Arsene Wenger and Alex Ferguson will tell you otherwise, but it if anyone in the UK thought club international football was no longer the best, they only needed to follow this weekend's relevant Euro 2008 qualifiers.
The fact remains no one club's Champions League success can inspire a country like their national team can on the edge of glory.
After a week of nationalistic hyperbole at the prospect of making the finals ahead of the Sassenachs (their derogatory term for the English), Scotland failed heroically by losing 2-1 at home to Italy and will stay on the Eurostar platform, while England advanced to within a point of qualification without playing a game, thanks to Russia's equally calamitous 2-1 loss to Israel.
You can have all the confidence in the world but that's not enough if you don't have the quality was the painful lesson of the Scots' narrow loss to the Italians in Glasgow.
The gods had done their best to help the home team, chilling the air and opening the heavens to welcome the Azzurri to a Hampden Park that recalled the glorious days of the 'Hampden Roar', when the national stadium was Europe's largest.
But the world champions showed their class by grabbing the game by the neck with a second-minute strike from Luca Toni, and then having weathered the inevitable Scottish storm and equalizer, they stole their hosts' thunder by snatching a last-gasp winner through Christian Panucci.
For England, their late late goal was scored by Israel's Omer Golan in Tel Aviv, but was cheered up and down the land as if it had been struck by Wayne Rooney himself, awarding the little-known Maccabi Petah Tikva striker cult status in the home of football.
Three Lions boss Steve McClaren must have felt like Mark Twain reading his own obituary this week in every newspaper, only to prove reports of death had been greatly exaggerated. Few entertained the possibility of Russia falling short in Israel but with only a point to gain at home to already-qualified Croatia on Wednesday, McClaren has had the last laugh and forced Fleet Street's hacks to file away their epitaphs for another day.
Scotland are still the brave in most people's eyes, but time was when the Scots were shoe-ins for international tournaments and Hampden one of the most feared venues in UEFA. Their near miss in 2007, thanks to a superb team ethic, should not disguise the fact the Scots are still a long way short of their sides of yesteryear and have a lot of catching up to do.
For England the picture is no brighter in reality. The zeitgeist is gloomy in fact. Complaints about the high numbers of overseas players in England grow louder by the hour with more famous players and coaches adding their names to calls for a re-Anglicisation of the national sport.
While laments about the lack of home-grown talent increase, one can't help thinking this was the same crop of players that was called England's 'golden generation' last summer.
There are three other nations in these islands of course, none of whom have much to cheer about either.
The Republic of Ireland and Wales played out a 2-2 draw in Cardiff knowing they had both already been eliminated from UEFA 2008, and while Northern Ireland overcame Denmark 2-1 in Belfast in appalling weather, their qualification for Austria and Switzerland hangs on the unlikely scenario of them winning in Spain and Latvia winning in Sweden on Wednesday.
England look like scraping through to the finals now, but the cradle of the game, the British Isles, is inescapably one of UEFA's weaker regions in 2007.
Beyond these shores, notable mentions must go to Croatia, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain, who all booked their tickets to Euro 2008 on Saturday. The Czech Republic, Germany, Greece and Romania will be there too.
(c) Sean O'Conor & Soccerphile
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Showing posts with label AFC Champions League. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AFC Champions League. Show all posts
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Beer-man Osieck raises glass to Urawa's ACL victory
The Urawa Reds became the first Japanese team since Shimizu S-Pulse in 2000 to win a continental championship when they defeated Sepahan of Iran 2-0 in the final of the Asian Champions League on Wednesday at Saitama Stadium.
An elated Holger Osieck spoke afterward about the win, the season and his preferred celebratory poison of choice:
Q: Did you feel Sepahan were capable of scoring tonight?
A: They always create something. The strikers were obviously a little overambitious, they were running too early too deep and they were caught offside. But you should never underrate that. If they had scored then it would have made our players anxious and therefore you could never be 100 percent sure. If it’s a normal game sure, but in this game where you have to calculate away goals it could have made a difference. But fortunately it didn’t happen and we could keep our lead. And our boys worked extremely hard and considering what we’ve accomplished in the last couple of days, not weeks, it’s amazing. We had to travel to Iran (to play Sepahan in the first leg on Nov. 7), and then the Kawasaki Frontale game (on Nov. 11), which was like a championship game they way they played us. What they did (their rough play) was unbelievable. I have nothing against ambition but there’s a limit … And today again, we should never forget it was a final and there’s always pressure, always tension. And you could feel that throughout the day. There was nothing normal about our preparation like for a league game. Everybody knew what was at stake and you could really sense what was going on. And it was very important for us to show that we could handle this kind of pressure, handle our nerves.
Q: Ahead of the season you said Yuichiro Nagai (who scored the game winner on Wednesday) was going to be an important player for you. Do you feel vindicated now after some people questioned why you had given him the chance earlier in the season?
A: I think he started the season pretty well even though people were wondering why I played him. I have to admit that he was in kind of a slump but then he came back. His return to form came in the Gamba Osaka game (a 1-0 Urawa win on Aug. 15 in which Nagai scored the winner). From that game on he proved what he could do and did what I knew what he was able to do. He scored some very important goals for us, for example against the F. Marinos, etc., and he did a good job for us up front doing what I asked of him, such as defensively during build-ups by our opponents. I think Nagai has done very well for our team this year.
Q: There was a lot of pressure on you following in the footsteps of former manger Guido Buchwald, who won the league and Emperor’s Cup titles last season. You’ve won the ACL and are close to clinching the J.League title. It must make you very happy to be in this position?
