Match Number: 750 Date: 16.12.2004 Location: Yokohama, Japan Competition: (friendly) JAPAN: Narazaki Kaji, Tanaka, Chano, Alex (83. Nishi) - Inamoto (70. Endo), Fukunishi, Ogasawara, Fujita (70. Miura) - Takahara (70. Okubo), Suzuki (46. Tamada) GERMANY: Kahn Owomoyela, Wörns, Mertesacker, C. Schulz - F. Ernst (77. M. Engelhardt), Ballack, B. Schneider (73. Borowski) Asamoah, Klose, Podolski (63. Wechsel Schweinsteiger) Scoring: 0:1 Klose (54., assist Ballack) 0:2 Ballack (69., assist Asamoah) 0:3 Klose (90., assist Asamoah) Referee: Mark Alexander Shield (Australia) Yellow cards: Ogasawara, Chano - Owomoyela Attendance: 61,805
A relatively good performance for Germany, and deserved win, based on a strong effort in the 2nd half. The opening period was a bit sloppy, the Germans wasting chances, and the Japanese relying on rare counterattacks.
After the break, the Germans went about their business more seriously, but it took a patzer by the Japanese goalkepper to give them the opening. Ballack's lazy free kick bounced off his arms, and Klose got the garbage goal. Ballack then took a nice goal after an assist from Asamoah, who was also the provider for Klose's ending score.
The defense was solid throughout, limiting Olli Kahn's efforts to gift the hosts a goal :).
Debuts in the national squad for Patrick Owomoyela (Bielefeld), Christian Schulz (Bremen) and Marco Englehardt (Kaiserslautern).