2023/28 Kodai Sano | 2024/28 Kento Shiogai | 2023- Koki Ogawa (loan) @ NEC (NED)

Both scoring

 

Semi final for a spot in the Conference league.
NEC with home advantage in a one match game.

 

Its only one game? No rematch?

 

Indeed.

 

Despite the loss a very good rating for Sano!

 

Team of the Week, matchday 4:

 

Ratings by Voetbal International:

 

Kodai Sano gets a instant red card for pulling the jersey of the opponent. Penalty and red card is very hard, normaly since 2-3 years its almost impossible to get a red card for a foul in the penalty area. Cause of tripple malus ( red card, penalty and potential lead for the opponent + down then with 10 men).
Was very harsh or not?


Looool and directly after that they sub out Ogawa for a defender. All happening in the 9th minute ^^

+ directly after that they conceded the 0:2. More unlucky and worse is not possible.

 

Yeah, that red card turned the table, because PSV in the time before escaped a goal and had their hands full to keep NEC away from the goal.

 

Scored!

 

These days makes more sense to go Europe ASAP straight out of HS or University.

So many J-League managers (with a few exceptions) are extremely reluctant to play young guns compared to Europe who are willing to give minutes regardless of inexperience.

I’m fairly sure guys like Shiogai and Chase would be sitting on the bench back in Japan.

 

Ogawa scored in the cup and Shiogai also.

Edit: another one by Ogawa.

 

Shiogai seems to be a fast player, he managed to beat his man for the goal even though he was behind him originally.

Perhaps, his pace can be utilised in JNT in the future. I see him as a potential starter in LA 2028 Olympics squad if he can continue getting more playtime.

 

Shiogai was MOTM.

 

2 goals by Ogawa in the first 25 min

 

Ogawa is so in fire. Hope he also moves to Bundesliga or something next season. He is a goal machine.

 

Assist from Ogawa.

 

By the way Ogawa played till now 7 games for Japan, scored 7 times.

In his whole club career, he played till now 223 games, scored 81 goals + 15 assists. This is pretty strong. And another thing is, he looks like a late starter getting better and better with age + it seems that he can adapt till now well to every league/culture without losing quality.

I think its possible that he become a top 5 League player who can score same amount of goals/assists like he did actually, which means around 10-20 scorerpoints every season.

He is very underrated, maybe Ogawa is the best striker we have at the moment. And that means a lot, cause Furuhashi is also awesome and Ueda has also high quality. But I think Furuhashi is still the best.

Japan has 3 strikers on more or less international level, when they are fit and in form, which means a lot. I would go further, when Furuhashi would move to a "top club" he could become world class, under the circumstage, he could transfer his quality on this level and could become a starter. Of course we will not know until he tried it.

The JNT has quite good players on every position and is getting better and better. Some players has their problems this season but overall it looks very balanced and well promised. I like it.

 

Matchday 11 Team of the Week by leading football magazine Voetbal International:
Ogawa rated with a whopping 8!!

 

Ogawa scored again.