A: I was aware of the pressure that was surrounding the team and in particular myself because it is never easy taking over a team that is very successful. It was easier for me in the old days when I coached here (1995-1996) and we were a bottom team. People were happy with any win we could get. Now we’re in a situation in which people ask for wins even if you have no chance. I recall we had some draws earlier in the season and it was not too pleasant. We lost some ground in the league and I think people became a little critical. But I am happy we could overcome it. And for me our trip to China for the A3 tournament was the turning point. That was the first time we were together as a full squad. In the preseason we were pretty much torn because of the different commitments of players and the late arrivals of our foreigners. I never had the entire team together. China was the first time we could really create some understanding and create some chemistry between the coach and team. And from then on it went OK. We won four in a row and headed into the summer break and I think that four-game streak carried over and of course we had an extra game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima that we won. Our start against Reysol was a bit bumpy but then we met Gamba and winning that was the most important thing we did. The performance of the team after that became very stable. In addition to our domestic success we had good games in the ACL. We beat Cheonbuk Motors, eliminated Seongnam Ilhwa, which was a very good team, and then today. In a nutshell that is our season, so you can close your notepads and write your stories now.
Q: After the victory over Seongnam (in the semifinals of the ACL) you said you were going to celebrate with a beer. Are you going to go for something a little stronger tonight?
A: Well actually I am a beer kind of guy. Whatever happens, if it’s a birthday or a victory, it’s nothing more than beer.
Q: German beer or Japanese?
A: I prefer local because you never know what’s inside imported beer.
Q: Looking back on the ACL campaign, would you say Seongnam were your toughest opponent?
A: I would say they were the strongest we played in the competition. They played football, unlike Cheonbuk, who were like another team we recently played in the J.League (referring to the rough play used by Kawasaki). You can guess, it’s like a riddle, I won’t say anything more (laughs).
Q: Are you looking forward to appearing in the FIFA Club World Cup?
A: I think it’s a great opportunity for us. If we happen to reach the semis and play AC Milan that would be a highlight in the Reds history.
Q: How does the ACL win compare to other trophies you’ve won in the past?
A: Every title you win is a special one. And this again has it’s special character, you can’t compare them. The only thing you can do is be happy you won the competition.
Q: Sounds a little like women …
A: That’s his quote, not mine!
Copyright: C.G. Williams & Soccerphile
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Thursday, October 25, 2007
All eyes on Urawa
Round 30 of the J-League has thrown up some fascinating fixtures, but all eyes will be on a Urawa Reds side that takes on Nagoya Grampus Eight in a blockbuster at Saitama Stadium.
Urawa qualified for the final of the AFC Champions League in midweek, and Nagoya will be hoping to take advantage of any hangovers by putting one over the Reds in what is traditionally a hotly contested affair.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima kick off the weekend with what could be an ill-tempered clash against JEF United. Not only will Japan striker Hisato Sato come up against a team captained by his twin brother Yuto, but Hiroshima recently signed Bulgarian defender Ilian Stoyanov.
Stoyanov was sacked by JEF United for claiming that coach Amar Osim was "clueless" and would lead the Chiba outfit into the Second Division. Ironically it's Hiroshima who could be destined for J2 - if they lose this match, they are in danger of being overtaken by a fast finishing Omiya Ardija.
In other highlight matches Kashiwa Reysol and Vissel Kobe will slug it out in a battle between two sides promoted from J2 last season, Omiya Ardija will be fighting for their lives away at a hapless Yokohama FC, Ventforet Kofu will be desperate to take all three points from Yokohama F. Marinos at home, there should be a near-capacity crowd at Nihondaira Stadium as fourth placed Shimizu S-Pulse take on second placed Gamba Osaka, and the Tama River Derby between FC Tokyo and Kawasaki Frontale will be another hotly anticipated affair.
Yokohama FC relegated in record time
Yokohama FC were relegated in record time, after their 3-0 loss away at Vissel Kobe in Round 29 condemned the port city strugglers to Second Division football next season.
Having picked up a meagre eleven league points, the fan-created club look certain to finish with the lowest points tally since the J-League introduced a single stage season in 2005.
Yokohama FC have lost an embarrassing eight matches in a row, and their last point came in a 1-1 draw with Gamba Osaka back in Round 21.
That run of losses has been overseen by Brazilian coach Julio Leal, who was brought in to replace the sacked Takuya Takagi, with Leal yet to pick up a single point in charge of the embattled club.
Omiya Park Stadium open for business
After two seasons playing out of the home of their local rivals Urawa Reds, Omiya Ardija have finally vacated Komaba Stadium to return to their Omiya Park Stadium.
The compact ground has been undergoing extensive refurbishment and will host Omiya's final two home games of the season against Oita Trinita and Kawasaki Frontale.
The 12,500 capacity stadium features both seated and standing terraces and looks set to attract capacity crowds for Omiya's remaining two home fixtures, as the Squirrels of Saitama struggle to retain their J1 status.
The naming rights to the stadium have been sold to local FM radio station NACK5, and as such the stadium's official title is NACK5 Stadium Omiya.
Nabisco League Cup
The Nabisco League Cup Final will take place at the National Stadium in Tokyo on November 3, between Gamba Osaka and Kawasaki Frontale.
Gamba qualified courtesy of the away goals rule, after they lost 3-2 to Kashima Antlers in the second leg of their semi-final tie. Crucial goals from Ryuji Bando and Sidiclei fired the Osakans into the final, after Gamba won the first leg 1-0 thanks to a disputed Yasuhito Endo penalty.
Kawasaki Frontale came out on top of their clash with local rivals Yokohama F. Marinos, winning 6-3 on aggregate. Brazilian striker Juninho scored three goals in the tie, to add to his league-leading total of eighteen goals in the J-League.
AFC Champions League
Urawa Reds became the first Japanese side to reach the final of the revamped AFC Champions League, following their dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Korean champions Seongnam Ilhwa.
With the scores deadlocked at 4-4 after 210 minutes of pulsating football, goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki was the hero for Urawa, standing tall to save Choi Sung-Kuk's nervy penalty.
Reds midfielder Tadaaki Hirakawa then stepped up to drill home the decisive spot-kick and send the majority of the 51,651 strong crowd into raptures.
