TOULOUSE, France -- Gabriel Batistuta scored the only goal of the match as World Cup favourites Argentina laboured to brush aside debutants Japan in their opening group H match on Sunday.

Sampdoria's Juan Sebastian Veron won the ball close to the Japanese box and fed Ariel Ortega, whose through pass found Batistuta.

The Fiorentina striker took two steps and chipped the ball over advancing goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi into the net for his fifth World Cup goal. He scored four, including a hat-trick against Greece, in the 1994 finals in the United States.

The Argentines started slowly and cautiously with Japan doing more attacking in the opening quarter of an hour.

But after some neat build-up work, notably from Hidetoshi Nakata and Hiroshi Nanami, Japan did not show enough conviction to make the breakthrough although they created some good chances late in the game.

"We played aggressively and positively but unfortunately we didn't score," Japan coach Takeshi Okada said. "We knew Argentina would be stronger than us."

In the last 15 minutes of the first half, Argentina could have gone two goals up.

Batistuta, whose international tally now stands at 44 goals in 62 matches, rose high above Japan's diminutive defenders to hit the post with a header seven minutes before the interval from a cross from the left.

Winger Claudio Lopez dived to head the rebound only to see his close range effort saved by Yamaguchi.

Once the talented Argentine midfield had settled, they had Japan's defence under pressure, Ortega darting through on the ground while Veron was close twice with shots from outside the box.

"Because it is always difficult to win the first match of a World Cup," Argentina coach Daniel Passarella said. "But I am not completely happy with my team. They did some thing very well but they could have been better in certain areas," Passarella said.

"In the first half they created some good chances ... but in the second ... there were things we will have to work on, especially as far as precision and control go," Passarella said.

In the second half Argentina, despite several chances, failed to make their superiority tell against the massed Japanese rearguard.

Yamaguchi saved Japan again 20 minutes from time when he turned a shot from Simeone wide after a Batistuta free kick.

"We have to feel quite satisfied, especially about the first half," Simeone said. "Of course we can also improve and we will improve," he added.

"We don't fear anyone in the group. Now we are just going to settle down and relax before the next match with Jamaica."

Sweeper Robertor Sensini, Argentina's best player, had to come off 20 minutes from time after hurting his hand in an aerial challenge.

Defender Yutaka Akita created Japan's best chance 10 minutes from time with a header across the face of goal but left back Naoki Soma failed to reach the ball at the far post.

"It's a real shame. We hoped to win the match," striker Masashi Nakayama said. "We are very content with the way we played, but of course we couldn't score. I didn't think we were too bad in defence."