Miyama shows her class with an incredible ball over the top for Nagasato to run onto. Nagasato is one-on-one with the keeper, who collides into her. But, it looks like the keeper just barely touched the ball before colliding with Nagasato. So, a clean save (well, not very clean, but not a penalty).
Bah, a Thailand player dives and the referee is so easily tricked... useless midfield free kick, but they don't need that...
14' Sameshima breaks down the left and puts in a cross but the Thai keeper collects. Really, not much action from Japan in this half yet. They still haven't figured out how to unlock this Thai defense.
She play Montpellier HSC and we will play day1 of league this sunday without her until 13th september... Yes she was good it's why i can't accept this few time allowed for her. I think it's was a bad idea to play this game in China, stadium is empty and look like training game...
Wow, some great one touch passing puts Kawasumi in the clear and she manages to finish! Japan 1-0 at long last!
I hope she gets picked more for the national team -- she looks like real quality. Yeah, the stadium turn-out is abysmal! Guess the Chinese aren't quite as into the Nadeshiko as the rest of the world!
about 60': good pass from Kamionobe to Kawasumi in the box, she scores with a good shot, targeted near to the far post. I had said I hadn't liked Kawasumi at all during first half, but I am so happy she proved me wrong! Apparently there is also Ohno on the field now... I lost the substitution?
21' Some nice combination play coming off a short-corner that resulted from the free-kick results in a great pull-back pass for Kawasumi, but her shot is right at the keeper and is saved.
I realize now that the fact Iwashimizu's not playing is not just a choice, is from her disqualification for the foul in WWC's final, as I said before. She isn't on the bench neither, is she?
24' Another great one-touch over the top through ball from Miyama almost plays in Kawasumi, but she's just offside.
24' Yet another great through ball, this time cross-field, almost finds Kinga, but she can't quite get on the end of it before it heads out of play. Miyama has certainly been key in this second half.
Whoah, 26' golden pass for Nagasato, but she can just shot on the goalkeeper! Nagasato, when will you wake from this sleep when you play for National team????
Yeah, they don't have a game plan now. 27' Nice through ball right down the middle splits the Thai defense and Nagasato is 1-on-1 with the keeper. She manages to shoot, but the keeper pulls of a great save to keep the deficit 1-0 for Thailand. Looks like Ando is going to come on shortly?
29' NNNNNNice Kawasumi header (from Ohno's cross), but goalkeeper saves. edit: Tanaka scores from the subsequent corner!!!!! 2-0 Japan!!!!!
Ando is in, I always seem to lose who's going out... It's because I am writing when the game pauses...
THIS Japan is so better... So Miyama can really switch the light on so much? (not that I am really surprised by that at all ^__^) Much more shots now... Ando, but she's in off-side; Ohno, central shot, goalkeeper easily saves... But they keep shooting, at least. And Sameshima keeps crossing and running, by the way...
Well, now the Nadeshiko can relax, as the game is well and truly in the bag. I would be concerned that the team looked so lacking in bite before Miyama came on. Without her and Sawa on the field, they look like a competent team able to keep possession and pass the ball around nicely, but not necessarily able to break down opposing teams. Sameshima is the only other player who can create a bit, with her crosses. Nagasato must be really good for her club team, because I can't see anything she does for the Nadeshiko in any of the games I've seen to warrant her selection over the others.
Yes, I think so. Miyama is almost universally regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world. In terms of creativity, through balls, and deadballs, she is probably the best in the world. When I made a thread on this forum asking for people's Dream XI for the WWC, I think more than half of the people put her in their starting XI (and that was when the tournament was still going on, not after it was over).
Ohno did some superlative work there on the right side to create a pull-back for that shot. Should've been 3-0. Ohno has been quite excellent since coming on!