Tearful Japan taught harsh lesson at finals

DORTMUND, June 23 (Reuters) Japan bowed out of the World Cup in tears although with few excuses after fleetingly threatening to achieve the impossible against mighty Brazil.

Zico's last game in charge ended in a 4-1 defeat, the Brazilian telling his players they needed to be more professional in a brutally frank parting shot.

Needing to beat the world champions by two goals in yesterday's Group F clash, the Japanese took a shock lead through Keiji Tamada's sharp finish in the 34th minute.

Ronaldo's header in first-half injury time brought Japan down to earth again before normal service was resumed by Brazil after the break.

''We were taught a harsh lesson,'' a tearful Japan Football Association (JFA) chief Saburo Kawabuchi told reporters after the game.

''I have just seen Hidetoshi Nakata crying in the changing room.

It's a bitter feeling and it brings home just how far we have to go.'' Japan coach Zico had never seriously suggested during a turbulent four years in charge that he was capable of the sort of alchemy required to take his side beyond the group stage.

But many Japan fans blamed him for turning the team's so-called ''golden generation'' into base metal, hurling insults at the players and jamming the JFA switchboard with complaints.

LATE COLLAPSE Zico's task was hardly helped by Japan's astonishing late collapse as they lost 3-1 to Australia in their opening game.

A 0-0 stalemate with Croatia left Japan with a near impossible job to match their fine run to the last 16 as co-hosts of the 2002 World Cup.

Their showdown with Brazil was always likely to end in heartbreak for the Asian champions.

Nakata slumped to the wet turf sobbing uncontrollably for more than five minutes after the match, his team mates unable to get the midfielder to move.

''We all feel like that,'' said goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, easily Japan's player of the tournament. ''We never recovered mentally after losing to Australia.

''I was upset at how we fell apart against Brazil but our tendency to panic has been there for all three games.'' Zico blamed his side's inability to hold on to their lead against Brazil but in reality Kawaguchi had already made several incredible saves before Tamada's strike.

''Brazil's equaliser hurt,'' said the 53-year-old coach. ''We left ourselves with too much to do after giving away three daft goals to Australia. The players need to be more professional.'' REUTERS DH VV1718