Previews

J1 Preview Aug.11 – 19:00 Kashiwa Reysol vs FC Tokyo at Kashiwa

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– Reysol to Continue Push For the Top!

Kashiwa Reysol – DF Hashimoto is suspended. DF Fujita out for a month. Brazilian FW Neto Baiano has signed for Reysol.

FC Tokyo – MF/DF Takahashi is suspended. GK Gonda and DF Tokunaga are with the Olympic team. MF Otake is out for the season. DF Jang out for three months. MF Hanyu out for at least another month.

8 wins for Reysol, 6 for FC Tokyo and 2 draws over the last decade.
Kashiwa Reysol are now top scorers in J1, four points off the top spot, with the likes of Kudo and Sawa, as well as midfielder Leandro Domingues hitting the back of the net frequently., keeping national team selectee Junya Tanaka on the bench often so, why buy a Brazilian forward mid-season? Especially one who failed spectacularly in a previous stint in Japan with JEF United? Neto Baiano has grown since he left Japan but is he good enough to come in and take Reysol to the next level, or will he disrupt the teamwork that has got them this far – wait and see!

FC Tokyo have half a team missing through injury or Olympic duty and will be happy to see the return of Gonda and Tokunaga, at least, next week, but not for this game. With Takahashi suspended, also, their work will be cut out holding off the rampant Reysol attack. Lucas was rested during the week’s Nabisco Cup tie and it also gave Edmilson a chance to get match fit so, if Ishikawa and Hasegawa are firing on all cylinders, FC Tokyo may help in making this a high-scoring game. Tokyo have won only one in the last five league games and are averaging only just over a goal a game, so the forwards need to convert those chances that come from the hard-working midfield. I think a high-scoring draw today? EXPECT a DRAW!

Previews

J1 Preview Aug.11 – 19:00 Vissel Kobe vs Urawa Reds at Home's Stadium

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Vissel Kobe – DF Inoha is undergoing tests on a knee injury.

Urawa Reds – MF Naoki Yamada is out for the season

11 wins for Urawa, 9 for Kobe and 2 draws over the last decade, all in J1 or the Nabisco Cup. Vissel won four-in-a-row until Reds’ home win in J1 this season.

Match Preview – Urawa Reds have won just two of their last five, drawing the other three, but remain just three points off the top since Sanfrecce and Vegalta have been having similar inconsistent runs. This has allowed teams in the middle of the table to close the gap and, if Urawa are to pull away from their challengers and cement an ACL 2013 place, or even the Championship, they must win games like this. They still struggle to score goals, of their 28 so far this season 4 came in one game against Sagan Tosu, so they are barely over a goal per game average. not good enough for a team to make a top three place! They were lucky to not lose players to the London Olympics but have not taken advantage of other teams’ inconsistencies and, to make it simple, they need more goals. Marcio Richardes has weighed in recently but he needs help from Haraguchi, or the bench players – the likes of Tatsuya Tanaka, for example, when they are given their chances.

Vissel Kobe have stuttered after a reasonable start to the season and two losses and two draws in their last four games, including a 5-1 defeat at Nagoya last week has been a disappointment to those expecting more from the team under coach Akira Nishino, but, hopefully for Vissel fans, and Nishino in particular, the owners will have patience as the coach builds his team in his image. It took him a few years to get Gamba to win the league and then the ACL – Vissel fans won’t mind waiting a little. The likes of Morioka, Ogawa, Okui and even Inoha, not that old yet, are the future of the club and I see a bright future, if Nishino is given time to build his team. Ogawa is turning into a key man – or teenager – for the club and could be the difference against a back three. Abe, Suzuki and the Reds have plenty of experience, but youth, enthusiasm and speed is a dangerous combination to come up against. Reds beware! Unfortunately Vissel may be missing centre back Inoha – again – and will be lacking there if Takagi is selected.

EXPECT a DRAW!

Previews

J1 Preview Aug.11 – 19:00 Omiya Ardija vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Nack 5

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Omiya Ardija – MF Carlinhos is suspended. MF Higashi is with the Olympic team. MF Murakami out for at least two months. FW Shimizu is out for about one month.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima – MF Hwang is with Korea’s Olympic team. MF Yamagishi considered doubtful.
11 wins for Sanfrecce, 4 for Ardija and 3 draws over the last decade. With Hisashi Sato sitting pretty at the top of the goalscoring charts on 16 goals (including only one PK, by the way), ably supported by Naoki Ishihara – who moved from Omiya Ardija at the start of the season – Sanfrecce are scoring goals, but they couldn’t hold on to a lead last weekend, when they allowed Shimizu S-Pulse – with only ten men it should be noted – to score two late goals and send them to a defeat. Sanfrecce were top for a week but that defeat sent them into 2nd again. They shouldn’t have any problem against an ailing Omiya Ardija who lost in a crucial relegation battle to Gamba Osaka last weekend.

