Herve Renard’s Green Falcons take on Samurai Blue in World Cup qualifier on Thursday Where does the time go? It is a decade since Saudi Arabia were thrashed 5-0 by Japan at the 2011 Asian Cup, a nadir for the Green Falcons in what was a poor period in their recent history. Thursday’s World Cup qualifier is a chance for revenge, to show how far the team has come since then and, more importantly, to take a huge step toward a return to Qatar, the scene of that humiliation 10 years ago. For a continental powerhouse that had reached the final in six of the previous seven tournaments, the 2011 loss was shocking, though not that surprising. Saudi Arabia were already eliminated by the time they met the East Asians. An opening game defeat against Syria saw Jose Peseiro fired. The Portuguese boss had taken possession of the hot seat in March 2009 with qualification for the 2010 World Cup on the line. After a fine win in Iran and a vital victory over the UAE, it looked like an inspired appointment, and had the team defeated North Korea in the final game in Riyadh — a frustrating evening that ended 0-0 — Saudi Arabia would have gone to South Africa. As it was, they lost to Bahrain on away goals in the play-offs. Peseiro survived, but at the start of 2011 relations with the media and fans were not exactly great, and there were questions over his ability to get the best out of the players going into the Asian Cup. While the press conference after the Syria defeat was understandably a bad-tempered affair, there was something of a sour atmosphere in the pre-match meeting, too. Peseiro was replaced by his predecessor, Nasser Al-Johar, who came in for one of the temporary jobs he filled on a number of occasions, and the second game brought defeat against Jordan and elimination. Then came the Japan debacle. It could actually have been worse as Saudi Arabia were three goals down inside 20 minutes, unable to cope with Japan’s slick passing, expansive movement and clinical finishing. In the end, 5-0 was something of a mercy, even if Japanese journalists expressed surprise at the ease of the victory. More misery was on the way. The team failed to even reach the final stage of qualification for the 2014 World Cup, finishing below Australia and Oman. The 2015 Asian Cup saw another group stage exit. Since then, matters have improved, with an appearance at the 2018 World Cup and progression into the knockout stages of the 2019 Asian Cup before elimination at the hands of Japan. The 5-0 loss was a low point of a bad few years for the national team and there is plenty of scope for revenge on Thursday. The 1-0 win over Japan that secured a place at the 2018 World Cup does not count as the Samurai Blue had already qualified. This time, while the game is also in Jeddah, the situation is different. This time, the pressure is well and truly on the visitors. Long regarded as the best team in Asia, with a strength in depth that rivals struggle to match, Japan lost their opening game at home to Oman in the group and then followed it up with a 1-0 win over China. It means they arrive in West Asia three points behind the hosts and in a position where they cannot afford to lose. Defeat will open a gap of six points behind Saudi Arabia and, assuming Australia defeat Oman, both automatic qualification spots. With Japan then having to rush home to Saitama to host the Socceroos next Tuesday, this is a huge week. It goes without saying that there is also pressure on coach Hajjime Moriyasu, who was on the bench in Japan’s AFC Asian Cup final win over Saudi Arabia in 1992. While the former midfielder led Sanfrecce Hiroshima to three J.League titles, there are questions over whether his somewhat cautious style suits Japan and their wealth of attacking talent. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of that debate, there is no doubt that as surprising as Oman’s win was in September, it was also deserved. Moriyasu, appointed just after the 2018 World Cup, is keen to avoid a repeat of the Oman performance when his players, most of whom returned from Europe, struggled to get going. “We don’t have much time, but the players need to switch from what they do with their clubs and get their heads around our team concept,” Moriyasu said last week. “We didn’t do that last time and we have to make sure we sort that out.” More difficult to sort out are the vulnerabilities at the back that will give coach Herve Renard encouragement. This is the Frenchman’s biggest test since taking the reins in July 2019. Improved performances in recent months have been reflected in results, winning the group in the second round and then taking six points from the opening two games so far. A win over Japan will be a huge step toward Qatar and also show Asia that Saudi Arabia are a genuine member of the continental elite, with ambitions not just to qualify but to do well in the World Cup. And if there is a measure of revenge for that 5-0 thrashing 10 years ago then so much the better.