Women's Asian Olympic Qualifiers [R]

Thailand..

N.Korea is out of the top 10. what's happened..

 

wwc2011

 

North Korea 1-0 Australia

Japan 3-0 Thailand

 

Seems the distractions with suspensions didn't disrupt the North Koreans too much.

and China 0-0 South Korea

 

The Matildas looked much better than NKorea in last WC. What happened this time?

 

You can guarantee that Australian's line up was another random experiment in how to make life unnecessarily difficult. Their coach seems to be stuck in a Momento like loop, and can't make sense of all his teams better options .

My tip is for South Korea to break through and take an Olympic place along with Japan. Even if South Korea lose to Japan, they will beat both Korea DPR and Australia. The Matildas bombed post 07 in their attempts to qualify for the Olympics, and I can see them missing out again with this years increased level of competition, while Korea DPR as a team are probably younger than they were during the WWC .

Plus, why are all these women's AFC qualifying tournaments held in China? It would seem the Steel Rose's history still holds major sway in getting to host so often.

 

I am pretty sure you lose money holding a woman's tournament pretty much every place you go. China might have the resources that others don't.

 

Yeah, when you chose to host women's events in vast 45k seat stadia with the obligatory running track, then decide not to tell anybody about the actual event which is taking place, yeah China seem to be able to do that really well . I'm sure Japan, Korea Rep, and Australia, all have smaller football friendly stadiums which could do the job better.

If the AFC doesn't want to accumulate big costs in something they feel is no more than yet another meaningless event, then don't have it, or change it's format. The other competitive region (Europe) doesn't bother, but instead have a serious confederation Championship to take up the development slack. The AFC should use the UEFA or CONMEBOL method, and have Olympic qualification based on it's top teams success during the whole WWC process.

Seeing how the East Asian Football Federation championships almost becomes the default AFC championship (for the women any way), I don't think doing away with separate Olympic qualification process would adversely effect the AFC's development.

 

its a good point.

I would imagine that some Japanese fans would show up for the weekend games. Maybe even some from Australia too, given the recent World Cup, where they fared quite well.

Anyway, please post any highlights.

 

China vs. South Korea was excruciating to watch. Just... really bad. Wild tackles all over the field (several of which looked pretty dangerous), passing balls straight to opponents or to no one... I have never seen so many possessions that should be dangerous (when they managed to keep it for more than 5 seconds) just fritter away into nothingness. No shot, no cross, nothing.

China in particular is going to have troubles if they don't manage to find some faster players in the next few years who can actually get a cross or shot off. South Korea defenders were noticeably faster and cut off forwards from their runs. The only time I saw a Chinese forward get a decent run on goal was when she started from a good 5 yards or so offsides...

Hope the other teams look better!

 

LOL, come on now the game report didn't sound that awful. I think your being overly critical because of the negative scoreline. South Korea actually have some pretty decent players, and it can't be easy playing the hosts and a serious rival to hopes of qualification in your opening game.

This I can believe, but I think China's problems come from more than simply being slow, or lacking athleticism. China's Asian rivals have simply developed better and far deeper pools of talent over the years.

Just look at what Japan, South and North Korea have all recently achieved. With relatively tiny amounts of registered players on the global level, they have each obtained serious results and success at age group or senior FIFA women's tournaments now on offer.

Hmmmm, again you may be disappointed if you thought China and South Korea were seriously that bad. I can't imagine Australia or DPR Korea being significantly better just because they happened to be in Germany a few weeks ago. I'm sure even Japan (World Champs) played like sh*t at times today.

 

No, no. I watched the game. It was that bad.

South Korea looked better. Their build up was better, but it's a combination of missing the final pass and when they did make that pass, the shot was straight to the Chinese GK. Attacks just not dangerous. Still better than China, who didn't have dangerous possessions.

Possibly. I haven't kept up with China's teams recently so I was unpleasantly surprised by how slow China looked in this match. It was almost painful watching Han Duan try to run down her own balls (hint: she didn't).

Shifting focuses, China's central midfielders were too impatient. They didn't make good passes. Granted, I could sort of see why they didn't pass to their outside wings (because the wingers were so... slooooooow...), but they'd make these wild passes straight over their forwards' heads to the SK GK.