Urawa will now play Iranian side Sepahan in the final, who knocked out Kawasaki Frontale at the quarter-final stage.
Since the current AFC Champions League format was introduced in 2003, no J-League side had progressed beyond the knock-out stage of the competition. Jubilo Iwata, however, reached three successive finals of the old Asian Club Cup between 1999 and 2001 and were crowned continental champions in 1999, following their win over Iranian giants Esteghlal FC.
Japan National Team
Japan recorded a resounding 4-1 win over Egypt in their friendly at Nagai Stadium in Osaka on October 17.
The Blue Samurai were inspired by a superb performance from Vissel Kobe striker Yoshito Okubo. He opened the scoring with a stunning long-range drive, before heading home his second before the half-time interval.
Jubilo Iwata striker Ryoichi Maeda produced a cool finish just after the break, before Gamba Osaka full-back Akira Kaji rounded out the scoring for Japan, driving home a low strike from just inside the area.
Mohamed Fadl scored a consolation goal for a heavily depleted Egyptian side.
Japan Olympic Team
In a country that holds bad memories for Japanese football fans, Japan's Under-22 National Team lost 2-1 to Qatar in their most recent qualifying match for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The result could come back to haunt Japan's conservative coach Yasuharu Sorimachi, particularly after Japan opened the scoring through Shimizu S-Pulse defender Naoki Aoyama's scrappy finish.
Qatar equalised through Hasan Al Haydos with just twelve minutes remaining, and with the Qatari's marauding forward in search of a winner, FC Tokyo midfielder Masahiko Inoha was adjuged to have handled inside the area deep into stoppage time, and midfielder Majdi Siddiq made no mistake from the spot to fire Qatar to a 2-1 win.
The loss brought back memories of Japan's dramatic collapse against Iraq in a qualifier for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, when they conceded a stoppage time equaliser to the Iraqi's in Qatar, with the 2-2 draw ultimately costing Japan a place at USA '94.
Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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Urawa qualified for the final of the AFC Champions League in midweek, and Nagoya will be hoping to take advantage of any hangovers by putting one over the Reds in what is traditionally a hotly contested affair.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima kick off the weekend with what could be an ill-tempered clash against JEF United. Not only will Japan striker Hisato Sato come up against a team captained by his twin brother Yuto, but Hiroshima recently signed Bulgarian defender Ilian Stoyanov.
Stoyanov was sacked by JEF United for claiming that coach Amar Osim was "clueless" and would lead the Chiba outfit into the Second Division. Ironically it's Hiroshima who could be destined for J2 - if they lose this match, they are in danger of being overtaken by a fast finishing Omiya Ardija.
In other highlight matches Kashiwa Reysol and Vissel Kobe will slug it out in a battle between two sides promoted from J2 last season, Omiya Ardija will be fighting for their lives away at a hapless Yokohama FC, Ventforet Kofu will be desperate to take all three points from Yokohama F. Marinos at home, there should be a near-capacity crowd at Nihondaira Stadium as fourth placed Shimizu S-Pulse take on second placed Gamba Osaka, and the Tama River Derby between FC Tokyo and Kawasaki Frontale will be another hotly anticipated affair.
Yokohama FC relegated in record time
Yokohama FC were relegated in record time, after their 3-0 loss away at Vissel Kobe in Round 29 condemned the port city strugglers to Second Division football next season.
Having picked up a meagre eleven league points, the fan-created club look certain to finish with the lowest points tally since the J-League introduced a single stage season in 2005.
Yokohama FC have lost an embarrassing eight matches in a row, and their last point came in a 1-1 draw with Gamba Osaka back in Round 21.
That run of losses has been overseen by Brazilian coach Julio Leal, who was brought in to replace the sacked Takuya Takagi, with Leal yet to pick up a single point in charge of the embattled club.
Omiya Park Stadium open for business
After two seasons playing out of the home of their local rivals Urawa Reds, Omiya Ardija have finally vacated Komaba Stadium to return to their Omiya Park Stadium.
The compact ground has been undergoing extensive refurbishment and will host Omiya's final two home games of the season against Oita Trinita and Kawasaki Frontale.
The 12,500 capacity stadium features both seated and standing terraces and looks set to attract capacity crowds for Omiya's remaining two home fixtures, as the Squirrels of Saitama struggle to retain their J1 status.
The naming rights to the stadium have been sold to local FM radio station NACK5, and as such the stadium's official title is NACK5 Stadium Omiya.
Nabisco League Cup
The Nabisco League Cup Final will take place at the National Stadium in Tokyo on November 3, between Gamba Osaka and Kawasaki Frontale.
Gamba qualified courtesy of the away goals rule, after they lost 3-2 to Kashima Antlers in the second leg of their semi-final tie. Crucial goals from Ryuji Bando and Sidiclei fired the Osakans into the final, after Gamba won the first leg 1-0 thanks to a disputed Yasuhito Endo penalty.
Kawasaki Frontale came out on top of their clash with local rivals Yokohama F. Marinos, winning 6-3 on aggregate. Brazilian striker Juninho scored three goals in the tie, to add to his league-leading total of eighteen goals in the J-League.
AFC Champions League
Urawa Reds became the first Japanese side to reach the final of the revamped AFC Champions League, following their dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Korean champions Seongnam Ilhwa.
With the scores deadlocked at 4-4 after 210 minutes of pulsating football, goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki was the hero for Urawa, standing tall to save Choi Sung-Kuk's nervy penalty.
Reds midfielder Tadaaki Hirakawa then stepped up to drill home the decisive spot-kick and send the majority of the 51,651 strong crowd into raptures.
Urawa will now play Iranian side Sepahan in the final, who knocked out Kawasaki Frontale at the quarter-final stage.