Ardija are missing Higashi to the Olympic squad and have added Slovenians Zlatan Ljubijankič and MILIVOJE NOVAKOVIC to their squad in recent weeks, although they have let defensive stalwart go to relegation rivals Albirex Niigata! Last week they opened the scoring against Gamba, with a classy Yu Hasegawa goal, but could not hold on to their lead and slipped into the relegation battle. A loss here today will make sure they struggle for the remainder of the season! The team needs more from the likes of Cho and Carlinhos, and they need it NOW!

EXPECT a WIN for SANFRECCE HIROSHIMA!

Previews

J1 Preview Aug.11 – 18:00 Shimizu S-Pulse vs Nagoya Grampus at Nihondaira

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Shimizu S-Pulse – the team released CB Iwashita on loan to Gamba Osaka. MF Muramatsu is with the Olympic team.

Nagoya Grampus – FW Nagai is with the Olympic team. FWs Kennedy and Tamada both out. MF Isomura out for at least a month more.
8 wins for Nagoya, 7 for Shimizu, and 6 draws over the last decade, all in J1 or the Nabisco Cup, of course – neither team ever having been relegated.Nagoya Grampus were missing striker Nagai to the London Olympics. Combine that with injuries to Tamada and Kennedy and manager Dragan Stojkovic was forced to play centre back Tulio upfront. He repaid his manager’s faith with four goals against Vissel Kobe last week! He will be a handful for Calvin Jong-a-Pin and his S-Pulse defensive partners if Grampus choose to keep Tulio upfront for this contest. Prior to last week’s goal-fest Grampus had scored four in four games, including a loss to Consadole and so they will be looking to build on that win and make a push for the top three over the next few games.

Meanwhile, Shimizu S-Pulse have put in good performances but lost games because they are not scoring. Early season the likes of Omae and Takagi were putting the chances away, then the goals dried up and the chase for the 100th goal of their history seemed to make it hard for them. On the other hand, there are times when they are winning games when a player (or even two) short – talk about inconsistency. 21 goals in 20 games, and “only” 23 conceded in that time (five of which were when they went down to nine men against Reysol) means a low-scoring draw is probably expected here but I feel S-Pulse may well have turned the corner and I think we can EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

Previews

J1 Preview Aug.11 – 14:00 Consadole Sapporo vs. Vegalta Sendai at Sapporo

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Consadole Sapporo – DF Osanai out for a month, DFs Kim and North and FW Tele are expected to be fit but have fitness tests. Vegalta Sendai – DF Kakuda is out for at least a month.

7 wins for Sapporo, 6 for Sendai and 6 draws over the years, all in J2 until this year.

Vegalta Sendai won 4-1 earlier in the season and who is going to predict that the top club will lose to the bottom club – a team that has conceded 47 goals and scored just 13 in their 20 games so far. Sendai returned to the top of the league last weekend, but only because Sanfrecce lost to S-Pulse. In fact Sendai have won only one of their last five games as the top of J1 becomes congested moving into the final stretch. The team that wins games when a draw seems likely will win the league. Right now the top half of the league is getting closer as teams drop points, someone has to be consistent!

Consadole Sapporo have reinforced recently but many are unsure if is desperation and the hope that they can survive the drop, or planning ahead for next season in J2! For Vegalta, forward Akamine is on fine form after injuries and inconsistency slowed him down and Brazilian forward Wilson has settled in and started scoring regularly after a slow start. We can expect goals, mostly for Vegalta! For me a key man this season has been midfielder Matsushita, growing in stature and dictating plays. His free kicks and hard work have helped Sendai get to where they are.

EXPECT a WIN for VEGALTA SENDAI!

In the Mix, Reports

Nabisco Cup Results / ２０１２Ｊリーグヤマザキナビスコカップ

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NABISCO CUP results
Cerezo Osaka 0-3 Kashima Antlers (aggregate 1-5), Nagoya Grampus 3-4 Shimizu S-Pulse (4-4 – S-Pulse through on away goals), FC Tokyo 2-0 Vegalta Sendai (4-2), Kashiwa Reysol 2-1 Gamba Osaka (5-2)

C大阪 0－3 鹿島 (1-5) : 名古屋 3－4 清水 (4-4) : FC東京 2－0 仙台 (4-2) : 柏 2－1 G大阪 (5-2)

Semi-Finals: Shimizu S-Pulse v FC Tokyo,/ Kashiwa Reysol v Kashima Antlers, to be played 1st leg: Wed. Sept. 5th, 2nd leg: Sat. Oct. 13th.

