Australia and Japan have gone into half-time with Japan leading 1-0 in their Group F match in Kaiserslautern on Monday.

Socceroos captain Mark Viduka almost got the breakthrough in the 6th minute, but was saved well by Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, who parried away for a corner.

The game started at a very high tempo, with both teams forcing corners, and with play running from end-to-end.

Japan were playing with just three defenders, hoping to command the midfield and with both sides pushing for the opener, with the Socceroos starting the half stronger.

Japan’s Brazilian-born Alex made a lovely run, cutting across the penalty area and played the ball to Naohiro Takahara who's shot went just wide of Mark Schwarzers post.

But, Japan opened the scoring against the Socceroos with a bizarre goal from Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura.

Nakamura played a long cross into the box, with Schwarzer coming out to meet it, who collided with Atsushi Yanisigawa in the box, with the ball flying over the top of them and into the goal in the 25th minute to give Japan the lead.

Viduka and Bresciano were playing some lovely interlinking play, but the Japan defence were extremely well drilled by their head coach Zico, and the Socceroos, who have never scored a goal in the World Cup Finals, had to be more than aware of the threat of a counter-attack from the hosts of the 2002 tournament.

Japan went into half-time 1-0 up, but with both sides having pushed hard.

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