Since the current AFC Champions League format was introduced in 2003, no J-League side had progressed beyond the knock-out stage of the competition. Jubilo Iwata, however, reached three successive finals of the old Asian Club Cup between 1999 and 2001 and were crowned continental champions in 1999, following their win over Iranian giants Esteghlal FC.
Japan National Team
Japan recorded a resounding 4-1 win over Egypt in their friendly at Nagai Stadium in Osaka on October 17.
The Blue Samurai were inspired by a superb performance from Vissel Kobe striker Yoshito Okubo. He opened the scoring with a stunning long-range drive, before heading home his second before the half-time interval.
Jubilo Iwata striker Ryoichi Maeda produced a cool finish just after the break, before Gamba Osaka full-back Akira Kaji rounded out the scoring for Japan, driving home a low strike from just inside the area.
Mohamed Fadl scored a consolation goal for a heavily depleted Egyptian side.
Japan Olympic Team
In a country that holds bad memories for Japanese football fans, Japan's Under-22 National Team lost 2-1 to Qatar in their most recent qualifying match for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The result could come back to haunt Japan's conservative coach Yasuharu Sorimachi, particularly after Japan opened the scoring through Shimizu S-Pulse defender Naoki Aoyama's scrappy finish.
Qatar equalised through Hasan Al Haydos with just twelve minutes remaining, and with the Qatari's marauding forward in search of a winner, FC Tokyo midfielder Masahiko Inoha was adjuged to have handled inside the area deep into stoppage time, and midfielder Majdi Siddiq made no mistake from the spot to fire Qatar to a 2-1 win.
The loss brought back memories of Japan's dramatic collapse against Iraq in a qualifier for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, when they conceded a stoppage time equaliser to the Iraqi's in Qatar, with the 2-2 draw ultimately costing Japan a place at USA '94.
Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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Friday, September 21, 2007
Urawa in the box seat as Gamba begin to choke
Urawa Reds are once again four points clear of second placed Gamba Osaka, following Gamba's shock 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Yokohama F. Marinos.
A near-capacity crowd of 19,419 turned out at Expo '70 Stadium on September 16 but the majority went home stunned as a brace from Daisuke Sakata dented Gamba's title aspirations.
A day earlier, a crowd of 22,675 turned out in Hiroshima - their largest gate of the season, as Urawa easily disposed of hosts Sanfrecce 4-2, with livewire striker Tatsuya Tanaka taking his goal tally to eight goals in twelve games since returning from injury.
At the other end of the table, Ventforet Kofu put up a valiant display in the so-called Mount Fuji derby before ultimately going down 2-0 to Shimizu S-Pulse in front of 18,101 fans at Nihondaira Stadium.
With Omiya Ardija losing 2-0 to Jubilo Iwata, both clubs look doomed to spend the rest of the season in the relegation zone, given that Oita Trinita have pulled five points clear of the bottom three, following their most recent 2-2 draw with Kawasaki Frontale.
Jubilo Iwata coach Adilson resigns
Former fan favourite Adilson resigned as coach of Jubilo Iwata in the aftermath of Jubilo's 1-0 defeat to local rivals Shimizu S-Pulse in the Shizuoka derby on September 1.
The Brazilian had already been under pressure following Jubilo's first derby loss of the season in May, and his propensity to chop and change his starting eleven meant that Jubilo struggled to gain any momentum throughout the season.
Former assistant Atsushi Uchiyama has been promoted to first team coach, and he oversaw a 2-0 away win over strugglers Omiya Ardija in his first match in charge, in a match notable for the return to the starting eleven of midfielder Yoshiaki Ota and striker Robert Cullen, both of whom had fallen out of favour with Adilson.
2007 has been a difficult year for Jubilo Iwata, with midfielder Naoya Kikuchi sacked by the club midway through the season after admitting that he had sexual relations with a fifteen year old schoolgirl.
AFC Champions League
Both of Japan's representatives reached the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League, with Urawa Reds drawn against defending Asian champions Jeonbuk Motors FC.
Urawa won the first leg of their quarter-final, with goals from Makoto Hasebe and Tatsuya Tanaka propelling them into a two goal lead, before a late strike from Choi Jin-Cheul pulled back what could be a crucial away goal for the K-League side.
Elsewhere Kawasaki Frontale will be confident of progression after they held Iranian side Sepahan to a 0-0 draw at the Foolad Shahr Stadium in Esfahan.
The return legs take place on September 26.
Japan National Team
The Japan National Team's recent tour game tour of Europe was a success, with Japan declared the winner of a four nation tournament also featuring hosts Austria, Switzerland and Chile.
Japan held Austria to a 0-0 draw in front of a capacity crowd at the Woerthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt before succumbing in a penalty shoot-out, with Yokohama F. Marinos defender Yuji Nakazawa missing the crucial spot-kick.
Japan then came from two goals down to beat Switzerland 4-3, scoring four second half goals thanks to a brace of penalties from Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura, a header from Seiichiro Maki and a winning goal from substitute Kisho Yano.
Japan National Women's Team
Despite an impressive display, Nadeshiko Japan failed to progress to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup in China.
Japan opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw against England. In front of a pro-England crowd, Aya Miyama opened the scoring for Japan with a neatly struck free-kick, but Japan appeared to be heading for defeat when England's Kelly Smith scored two late goals. Miyama was the hero, however, stepping up to score a stoppage time equaliser with another brilliant free-kick.
In their next match Japan scored a stoppage time winner through Yuki Nagasato to record a narrow 1-0 victory over Argentina, before reigning world champions Germany proved too strong, knocking Japan out of the tournament with a 2-0 victory.
Japan Olympic Team
After grinding out a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia in oppressive humidity in Damman on September 8, Japan returned to the National Stadium in Tokyo four days later to edge passed Qatar with a 1-0 victory in their lastest qualifying game for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
FC Tokyo midfielder Yohei Kajiyama scored the only goal after just four minutes, as Japan overcame the sending off of Hosei University midfielder Takuya Honda to take their tally to seven points from the opening three games.