I'm sure Japan has had bad days too, but if DPR and Australia play at roughly the same level they did in the WWC, then they should be significantly better than both China and South Korea.

 

That sounds about right. Both these teams did the same thing in their WWC qualification game too.

South Korea dominate the ball, showing plenty of neat skill and build up play, but have no end product, just like the Japanese before the 08 Olympics. China on the other hand still lacks ......

South Korea are still a less evolved Japan, but the talent gap between themselves and Australia or Korea DPR is not really there any more.

Sounds like poor tactics, rather than simply being an issue of speed. Japan are a great example of adaptability versus opposition strengths. China obviously have little respect for their confederation rivals, while over estimating what they bring to the table.

When China play against western teams, they tend to play smart effective football without making obvious any glaring deficiencies based around a lack of pure speed.

LOL, I'm not so sure about that. A much stronger Australia were comfortably beaten by South Korea pre WWC, while a once dangerous DPR Korea proved to be the most underwhelming team seen in the whole WWC.

Australia have serious potential to cause major problems for future elite level international competition, but right now they still find themselves continuing the long teething process of major changes. DPR Korea were bad in Germany, and have now screwed themselves for the next 5 years too, so god only knows what their looking to do in this qualification process.

Plus remember South Korea are actually ranked in the top 16 of the women's game. They never missed out on the WWC due to a lack of quality. The AFC just happens to have them placed along side one of 4 other serious women's programs.

 

Okay. Watched the last half of the CN-NK game.

Thoughts in no particular order:

The two teams had respectively red with white piping and white with red piping. Had to wait until I saw the CN coach and a close up of one of the players (CN's red uniforms also had this mini red CN flag on upper left of shirt) to figure out who was who.

CN's keeper is stocky but sure, I suppose. NK had some good chances and looks. Some just wide (one agonizingly by just an inch), others saved. A little slow though. Like balls would come to her penalty box with no one near and she'd jog to it slowly and the ball would go out of bounds, so she'd just take a GK instead of just stopping it before it going out of bounds? It's not a problem, just thought it interesting since I think most American GKs would get there in time and just bring it up with their feet and punt it forward or pass to one of their defenders.

By contrast, NK keeper is very unsteady. I counted at least THREE really dangerous botched receptions by her, each time with a CN player almost right next to her. Just couldn't hold onto the ball and ball would slip out of hands and she'd have to flail and catch it again. Luckily, she was never punished by the CN, but Japanese forwards will definitely react in time. She was helped out a bit by her defenders, who, I think, definitely noticed their GK's unsteadiness. Would rather clear it out (and out of bounds) instead of passing back to GK and whenever the GK tried to catch a ball, you'd almost see every NK defender get VERY paranoid. They'd form this little mini circle around her and box out the CN forwards with their bodies. Speaking of passing back to the goalie, I don't think I saw any NK defender do that. Although, come to think of it, the CN didn't do that either.

NK, as usual, cannot play hurry up offense although they tried to (sort of) near the end.

It was weird to hear shouts of "CHI-NA! CHI-NA!" instead of "ZHONG GUO! ZHONG GUO!"

CN looked a bit more dangerous today and they were a bit better with their first touch and passing. Unfortunately, they're still slow. And Han Duan was still offsides.

CN's doing the sea of red, million (wo)man army defense. Constantly seeing 6-7 in the back on any NK attack and any NK that receives the ball in the attacking third and doesn't pass it right away found herself trying to fend off three CN who would converge upon her. Sometimes, the NK player split the CN and of course, found space or passed it to the wings in time (this type of defense obviously leaves lots of room elsewhere), but most of the time, this defense worked.

I wonder if teams are doomed to 0-0 when playing China.

JPN-SK was at the same time so I didn't watch it. All I know is the score 2-1 Japan and saw some highlights. The SK score was very pretty. Just outside the 18, high and curving to the upper right of the goal. Kaihori's attempt to save nowhere even near it. Kaihori can be punished if you put it in the high corners since she can't react and reach it in time.

 

The SK goal was by their #10 Ji SoYun, I believe that's the same player (with perhaps a more Korean speling) who was the super-star goal-scoring machine from the u-20 World Cup last year, in fact really one of the world's best FWs. This SK team can play, no doubt about it, but seemed to tire towards the end, and their subs did not impress.

