Belgium coach Roberto Martinez does not expect any surprises from Japan in the World Cup's round of 16, as Maya Yoshida prepares for the challenge of facing a fully fit Romelu Lukaku.
After beating England 1-0 in Kaliningrad to top Group G, Belgium booked a meeting with the Samurai Blue in Rostov-on-Don, with a place in the quarterfinals up for grabs.
Martinez oversaw a 1-0 friendly win over Japan in November, before Vahid Halilhodzic was let go and replaced by Akira Nishino, but the Spanish coach of the Red Devils nevertheless feels he knows what to expect.
READ: Golden noose tightens around Martinez as Belgium stakes are raised
"We played a very entertaining game in Bruges not long ago," he said. "There's been a change of coach but not a real change in the squad.
"They're very well organized, dynamic. ... Technically, Japanese football is very strong, and we expect a really competitive team. There won't be any big surprises."
Martinez, who has declared Lukaku, Thomas Vermaelen and Vincent Kompany fit to play at Rostov Arena, said of his team's potential route through the knockout stages: "To be successful in a World Cup is not about facing the opponent that everyone expects is going to be giving you the golden key to go through.
“I don't think that in the World Cup you can be successful by trying to hope to get an easy path. We saw that in the Euros two years ago."
Lukaku scored the winner for Belgium in that friendly meeting last year, and Japan's Southampton centerback Maya Yoshida knows from his time playing in the Premier League of the difficulties the 25-year-old striker will pose.
"We have never got to the quarterfinal before," the defender said. "It's a new challenge for us to get through, and hopefully we will make a new history for Japanese football.
"I know Lukaku is a fantastic player and I cannot stop him by myself. We have to fight and defend as a group and attack as a group."
Players to watch
Belgium - Romelu Lukaku
The Manchester United center forward, with four goals to his name, is just one behind Harry Kane and firmly in the race to win the Golden Boot. The strength, pace and clinical finishing of Lukaku could terrorize Japan's suspect defense.
Japan - Takashi Inui
The 30-year-old Eibar attacking midfielder lacks the profile of Shinji Kagawa and Keisuke Honda but has been one of Japan's best performers at the World Cup, opening the scoring against Senegal. Inui was only introduced as a second-half substitute in the loss to Poland, and his directness was badly missed early in the match in Volgograd.
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