Only the group winner progresses to the Olympic tournament, and coach Yasuharu Sorimachi has declared himself satisfied with his team's performances so far. The gloss was taken off this win, however, by the news that Yohei Kajiyama had suffered a serious injury that will rule him out for the rest of the qualifying tournament.
Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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A near-capacity crowd of 19,419 turned out at Expo '70 Stadium on September 16 but the majority went home stunned as a brace from Daisuke Sakata dented Gamba's title aspirations.
A day earlier, a crowd of 22,675 turned out in Hiroshima - their largest gate of the season, as Urawa easily disposed of hosts Sanfrecce 4-2, with livewire striker Tatsuya Tanaka taking his goal tally to eight goals in twelve games since returning from injury.
At the other end of the table, Ventforet Kofu put up a valiant display in the so-called Mount Fuji derby before ultimately going down 2-0 to Shimizu S-Pulse in front of 18,101 fans at Nihondaira Stadium.
With Omiya Ardija losing 2-0 to Jubilo Iwata, both clubs look doomed to spend the rest of the season in the relegation zone, given that Oita Trinita have pulled five points clear of the bottom three, following their most recent 2-2 draw with Kawasaki Frontale.
Jubilo Iwata coach Adilson resigns
Former fan favourite Adilson resigned as coach of Jubilo Iwata in the aftermath of Jubilo's 1-0 defeat to local rivals Shimizu S-Pulse in the Shizuoka derby on September 1.
The Brazilian had already been under pressure following Jubilo's first derby loss of the season in May, and his propensity to chop and change his starting eleven meant that Jubilo struggled to gain any momentum throughout the season.
Former assistant Atsushi Uchiyama has been promoted to first team coach, and he oversaw a 2-0 away win over strugglers Omiya Ardija in his first match in charge, in a match notable for the return to the starting eleven of midfielder Yoshiaki Ota and striker Robert Cullen, both of whom had fallen out of favour with Adilson.
2007 has been a difficult year for Jubilo Iwata, with midfielder Naoya Kikuchi sacked by the club midway through the season after admitting that he had sexual relations with a fifteen year old schoolgirl.
AFC Champions League
Both of Japan's representatives reached the quarter-finals of the Asian Champions League, with Urawa Reds drawn against defending Asian champions Jeonbuk Motors FC.
Urawa won the first leg of their quarter-final, with goals from Makoto Hasebe and Tatsuya Tanaka propelling them into a two goal lead, before a late strike from Choi Jin-Cheul pulled back what could be a crucial away goal for the K-League side.
Elsewhere Kawasaki Frontale will be confident of progression after they held Iranian side Sepahan to a 0-0 draw at the Foolad Shahr Stadium in Esfahan.
The return legs take place on September 26.
Japan National Team
The Japan National Team's recent tour game tour of Europe was a success, with Japan declared the winner of a four nation tournament also featuring hosts Austria, Switzerland and Chile.
Japan held Austria to a 0-0 draw in front of a capacity crowd at the Woerthersee Stadion in Klagenfurt before succumbing in a penalty shoot-out, with Yokohama F. Marinos defender Yuji Nakazawa missing the crucial spot-kick.
Japan then came from two goals down to beat Switzerland 4-3, scoring four second half goals thanks to a brace of penalties from Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura, a header from Seiichiro Maki and a winning goal from substitute Kisho Yano.
Japan National Women's Team
Despite an impressive display, Nadeshiko Japan failed to progress to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup in China.
Japan opened their campaign with a 2-2 draw against England. In front of a pro-England crowd, Aya Miyama opened the scoring for Japan with a neatly struck free-kick, but Japan appeared to be heading for defeat when England's Kelly Smith scored two late goals. Miyama was the hero, however, stepping up to score a stoppage time equaliser with another brilliant free-kick.
In their next match Japan scored a stoppage time winner through Yuki Nagasato to record a narrow 1-0 victory over Argentina, before reigning world champions Germany proved too strong, knocking Japan out of the tournament with a 2-0 victory.
Japan Olympic Team
After grinding out a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia in oppressive humidity in Damman on September 8, Japan returned to the National Stadium in Tokyo four days later to edge passed Qatar with a 1-0 victory in their lastest qualifying game for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
FC Tokyo midfielder Yohei Kajiyama scored the only goal after just four minutes, as Japan overcame the sending off of Hosei University midfielder Takuya Honda to take their tally to seven points from the opening three games.
Only the group winner progresses to the Olympic tournament, and coach Yasuharu Sorimachi has declared himself satisfied with his team's performances so far. The gloss was taken off this win, however, by the news that Yohei Kajiyama had suffered a serious injury that will rule him out for the rest of the qualifying tournament.
Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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Thursday, September 20, 2007
If it's gift-wrapped, the Reds don't want it ...
Urawa Reds manager Holger Osieck remains optimistic about his side’s chances of advancing to the semifinals of the Asian Champions League despite losing hold of a stranglehold on the home-and-away quarterfinal clash against Jeonbuk Motors on Wednesday night.
The Reds outclassed the reigning ACL champions from start to finish and were up 2-0 heading into the waning moments of the match at Saitama Stadium when Jeonbuk defender Choi Jin-cheul blazed home through a maze of players to take the glean off a terrific showing by the home side.
Since away goals count as double in the event of a stalemate, Choi’s last-gasp strike throws the rematch on Sept. 26 in South Korea wide open.
The ever-pragmatic Osieck, however, said he was far from disappointed with the way things transpired on Wednesday.
“First of all it's about winning, and we did that,” the German said. “And secondly, if (Jeonbuk) want to progress they have to beat us. So therefore my impression is that we can be confident. Not arrogant, but confident.
“I don't think our players will be arrogant. They will be focused 100 percent. And from what I saw (Wednesday), I think that yes, we can manage it.”
