Pride will be the only thing at stake when Japan and Mexico face off in their final group game of the Confederations Cup.
The game in Belo Horizonte is academic, after both sides lost their chances of reaching the semifinals following defeats to Brazil and Italy.
However, neither side will want to leave the Confederations Cup without a win and will be keen to at least finish the tournament with the heads held high come the final whistle on Saturday.
"The important thing for us, beyond the results, was to progress as a team," Japan forward Mike Havenaar said. "We played against stronger opponents than those we come across normally.
"From here, the key is to store up a wealth of experience so that we can use everything we have learned a year from now, at the World Cup."
Japan came to the Confederations Cup with their confidence sky high after becoming the first team, barring hosts Brazil, to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.
However, they lost their first game to Brazil convincingly, while suffering heartbreak against Italy in a narrow 4-3 defeat.
Mexico, on the other hand have been struggling a little in their qualification games for the World Cup, and coach Jose Manuel De La Torre is desperate to see his side bow out of the tournament with a win.
"We need to recover," de la Torre said. "Things do not always work out, however hard you work. There are other teams that also have great quality and can beat you
"Whatever the result against Japan, it won't lose me the support of my players or my bosses (at the Mexican F.A.)," he said.
"For the sake of our pride, we really want to win this game. We don't want to bow out without any points, particularly since our aims (for this competition) had been so different."
Japan will have to do without Makoto Hasebe, who is suspended after picking up two yellow cards, with Hajime Hosogai expected to replace the Japan skipper.
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Expected lineups: Japan: Kawashima; Uchida, Konno, Yoshida, Nagatomo; Hosogai, Endo; Okazaki, Honda, Kagawa; Maeda.
Mexico: Corona; Mier, Rodriguez, Moreno, Salcido; Torrado, Reyna; Santos, Zavala, Guardado; Hernandez.
Prediction: 2-1 to Japan
