I'm not so sure, in AFC U-16 finals Japan lost 1-0 in a very tight match, I prefer to be cautious about that (even I don't mind if another asian team wins)
3rd place games are usually a crapshoot in my experience. It comes down to the team who really wants it.
Japan played much more physical and aggressive in their game against the US than they did against any other team in their group. They definitely "brought it" and wanted to win that game badly. There's a little bit of a rivalry between Japan and USA at this age level from all the friendlies and lesser known tournament matches they've played against one another. Don't sugar coat it. Ashley Sanchez has proven what no other player has done to this Japan team yet. And that's score against them (which Sanchez scored two goals, and could have had a hat trick). This Japan team is a machine. Anyone that scores multiple goals against them in a 90 minute match is a splendid player, which Sanchez certainly is. As is virtually every starting player for Japan. But it takes something special to score on this Japanese team, especially 2 or more goals in one match.
And Ashley Sanchez is the best overall recruit in the entire nation for her entire graduating class. She's the Mallory Pugh of her class. By the way, Ashley Sanchez is the one that "drew the penalty" against Japan late in that match to set up her 2nd goal. No one else has been able to draw a penalty or score a goal against this Japan team. Any other Sanchez haters out there, bring it.
Asian nations have DOMINATED this tournament at this exact age level (U-17). It just makes France's title in 2012 look that much more accomplished and respectable. And USA did draw against France and North Korea in the group stage that year. Both of those teams met in the Final. It's conceivable that the Top 3 teams in that entire tournament were in the same group. No one else got a result against North Korea or France. USA got a result against both, but no victory. USA almost always gets stuck in the toughest group. Germany and Portugal in the same group in 2014? 2 of the Top 4 teams in the FIFA rankings. And they still advanced to the Round of 16.
Coach Sin Jong-bok's comments after the match pretty much confirm your view: An astute analysis, but he will have a more difficult time against Japan, who are not such a one-trick pony. But he knows that, of course..
I'd say that it's as far as it gets from a one-trick pony: so far it has been quite... a twenty-one-trick pony! (Ok, exaggerating a little, not all 21 players are the same, but you get the general idea). Elaborating what I already wrote on Nadeshiko Japan's thread, just imagine Spain's changing room minutes before lineups are realeased, with Maria Is istructing her players: "Ok, I guess we don't need to reharse once again our plan to stop Ueki: keep constantly a eye on her, because she will be the terminal of all of Japan's game-play. But also beware of Takarada on the right-side: we absolutely have to prevent her dangerous crosses from the right. And, please, don't forget about Miyazawa and don't let her cut inside from the left. Ok, girls? All ready? You all know what to do, don't you?" [cut to a few minutes later] "But... but... no Miyazawa on the team... and no Takarada!?... and... [eyes open wide, then depressed face]... NO UEKI!!! Sigh... All of our game-plan... doesn't make any sense by now... sniff! "
The full list of nominees adidas Golden Ball Laia Aleixandri (ESP) Candela Andujar (ESP) Deyna Castellanos (VEN) Hinata Miyazawa (JPN) Fuka Nagano (JPN) Ri Hae-Yon (PRK) Ri Kum-Hyang (PRK) Sung Hyang-Sim (PRK) Hana Takahashi (JPN) Riko Ueki (JPN) adidas Golden Glove Ok Kum-Ju (PRK) Noelia Ramos (ESP) Momoko Tanaka (JPN) My pick would be: 1.Fuka Nagano (JPN) 2.Deyna Castellanos (VEN) 3.Ri Kum-Hyang (PRK) as for gk - Noelia Ramos (ESP) if she keep the clean sheet otherwise the winner from final match.
I didn't watch enough of Spain's matches to object, but in the semifinal Momoko Tanaka was truely impressive, saving at least three clear-cut chances. Also, she only let two goals in in 4 matches (she didn't play vs Paraguay).
This is of course optimistic from FIFA, but I do like to be optimistic, from time to time, at this difficult point in history :
Line-ups for upcoming 3th/4th place match between Spain and Venezuela. Isn't anyone going to follow the match? If anything, as an appetizer to the All-Asian final later in the evening? This should be a good streaming: http://resources.fifa.com/mm/docume...ion/02/84/53/30/eng_31_1021_ven-esp_start.pdf edit: also this: http://cricfree.tv/watch/live/venezuela-u17--vs-spain-u17-live-streaming
In the end it looks like Daniuska Rodriguez was brought in Jordan just as a tourist: she doesn't play today either. If she hadn't completely recovered from her injury, what was the point of bringing such a good player here just to have her sit on the bench?
1-0 for Spain at 16'. I hadn't watched the semifinal between Korea DPR and Venezuela, but now I can see why Venezuela have a difficult time with teams that defend well in the center and tightly mark Castellanos: South Americans don't look like the are able to use the wings at all; if they keep trying to pass through the center, they won't go very far... Also Venezuela's technical quality seems to drop fast, after their 3-4 best players.
Team spirit perhaps? Anyway it cost Venezuela at the end - with three injuried players during the tourney and some sitting games along cuz of cards.
Wow: possession is 69% Spain 31% Venezuela at HT! Spain out-possesses the opponent the same way Japan uses to do!
2-0 Spain at about 50'. Veronica Herrera had been the best Venezuelan DF to that moment, in my opinion, but in that nunute she was out injured. Spain exploited the moment perfectly, because la Vinotinto's defense was completely out of pace and time there, without Herrera. The action was anyway very good and guess who scored? Lorena Navarro, who was subbed in after HT, to get her first meaningful minutes until her 5 goals vs Jordan. And now she leads the Golden Boot race. While Castellanos is nowhere to be seen near to Spain's goal.
Ok, I can't see Lorena Navarro missing Golden Boot, now that she just scored 3-0 for Spain. Somehow a shame that the top-scorer of the tournament had 5 of her goal against questionable opposition (Jordan), but I won't object: tonight, at least, she showed she's a good forward.
I don't agree she's good forward, as you said 5 against Jordan really don't count and 3 today were scored against gassed oppsition playing 3 defenders - I really doubt she would score any goals if Luzardo wasn't moved to midfield in 2nd half.
4-0 and hat-trick for Lorena Navarro. On previous occasions she seemed angry, while celebrating, like "See? I had to start this game!". Now, finally she relaxes in an open smile.
Well, you're right, but that stop with the right foot and immediate shot with the left one on her third goal was anyway technically nice. I agree on one thing: she will win Golden Boot with her 8 goals, but none of them is anywhere close to the best ones we've seen in this tournament.
Despite all of the goals, I think finishing has been a problem for this Spanish team. They created lots of chances and shots throughout the tournament (I think almost 50 shots versus Jordan) but the finishing has been poor.