A tireless Tatsuya Tanaka stole the show for the Reds, helping set up Makoto Hasebe’s opener four minutes in before scoring the eventual game-winner in the 59th.
He was unlucky not to have scored two or three more as the Jeonbuk defense took the night off, but some nice saves from goalkeeper Sung Kyung-il and a fair dose of good luck prevented a blowout.
“We played good football. We have some decent stuff,” Osieck said of his team, which came off a comfortable 4-2 win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Saturday to open up a four-point lead at the top of the J.League table. “Sometimes we pushed forward and sometimes we slowed the pace down and that is the type of rhythm that I like to see. And that is what my players can do.”
The Reds have a league clash this weekend against the Yokohama F. Marinos before flying to South Korea for the rematch on Wednesday.
That the road game against the defending champs in one of the most important matches in the history of the Reds organization hardly fazes Osieck, however. In fact, he appears to relish the challenge that awaits his charges.
“For me it doesn't matter if we play home or away, I want to see the same kind of football from my team. We can do it on the road and we can do it at home,” he said. “First and foremost we have to win. We have to be switched on from the start to the finish.
“I think that with our potential and our self-confidence right now that we shouldn't be worried. We’ll go there with our heads up and fully focused.”
Needing only a scoreless draw to advance, the question begged to be asked: Would he tell his players to smother the game?
Not a chance, Osieck said.
“If you go for a draw you will definitely lose. That's a fact. Why should we hide? We’ll play our game, just as we always do.
“Besides, you have to work hard for everything worth having in life. The only exception is at Christmas when you receive presents for nothing. But even then you usually don't get what you want.”
(c) C.G. Williams & Soccerphile
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The Reds outclassed the reigning ACL champions from start to finish and were up 2-0 heading into the waning moments of the match at Saitama Stadium when Jeonbuk defender Choi Jin-cheul blazed home through a maze of players to take the glean off a terrific showing by the home side.
Since away goals count as double in the event of a stalemate, Choi’s last-gasp strike throws the rematch on Sept. 26 in South Korea wide open.
The ever-pragmatic Osieck, however, said he was far from disappointed with the way things transpired on Wednesday.
“First of all it's about winning, and we did that,” the German said. “And secondly, if (Jeonbuk) want to progress they have to beat us. So therefore my impression is that we can be confident. Not arrogant, but confident.
“I don't think our players will be arrogant. They will be focused 100 percent. And from what I saw (Wednesday), I think that yes, we can manage it.”
A tireless Tatsuya Tanaka stole the show for the Reds, helping set up Makoto Hasebe’s opener four minutes in before scoring the eventual game-winner in the 59th.
He was unlucky not to have scored two or three more as the Jeonbuk defense took the night off, but some nice saves from goalkeeper Sung Kyung-il and a fair dose of good luck prevented a blowout.
“We played good football. We have some decent stuff,” Osieck said of his team, which came off a comfortable 4-2 win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Saturday to open up a four-point lead at the top of the J.League table. “Sometimes we pushed forward and sometimes we slowed the pace down and that is the type of rhythm that I like to see. And that is what my players can do.”
The Reds have a league clash this weekend against the Yokohama F. Marinos before flying to South Korea for the rematch on Wednesday.
That the road game against the defending champs in one of the most important matches in the history of the Reds organization hardly fazes Osieck, however. In fact, he appears to relish the challenge that awaits his charges.
“For me it doesn't matter if we play home or away, I want to see the same kind of football from my team. We can do it on the road and we can do it at home,” he said. “First and foremost we have to win. We have to be switched on from the start to the finish.
“I think that with our potential and our self-confidence right now that we shouldn't be worried. We’ll go there with our heads up and fully focused.”
Needing only a scoreless draw to advance, the question begged to be asked: Would he tell his players to smother the game?
Not a chance, Osieck said.
“If you go for a draw you will definitely lose. That's a fact. Why should we hide? We’ll play our game, just as we always do.
“Besides, you have to work hard for everything worth having in life. The only exception is at Christmas when you receive presents for nothing. But even then you usually don't get what you want.”
(c) C.G. Williams & Soccerphile
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Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Japanese Soccer News
J-League News: Gamba open up seven point gap over inactive Urawa
With four games remaining until the mid-season break, Gamba Osaka have opened up a seven point gap over nearest rivals Urawa Reds.
Gamba's last match was a case of top versus bottom, but they had a tough time against Yokohama FC, eventually winning 2-1 in front of a near-capacity crowd of 19,752 fans at Expo '70 Stadium in Osaka.
Kawasaki Frontale lost ground when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Nagoya Grampus Eight in front of 21,190 fans at Toyota Stadium. Veteran midfielder Toshiya Fujita opened the scoring for Nagoya from the penalty spot less than sixty seconds into the match, before Juninho equalised for the visitors after twenty-two minutes. Norwegian international Frode Johnsen restored Nagoya's lead after sixty-five minutes, but just two minutes later young Korean substitute Chong Te-se ensured that Kawasaki went home with a share of the spoils.
Albirex Niigata were the big movers, coming from behind to beat Vissel Kobe 3-1 in front of 38,667 fans at Big Swan Stadium and moving up to fourth place in the J-League as a result. They leapfrogged Kashiwa Reysol, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Omiya Ardija at Kashiwanoha Stadium. That was Omiya's fifth match unbeaten - although they have only won once during that run - a 1-0 win over bottom club Yokohama FC.
Oita Trinita pulled off a coup recently by announcing that they had re-signed talented midfielder Tsukasa Umesaki from Grenoble, as well as young Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Shunsuke Maeda on loan. They had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Kashima Antlers in front of 21,804 fans at the Kyushu Oil Dome in their most recent J-League fixture, although it was midfielder Daisuke Takahashi who scored twice - including a last minute goal, to salvage a point for the hosts.