In the Mix, National Team, Reports

Japan 1-3 Mexico – the dream of gold is over … Bronze Medal game v. Korea to come

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London 2012 Olympics Semi final (Wembley Stadium, London）82,372

Japan 1-3 Mexico

OTSU (12) / FABIAN (31), PERALTA (65), CORTES (90+3)

Yellow cards – H. SAKAI Hiroki (Japan), FABIAN (Mexico)

Japan: GK – Gonda DF – H. Sakai, Yoshida, Suzuki, Tokunaga DMF – Ogihara (Saito, 83), Yamaguchi OMF – Kiyotake (Usami, 77), Higashi (Sugimoto, 71), Otsu FW – Nagai

After the Nadeshiko Ladies had made it to their final, the whole of Japan was awaiting a double final appearance as the men took on Mexico in the Olympic semi-final at Wembley – but it was not to be. In short, Takashi Sekizuka’s charges capitulated to a hard-working – but not THAT good – Mexico team. Yes, Mexico were not that good, but Japan were not good AT ALL. The cool, composed passing and patience of previous games deserted the young Samurai Blue when it mattered and, while many of us would probably have taken a semi-final place pre-tournament – losing out on a final place with a display like this, with the whole world watching, just, well, as my American friend would say, SUCKS! Mexico were beaten, in Mexico, in 1968 when Japan came back with the bronze medal and so, 44 years later, Mexico exacted their revenge.

It began well, with Yuki Otsu scoring a spectacular half-volley from 25 yards out, that would have the Europeans drooling if he’d scored it in the Premier League. To call it Henri-esque, or Bergkamp-esque would not exaggerate its brilliance! But Otsu’s 3rd goal of the tournament was as good as it got for Japan. Mexico were back in the game before half time with a flicked on corner finding its way to Fabian for the equaliser.

Into the 2nd half and both teams had chances but Mexico began to pile on the possession and made it pay in the 65th minute in an inexcusable few seconds of madness from Gonda and Ogihara. The Japan keeper made an easy save, jumped up, looked for somewhere to distribute the ball and chose Ogihara 30 yards out, in the middle of the field surrounded by Mexicans! The Cerezo midfielder – who should not be remembered just for this mistake, he’s had a decent tournament otherwise – Ogihara tried what has been called the “Cruyff Turn”, and failed. Lost the ball to Oribe Peralta, who took another touch and placed the ball into the corner from way out, and Japan were, unnecessarily, down a goal.

Japan still hoped to get back into the game but the likes of Tokunaga, Sakai and the aforementioned Ogihara were having an off day and a team can not carry an ailing player at this level, let alone three or four. Sekizuka made changes, bringing on Sugimoto, Usami and Saito over the last 20 minutes or so, but to no avail and, to run salt in the wound, Mexico added another on a breakaway in lost time as Japan poured upfield, Javier Cortes slotting the ball past Gonda to make the final score a little harder to take for the Japanese fans.

Japan will now go for that Bronze medal against local rivals Korea on Friday night (UK time, Saturday morning Japan time) at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

Nadeshiko

Japan 2-1 France – Nadeshiko Japan Advance to Olympic Final

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Japan played this game at their pace from the start. They held the ball, passed with confidence and closed France down whenever they needed to. It was a performance of World Champions, for about an hour anyway! The irony is that, after what seemed like about 70% possession – and France racking up goal attempts, albeit from distance, without causing Miho Fukumoto in the Japan goal any problem – Nadeshiko Japan scored their two goals from free kicks into the box against the much more physically imposing French. Size really doesn’t matter, you know! The French had tried a little physical stuff – in particular when Wendie Renard tried her best to put Shinobu Ohno out of the game with a horrific challenge early on. TV replays showed it was, or could have been, a real leg breaker. The same defender was lucky to get away without seeing red – for a second yellow – with a similar challenge on Yuki Ogimi later in the game.

The first goal came from a deep Aya Miyama free kick which the French keeper made a mess of and Ogimi forced the ball home from close range. That was the score at the break, and Japan – with that dominant possession and superbly patient passing – had never seemed in trouble. The World Champions added a second when Miyama’s free kick – again – was headed home by Mizuho Sakaguchi and looked to be cruising to victory and then …..

… France finally got a goal, and a foothold to get back into this Olympic semi-final, in the 76th minute, when Sameshima was uncharacteristically made to look slow in the left back position and the right wing cross from Elodie Thomis was blasted home by Eugenie Le Sommer and moments later France were awarded a penalty kick when Le Sommer – an effective substitute indeed – was upended by Sakaguchi, but Bussaglia put it wide and Japan heaved a collective sigh of relief. But it was far from over, as France suddenly realised that maybe they had a chance in this game, yet, as they poured forward they left space that Kawasumi and Ogimi almost took advantage of, the keeper having to come out of her area to close down a through ball and keep France in with a shout as the clock ticked down.

