead the table with 11 points, followed

by Japan at 10.

"I personally want to play in the next match against Bahrain and have revenge," said Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura. "We lost to them when I was absent."

Nakamura, who helped earn Celtic to their third straight Scottish Premier League championship, joined the qualifying campaign only this month after the end of the league season.

Okada had not used European-based players until this month. Other midfielders, new St Etienne signing Daisuke Matsui and Wolfsburg's Makoto Hasebe, have also gelled well with the team.

Nakamura scored one goal and set up another when Japan beat Oman 3-0 at home. Japan also drew with Oman 1-1 away before the win over Thailand, in which he played despite pain from an old injury to his right ankle. "We are determined to clear up our sense of humiliation," said captain and centre back Yuji Nakazawa.

Another centre back, Marcus Tulio Tanaka, opened the scoring when he nodded home a corner kick from Yasuhito Endo in the 22nd minute.

Endo then lobbed a cross for Nakazawa to head in at the far post in the 38th minute.

In the 88th minute, Kengo Nakamura latched onto a through ball and coolly slotted home to seal the match.

Okada, however, has warned his charges have a lot to improve in a bid for their fourth straight World Cup finals. Okada led Japan to a winless debut on the big stage in France in 1998.

"This team play very good football and have a lot of good players," he said immediately after the Thai game.

"But I've always thought they're missing a few small pieces. They may include the tenacity to fight or the determination to steal the ball. I wanted them to work on these things today."

"They fought to the last minute in this hot weather," he said. "I feel this team can get one step stronger this way."