Shimizu S-Pulse and FC Tokyo put on a clinic of long-range finishing at Nihondaira Stadium on June 10, but it was the club from the capital who came out on top, triumphing 3-1 over their hosts.
FC Tokyo opened the lead when the pacy Norio Suzuki burst through down the left hand side and crashed an unstoppable left-foot drive passed Yohei Nishibe in the Shimizu goal. Not to be outdone, Shimizu midfielder Akihiro Hyodo then produced a candidate for goal of the season, beating Yoichi Doi with a fabulous left-foot strike from all of thirty yards, just seconds before the half-time whistle.
The turning point of this match came barely sixty seconds after the half-time whistle, when Norio Suzuki once again broke clear down the left hand side and deceived Nishibe with a cool finish that beat the S-Pulse shot-stopper at his near post. Substitute Yuta Baba then cracked home a curling long range strike that crashed down off the crossbar and in off the back of the hapless Nishibe.
Jubilo Iwata fans were celebrating the return of long-term injury casualty Ryoichi Maeda at Kose Sports Park Stadium in Kofu. Making his first start of the season, Maeda scored twice as Jubilo thrashed home team Ventforet Kofu 6-1. Yoshiaki Ota also scored a double, while midfielders Fabricio and Naoya Kikuchi scored one each, with Jubilo coach Adilson afforded the luxury of resting Japan Olympic team striker Bobby Cullen, thanks to the return of Maeda.
Consadole Sapporo still lead the way in J2, despite becoming the latest big-name team to lose to lowly Ehime FC. Sapporo lost 2-1 at Ehime Athletics Stadium in the midweek round of matches on June 13, and nearest challenger Vegalta Sendai took advantage by beating Avispa Fukuoka 1-0 in front of 11,301 fans at Yurtec Sendai Stadium.
Cerezo Osaka recorded a much-needed away victory, hammering Tokushima Vortis 4-0, but third-placed Kyoto Sanga FC crashed 2-0 away at Sagan Tosu, while Thespa Kusatsu held Tokyo Verdy to a 0-0 draw.
Naoya Kikuchi arrested
Jubilo Iwata midfielder Naoya Kikuchi was arrested on June 13 on suspicion of having sex with a minor.
Kikuchi has admitted to having sex with a 15 year old girl in late May, in violation of local laws. The encounter came to light after Kikuchi attempted to hand the girl 10,000 yen in cash, and accidentally left his wallet in the basket of the girl's bicycle.
The girl was allegedly unaware that the 22 year old Kikuchi was a professional footballer, and after handing his wallet in to police, the member of Japan's 2004 Olympic squad in Athens was questioned and ultimately arrested.
Atsuhiro Miura suspended
Former Japan international Atsuhiro Miura has been suspended by his club Vissel Kobe for making derogatory comments directed at Kobe coach Hiroshi Matsuda.
After returning from a broken toe, Miura has been unable to force his way back into the Kobe starting eleven.
He allegedly made the comments after a reserve-team Satellite League game against Nagoya Grampus Eight on June 3. Miura has voluntarily stepped down as captain of Vissel Kobe.
A3 Champions Cup
The A3 Champions Cup took place in Jinan, China this week, with 2006 J-League champions Urawa Reds representing the J-League.
The tournament, which pits the champions of Japan, Korea and China - plus one other team from the host nation against each other, saw Urawa take on K-League champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma and Chinese Super League champions Shandong Luneng and runners-up Shanghai Shenhua United.
Urawa lost their first match to Shandong 4-3, before beating Seongnam 1-0 in a spiteful encounter. Ryota Tsuzuki saved a penalty from Seongnam's Brazilian striker Mota in that match, before sparking a wild melee by standing over the striker who was lying disconsolate on the ground. Shanghai Shenhua were knocked out of the AFC Champions League by Urawa, but they extracted a measure of revenge by beating the Reds 3-1 in their final A3 Champions Cup match.
The scheduling of the tournament forced the postponement until Wednesday, August 1 of Urawa's Round 14 J-League clash with Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Saitama Stadium. Urawa's next J-League match is a tough encounter with near-neighbours FC Tokyo at Ajinomoto Stadium on June 17.
Japan National Teams
With four games remaining until the mid-season break, Gamba Osaka have opened up a seven point gap over nearest rivals Urawa Reds.
Gamba's last match was a case of top versus bottom, but they had a tough time against Yokohama FC, eventually winning 2-1 in front of a near-capacity crowd of 19,752 fans at Expo '70 Stadium in Osaka.
Kawasaki Frontale lost ground when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Nagoya Grampus Eight in front of 21,190 fans at Toyota Stadium. Veteran midfielder Toshiya Fujita opened the scoring for Nagoya from the penalty spot less than sixty seconds into the match, before Juninho equalised for the visitors after twenty-two minutes. Norwegian international Frode Johnsen restored Nagoya's lead after sixty-five minutes, but just two minutes later young Korean substitute Chong Te-se ensured that Kawasaki went home with a share of the spoils.
Albirex Niigata were the big movers, coming from behind to beat Vissel Kobe 3-1 in front of 38,667 fans at Big Swan Stadium and moving up to fourth place in the J-League as a result. They leapfrogged Kashiwa Reysol, who were held to a 0-0 draw by Omiya Ardija at Kashiwanoha Stadium. That was Omiya's fifth match unbeaten - although they have only won once during that run - a 1-0 win over bottom club Yokohama FC.
Oita Trinita pulled off a coup recently by announcing that they had re-signed talented midfielder Tsukasa Umesaki from Grenoble, as well as young Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Shunsuke Maeda on loan. They had to come from behind twice to draw 2-2 with Kashima Antlers in front of 21,804 fans at the Kyushu Oil Dome in their most recent J-League fixture, although it was midfielder Daisuke Takahashi who scored twice - including a last minute goal, to salvage a point for the hosts.
Shimizu S-Pulse and FC Tokyo put on a clinic of long-range finishing at Nihondaira Stadium on June 10, but it was the club from the capital who came out on top, triumphing 3-1 over their hosts.
