The victory is good but it was not so deserved. Defence committed some bloody errors, they left Senegal big guys play too much near the box and if not for the offsides and VAR it would cost us 2 points. But at the end they were good enough to avoid them to score. I liked Anri Chase, he never step back, an Okazaki for the defence. Kumata really... A ghost on the pitch. If he is the best this team can field in CF position then we are doomed. Is Sakamoto so worse? I see Matsuki as the WC22's Doan of this U20 WC23, clearly the main protagonist of the competition. Imo the guys need to use more fast passes and cut the defenders with chirurgy dribblings, they have the skill to do that and they need to avoid the phisical confrontation since at this age is enough to win the ball possession and the match.
Senegal's physicality indeed caused Japan a lot of issues, noticed quite a few players falling once they start to physically engage with the Senegal Players. Hopefully JNT can treat this tournament seriously and seek to go past the RO16, hopefully SF if possible Naoki Kumata seems a bit static imo, unless he is being played as a lone striker upfront he should be more proactive and help out with some defensive duties as well. They should try starting Shio Fukuda in the next match Other than Matsuki, Kodai Sano/Kitano were decent overall. Senegal might probably have scored if not for Ryoya Kimura and also, VAR for the offside goal.
Taichi Fukui was also good overall imo, provided the assist to Matsuki. Maybe he will be playing in the Bundesliga 2 or 3 seasons later.
No of course not, he's just making things up. No one really knows why Nakai hasn't been called up, but he's not a regular in Castilla I thought Sano and Fukui were the best players.
The CM positions are strong point of this squad, there are lots of promising players there. However I don't like the way they switched to defensive play too soon right after getting the lead, while the defense wasn't that solid. The connection between the attackers wasn't really impressive either.
Deserved defeat. As always Japan wasted too much chances and let colombians do whatever they wanted near the box. Kimura give me an heart attack everytime he gone for the ball in the air. FWs are all really uselss, probably Kumata is the least worst. This team totally lacks a #10, someone gifted who can do some magic when nothing works. Einaga is not enough. Anyway colombians keeping grassrolling and fouling near the end was really unfair and a bad show for WCU20. #11 deserved red card when he continously hit japanese legs. Latin americans never learn.
The SBs were really bad. And I think Matsuka is at his best at CM, he was played too far upward. The CM are quite stacked though, not like other positions.
If Japan will beat Israel they will face the 2nd in Argentina's group and this means one between Guatemala, New Zeland and Uzbekistan. The feck FIFA give argentinians a laughable group as this, well better for us. If everything go smoothy Japan will be in the Final8 w/o any problems. Then it will be one between Nigeria/Brazil (or Italy) and probably Japan will stop there unless a miracle happens or Kumata turns into a super saiyajin.
Israel just drew with Senegal, they will not be an easy opponent. If Senegal bears Coloombia and Israel win, then Japan can still be eliminated. Japan should play their strongest 11 in their natural positions rather than thee usual experimenting in the youth WCs.
Israel drawed thanks to an owngoal. Anyway I was not understimating them, if you read I said "IF Japan will beat Israel". Never say something like it will be easy, mind to the next match, nope. Anyway if Japan will qualify as a 2nd place (imo the most realistic result) it will be Uzbekistan. The hardest between Argentina's laughable group teams.
I’d want them to win the group to avoid either Argentina in R16 (if Japan finished 3rd) or a possible Brazil match up in the quarter finals (if Japan finished as runner up).
Also apply for this tournament. Never before I've seen a JNT with this horrible attitude. They deserve to go home and leave the best 3rd positions for other teams.
OMG the red card for Israel was like they were 12 men, not 10. Japan was incredible bad after that but Anrie Chase loose the game. Was the hell did he do before the 1-1 ? He was easily clear the ball away and then pushed the Israel player with no need after the ball is cleared. And this freekick leads to the 1-1.
This team really sucks compared to 2019. It seems to me that Japan is not among the best 3rd, so it's disqualified...
This coach made a bizarre call-up for this tournament and even more bizarre escalations. Why he called Yashiki, for what function? He should also have called a true right-back, a true right winger and a true attacking midfielder. This 2003 generation is really good one full of talented players, I was impressed when I watched they playing the International Dream Cup back in 2019, but Togashi screwed up everything. Now this is really bad for Japanese football, because this was a golden opportunity to show European scouts the best talents that we have.