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Lost to the Dutch, Japanese Fans Still Optimistic

TOKYO - Japanese Supporting discouraged and disappointed after the Samurai Blue 1-0 defeat of Holland in the second game the World Cup.

About 25,000 supporters, mostly wearing blue shirts by color team, gathered at the Tokyo Dome to see the game through television shows directly from Durban, South Africa.

As if still drugged euphoria after their historic 1-0 victory over Cameroon, people waving the national flag and chanted yells: "Nippon, Nippon (Japan)," when Japan was struggling in the first round.

But the cheerful mood quickly turned somber after Wesley Sneijder scored the winner in the second round for the Dutch advantage. "Though the game was almost over," said Atsushi Kojima disappointed, 28 years old.

Despite losing, but they were optimistic can advance to the round of 16 large, with the final game of the Danish defeat. "The Dutch are not as strong as we had expected," said Taisuke Watanabe, 31 years old, who lay exhausted on the field after the game.

"I'll entertain Japan in a match against the Danish," Watanabe added. "Shunsuke (Nakamura) did not play well today. If he can play well the next, I am confident that we will win for sure," he said. (AFP)