FC Tokyo opened the lead when the pacy Norio Suzuki burst through down the left hand side and crashed an unstoppable left-foot drive passed Yohei Nishibe in the Shimizu goal. Not to be outdone, Shimizu midfielder Akihiro Hyodo then produced a candidate for goal of the season, beating Yoichi Doi with a fabulous left-foot strike from all of thirty yards, just seconds before the half-time whistle.
The turning point of this match came barely sixty seconds after the half-time whistle, when Norio Suzuki once again broke clear down the left hand side and deceived Nishibe with a cool finish that beat the S-Pulse shot-stopper at his near post. Substitute Yuta Baba then cracked home a curling long range strike that crashed down off the crossbar and in off the back of the hapless Nishibe.
Jubilo Iwata fans were celebrating the return of long-term injury casualty Ryoichi Maeda at Kose Sports Park Stadium in Kofu. Making his first start of the season, Maeda scored twice as Jubilo thrashed home team Ventforet Kofu 6-1. Yoshiaki Ota also scored a double, while midfielders Fabricio and Naoya Kikuchi scored one each, with Jubilo coach Adilson afforded the luxury of resting Japan Olympic team striker Bobby Cullen, thanks to the return of Maeda.
Consadole Sapporo still lead the way in J2, despite becoming the latest big-name team to lose to lowly Ehime FC. Sapporo lost 2-1 at Ehime Athletics Stadium in the midweek round of matches on June 13, and nearest challenger Vegalta Sendai took advantage by beating Avispa Fukuoka 1-0 in front of 11,301 fans at Yurtec Sendai Stadium.
Cerezo Osaka recorded a much-needed away victory, hammering Tokushima Vortis 4-0, but third-placed Kyoto Sanga FC crashed 2-0 away at Sagan Tosu, while Thespa Kusatsu held Tokyo Verdy to a 0-0 draw.
Naoya Kikuchi arrested
Jubilo Iwata midfielder Naoya Kikuchi was arrested on June 13 on suspicion of having sex with a minor.
Kikuchi has admitted to having sex with a 15 year old girl in late May, in violation of local laws. The encounter came to light after Kikuchi attempted to hand the girl 10,000 yen in cash, and accidentally left his wallet in the basket of the girl's bicycle.
The girl was allegedly unaware that the 22 year old Kikuchi was a professional footballer, and after handing his wallet in to police, the member of Japan's 2004 Olympic squad in Athens was questioned and ultimately arrested.
Atsuhiro Miura suspended
Former Japan international Atsuhiro Miura has been suspended by his club Vissel Kobe for making derogatory comments directed at Kobe coach Hiroshi Matsuda.
After returning from a broken toe, Miura has been unable to force his way back into the Kobe starting eleven.
He allegedly made the comments after a reserve-team Satellite League game against Nagoya Grampus Eight on June 3. Miura has voluntarily stepped down as captain of Vissel Kobe.
A3 Champions Cup
The A3 Champions Cup took place in Jinan, China this week, with 2006 J-League champions Urawa Reds representing the J-League.
The tournament, which pits the champions of Japan, Korea and China - plus one other team from the host nation against each other, saw Urawa take on K-League champions Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma and Chinese Super League champions Shandong Luneng and runners-up Shanghai Shenhua United.
Urawa lost their first match to Shandong 4-3, before beating Seongnam 1-0 in a spiteful encounter. Ryota Tsuzuki saved a penalty from Seongnam's Brazilian striker Mota in that match, before sparking a wild melee by standing over the striker who was lying disconsolate on the ground. Shanghai Shenhua were knocked out of the AFC Champions League by Urawa, but they extracted a measure of revenge by beating the Reds 3-1 in their final A3 Champions Cup match.
The scheduling of the tournament forced the postponement until Wednesday, August 1 of Urawa's Round 14 J-League clash with Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Saitama Stadium. Urawa's next J-League match is a tough encounter with near-neighbours FC Tokyo at Ajinomoto Stadium on June 17.
Japan National Teams
Japan
Two encouraging performances in the Kirin Cup have renewed the confidence of Japan fans ahead of the upcoming Asian Cup.
Japan beat Montenegro 2-0 at Ecopa Stadium in Fukuroi on June 2, courtesy of goals from Yokohama F. Marinos defender Yuji Nakazawa and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Naohiro Takahara.
The Blue Samurai overwhelmed their opponents, and they took the lead when Nakazawa produced a towering header from Yasuhito Endo's cross after twenty-three minutes. Fifteen minutes later the impressive Yuichi Komano delivered a pinpoint cross for Takahara to flick home at the near post, as Montenegro had no answer to Japan's attacking football.
The closest the visitors came was in the sixty-seventh minute, but captain Igor Burzanovic rolled a spot-kick wide after he had been brought down in the box.
Japan turned in an even more impressive performance three days later, but they were unable to break the deadlock in a 0-0 draw with Colombia at Saitama Stadium. That result was enough to see Japan lift the Kirin Cup, but fans will be more pleased with the stylish football offered by "Osim's Japan," with Naohiro Takahara in particularly good form.
Japan Olympic Team
After winning all six of their opening group matches in the gruelling Olympic qualification tournament, Japan have been rewarded with a tough-looking Final Round draw in their bid to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Japan have been drawn in Group C with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Vietnam. The Saudi's relegated Australia into second place in their opening group, while Vietnam edged out Lebanon into top spot in their group.
The four group winners will join hosts China as Asia's football representatives at the Olympics.
Japan Women's Team
Nadeshiko Japan lead their Final Round Group A with ten points from four games played. Japan dropped their first points of the campaign by drawing 2-2 with Korea Republic at Bucheon Stadium on June 10.
Japan next travel to Vietnam on August 4, before returning to Japan to play what could be a decisive final group match against second-placed Thailand on August 12.
Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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