After watching Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s 3-0 Club World Cup quarter-final victory over TP Mazembe, manager Hajime Moriyasu is confident his side can find a way past any opponent.

The win over the African champions was preceded by a 2-0 result against New Zealand side Auckland City, with the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League winners setting up an encounter with River Plate in the semi-finals.

And as just one final game to a potential final clash against giants Barcelona beckons, Moriyasu is confident all their signs of progress from the tournament so far bodes well for their chances.

“TP Mazembe are a physically strong team with good technique,” he told reporters on Sunday. 

“We expected this to be a difficult match. In the first half we fell under pressure and gave up many corner kicks, but we were able to endure and switch to an attacking position.

 “River Plate are one of the world’s champion sides, they’re top class in every category. But even on this global stage, we can fight if we play with organisation. 

“Playing against the world’s best players gives us confidence and helps us improve. I think we’ll play the same way against River Plate as we have until now. 

“Playing until the final whistle is part of being a professional. I think our players will show that in the next match. 

“We’ve changed up our lineup all season, and I’ll probably refresh our lineup a little ahead of Wednesday.”