All goals were scored in the first half. For Japan it was Sakaguchi heading from a Miyama CK, and Ohno following a slick (or slip, the grass was wet) passing movement right on the stroke of half-time.

Right now it looks like Japan and DPRK have the edge on the two places, but we are at less than halfway. There will be very tired teams playing with less than 2 days rest on Monday.

 

While I can't see anything other than Japan qualifying, South Korea will likely have a final day winner takes it all versus Australia to see who else goes through.

For me South Korea look just like the underachieving Japan we all saw a few years ago. The major bonus for South Korea though, is the gift of having good numbers of naturally quick, athletic, robust players, which is something Japan have always struggled to find.

South Korean qualification for the Olympics should provide their program with the top level experience they often look like lacking in close games. Top level senior FIFA tournament experience at the Olympics, could see Korea make a serious mark come 2015, with a squad featuring many of it's highly promising youth team talents.

Both Australia and South Korea seem to have the vibe of programs with tremendous future potential. Right now though, I just don't see Australia being able to play at the same level as South Korea with such an unbalanced side. Plus with Australia blowing their important opener versus a weaker than usual DPR Korea, fate is now firmly out of their own hands.

From the sounds of Katreus, China once again showing little quality overall, still had a better time when playing the north Korean's rather than the south. So I expect to see a Ji So Yun inspired South Korea win it's next two contests, setting up a very exciting final round of games.

 

You seem to have a bad link there ? I do wonder why you discount the DPRK so easily, they are a tough team always.

From the Japan forum, these video highlights feeds.

Japan_v_SoKo
Aus v Thai

You can also see the Chi v SoKo highlights on the same site.

Interesting that the Thais counter-attacked strongly in the 2nd half ! Terrible GK though, she had already handed out several goals to the Aussies.

 

Yeah, their good at being stubborn, but not very good at much more than that. Keeping the game tight is a decent quality, but it won't get you many win's if your opponent won't leave themselves open to counters.

It may be a controversial claim, but right now South Korea look like the second best team in Asia to me. I think they will prove it by first beating DPR Korea, then seal the deal by getting what they need versus Australia in their last game.

The fact Thailand made those clear cut chances says it all about Australia's unbalanced side. The Australian coach still hasn't learned from the mistakes seen at the WWC, and somehow still doesn't appear to know his best, or most stable line up. Australia will continue to suffer from it's often random form because of this fact.

 

Japan 1-0 Australia
South Korea 2-3 North Korea

 

Australian MF was absent against Japan, and it could have been 4-0 except for the usual Japan incompetence in front of goal, well ..... in fact the Australian DF line and Gk were excellent.

Sad to see SoKo lose again, some great players but I suspect the youngest team.

 

Is using the word incompetence, along side Japan not scoring goals, a nice way of referring to Nagasato without highlighting how useless Nagasato is as a international caliber forward?

Japan finally appear to have obtained the knack of winning while not always having to play that great during 90 mins. USA have been relying on this quality for years now, while Germany have been able to tap into a similar quality now and again too. As long as Japan don't begin to get into a lackluster but winning groove, it's a very good sign of any top teams progression.

Australia seriously needs to step back and think about developing a style of play again. It's still a young team missing leaders that got them to the WWC. The current core of the team still needs a little more time to grow up away from the demands of too much serious competition. Many of them haven't even played in a youth WWC yet .

While disappointing, maybe Australia missing the Olympics could do them some good in the long run. Right now they just don't have a collective identity, and are instead often still playing like a quality collection of individuals not yet on the same page.

Ahhh oh well. DPR pack the midfield, suffocate the opponent, and hope to get goals on break always. Today South Korea were the team lacking the experience to cope with frustration of what DPR Korea have to offer. I look at South Korea right now though, and to me they look like a serious top tier threat waiting to happen.

Everything up to the edge of the box is fantastic with South Korea, but they only have Ji So Yun contributing at the necessary levels to win games right now. You can see that the talent is definitely there, and will only get better too, but it's still obviously too much for them to hope for, simply getting by on talent alone.