I screamed in joy as Japan scored once, then twice. Alas, it was not to be. Nishino should've put a CB as soon as Fellaini came on. Japan died on the pitch, like a samurai.
👏👏👏 To Japan’s performance 🇯🇵 @JFA 😔@FIFAWorldCup— Franco Baresi (@FBaresi) July 2, 2018 Japan, you were brilliant tonight. You filled every Asian with hope and left us with something to be proud about.— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) July 2, 2018
lol no, it's not like it would've been the same if they went out of the world cup with zero points... as with everything, depends on the football that I see with my eyes I don't think this is Honda's approach to the national team lol
We are so screwed when Hasebe retires. There is no player who can replace him at the moment. I think everyone understands this.
Please don't defend that garbage Kawashima. https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/43976549/page/4 After that stupid goal, everything changed.
My biggest worry going into this game was that Japan would get pummeled and everybody would be wishing Senegal were playing instead.
I am absolutely heartbroken. This was a sensational match by Japan, the whole world could see the quality of their football! Given the difficult circumstances pre-WC, I know they have already exceeded expectations, but it hurts even more watching how close they were to reaching the last 8 for the first time. Many people wrote on reddit that it was the football Spain ought to play, I thought the same during the match. I want to sincerely thank Japan for letting me enjoy their beautiful game, they can leave this WC with their heads held high. This is the right direction, persevere, develop, and mature! I'm looking forward to seeing Japan in the next tournament!
Well, it's better than losing and have people think that Japan NT is a crap, as it was the case after 2014 World Cup.
Yamaguchi....I love every player to wear the jersey but seriously......what on earth was that for a 15minute display.
No matter how you guys choked you played better than team Korea. We couldn't even reach 16. We sucked. You guys were better.
What are the positives. Gen Shoji has showed up, and will probably be a cornerstone of our team for a number of years now. Gaku Shibasaki too, amazing WC from him. Osako hopefully has time in him still til we can see the likes of Kubo grow up. We still have 2 good side backs and Yoshida is 29. We have 4 years to make Ueda as good as we know he can be. The bad. Who will replace Hasebe.....he was nothing short of brilliant this tournament. We lose Honda soonish. We have nobody else quite like him in our NT.
Makes me wonder who will be coach? I think Nishino deserves a 4 year shot if he happens to want it. He wasn't perfect by any stretch, but I love that at least after all this time we saw a true Japanese-style of football. If they go get another B-class foreigner ...
They do. People think this game along Spain vs Portugal and France vs Argentina is the most exciting matches of the tournament so far.
Japan is probably heavy favorite now to win the Consolation Asian Cup. Although AFC is still weak compared to Europe and South America, they have improved as a whole. The Addition of Australia i think has been massive for Asian teams and AFC can only get better. Japan is obviously the A-Class of this confed but Iran, South Korea have shown strides and Australis is probably a 2nd/third tier level Euro like team with height advantage etc. Saudis are also back from an abysmal stretch from 07-14. I think the more quality side we see in AFC the better. Believe it or not too, but China hoarding all these players and then playing against Japanese, South Korean, Saudi, Iran clubs etc does help the AFC.
It's probably time for a generational change too. The players who emerged from the 2010 World Cup should retire. Honda, Okazaki, Nagatomo should make way for the next generation. I am still angry at Okada for not choosing Kagawa in 2010. Unfortunately for Inui, it seems as though he will only be able to play in one World Cup.
I knew, I fecking knew that this is how it would end. This was an already written script, nothing to be ashamed of, this is how things works. BUT... Japan fecking RULES: they scored 2 against a serious title candidate, neutralized 2 of the best strikers in the WHOLE WORLD and lost for a fecking totally random lucky headshot that changed the balance of the match. None will remember that BS about yellow cards or Senegal, this match will be remember as an epic battle irrefutable proof of the level achieved by japanese football and wholly by the AFC. I don't have the energy to be mad against anyone, not even Yamaguchi, Nishino too much later subs or that disgrace of last corner cuz I spend all my physical and mental stamina during the match. In my opinion WC2018 is the best WC ever for Japan and I hope that this tendency to have a good WC followed 4 years later by a bad WC will end with this.