With nothing to lose France continued pushing forward in the final ten minutes and Japan were finally tested, but remained tight at the back/rode their luck (delete as applicable) and as more space opened up, Ogimi broke free, advanced toward goal in the final minute of regulation time and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper. It came back off the post and Japan had to withstand four added minutes. but see it out they did and a nation continues to be enthralled by these ladies who, two years ago won the ultimate prize – FIFA’s World Cup. Can they add an Olympic gold medal to that? Whatever happens, the country can be proud of Nadeshiko Japan.

Suffice to say – and I won’t apologise for saying it again – the final will need a strong referee who will not allow the thuggery that the USA team CAN come up with. If they play to win, fairly, they are a great team to watch – it will be a final worthy of a gold medal game. If they come out kicking, and get away with it, the Games will be cheated. Japan saw what the USA team will do to win – if they are allowed to – in Sweden, pre-Olympics, even in a “friendly” – a game in which midfielder Rumi Utsugi was hacked out of the Olympics by some dreadful tackles. Please, USA, don’t resort to that!

Japan – if they win – will be the first team in history to win the World Cup and then Olympic gold…. having said that, the country is already proud and, if they do their best, a silver is as much as anyone EXPECTED” before the games started…. Business Class return flights? Who knows!

JAPAN – Fukomoto; Kinga, Kumagai, Sameshima, Iwashimizu; Kawasumi, Sawa, Miyama, Sakaguchi; Ogimi; Ohno

Pictures show Shinobu Ohno in action with INAC Kobe ….

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Japan 3-0 Egypt, Old Trafford, Olympic quarter final

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Japan booked their place at Wembley – for an Olympic semi-final against Mexico – by whipping Egypt in another legendary stadium – Old Trafford. Over 70,000 fans crowded into Manchester United’s “Theatre of Dreams” to see Japan’s dream continue as they strive to at least equal the performance of their predecessors in 1968.

Kensuke Nagai opened the scoring early on – Hiroshi Kiyotake won the ball from a dawdling Egyptian midfield and, without even looking uo, it seemed, whipped a long cross field ball between the defenders and goalkeeper for Nagai to steam in and nick it past the keeper as he collided with his defender. He then swept it into an empty net, although not without being hacked from behind by Hegazi, coming in way too late! The injury suffered while scoring the goal was to force Nagai off minutes later – he was replaced by Manabu Saito. It was Saito who had the next major impact on the game when he latched onto a through ball in the 41st minute and was taken out from behind by Saadeldin Saad on the edge of the area. Again it was Kiyotake instigating the move, finding Keigo Higashi, who’s through ball was perfectly placed for Saito. The defender saw red and was off for an early shower! Another yard and it was a penalty, but it was just a Takahiro Ogihara free kick, that flew safely into the arms of Egyptian keeper Ahmed Elshenawi, and the score remained 1-0 in Japan’s favour at half time.

The 2nd half saw complete control from Japan, although they left it late to add to the scoring. Firstly Maya Yoshida headed home a right-sided Kiyotake free kick in the 79th minute – totally unmarked as he sprinted to the near post space. Then, just a couple of minutes later, Yuki Otsu powered home a header from a left wing Ogihara cross to make it 3-0, game over. Japan could have added to the score in the dying minutes, not least from a Takashi Usami blast that stung the keeper’s fingers with, literally, the final kick of the game.

So Japan move into the semi-final to play a team they know they can beat – as they indeed did – pre-Olympic tournament! And the last time Japan played Mexico at the Olympics – in 1968, a bronze medal ensued. While I would have been happy with a bronze medal before the games began – and said so, to anyone who would listen that Japan would make the last four with ease – I can’t help thinking that the predicted JSoccer.com-predicted Japan v. Brazil final could still be on the cards and, in a one-off final game, anything can happen. Japan WILL be confident, and think they can beat anyone – but let’s work on Mexico first!

The only downside to the Egypt destruction was injuries to Nagai (dead leg?) and Higashi (looked like a pulled muscle near the end)….. will Japan be forced to make changes to this winning team? Watch this space.

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Jリーグ　J1 プリビュ 8月4日 19:00　サガン鳥栖 vs. 鹿島アントラーズ　（ベストアメニティスタジアム）

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今季はじめてＪ１を戦うサガンのホーム戦での強さは周知のところ。ただ、今夜の相手は連勝を続けるアントラーズ。ゆっくりと順位を上げ、2013年度に向けての準備も着々といったところ。
大迫と興梠が得点を続ければ、鹿島の今シーズンは安泰か。鹿島の今夜の勝利は、サガンをゆっくりと降格圏に近づける一撃となるか？それとも、私のサガンの評価が低すぎるのか！