Yes, Ohno has been very good: I am happy, she didn't finish WWC so well. I guess also Kamionobe had a good shot, earlier in this half (and she played a very good assist for Nagasato). I think Kamionobe didn't play bad at all in this half. And It's 3-0!!! Own-goal on Ohno's cross
Some brilliant passing from the Nadeshiko results in Ohno finding herself deep in the box on the right. Her cross hits a Thai defender in the midriff and the ball bounces into the net. 3-0! That goal caps a great performance by Ohno thus far, but the passing leading up to the goal was excellent as well. Japan have been playing a lot better in the past half hour.
We just said Ohno was brilliant and then she caused third goal 91' free-kick for Thailand. edit:YEEEEEEEEEEES... Miyama counterattacks and it's 4-0, 92', no, sorry, it just seemed for a moment
After a Thai free kick, Miyama finds herself one on one with the keeper and onside after a great through ball from Kawasumi! But somehow her shot is wide and hits the side netting. Too bad. Should have been 4-0! I agree that Kamionobe has played well and she had a few really good chances to score. She's been unlucky to not score in this game.
49' Amazingly, Thailand force a save from the Japanese keeper. Slight nervousness as Japan's perfect scoreline looked in danger of suffering a dent. And the final whistle! 3-0 is a good scoreline, and they got the job done. But we'll have to assess for a moment why Japan were so tame up front for the first 55+ minutes, and whether the starting line up was the best....
After-game interview with Sasaki: (roughly) "I didn't want to have to use Miyama just yet. But she has a killer pass and I ultimately had to rely on that."
Miyama was obviously very good, but in this second half I counted at least two good assists from Ohno (besides the cross that caused the own-goal) and, quite surprisingly, at least two good assists from Kamionobe (including the one for first goal, then right away another one for Kawasumi). After first goal it was Nadeshiko Typhoon... they had at least 9-10 good occasion, it couldn't have been easily 5 or 6-0. Thailand tried some counter-attack but they really didn't know what to do, apart maybe from the good long-haired forward who managed to shot at 94' (first ball touched by Fukumoto, I guess, by the way).
My live feeds turned off mid-highlights... Anything else interesting in the immediate after-game? (I'm asking the ones who somehow manage to see more ).
I hope the score difference it's enough, if the tournament should end on tie-breakers. I guess Thailand's resistence will be far worse towards the end of the tournament, when they'll be tired and they probably will have no more chance to qualify. Best players from Nadeshiko Japan, in my opinion, were Sameshima and Utsugi in first half (Sameshima also played on her very good level in second half too, obviously), and in second half... well, a lot of them played very well, mostly after the first goal: I guess Ohno, Kawasumi, Miyama and Kamionobe come to mind as the more brilliant ones. Looking at highlights I found that it was Kumagai who slightly missed Miyama's corner with an header-attempt, just an half-second before Tanaka made it. I am happy for Tanaka, but I would have liked so much a Kumagai's goal...
Well, the starting line wasn't the best for sure, but we have to consider that, with so many matches in so few days, Norio can't really have the best XI start the match everytime. If there was a match where some of the very good ones could have a chance to rest on the bench, that match was the one vs. Thailand for sure, considering that it's by far the weakest team in this competition. As Sasaki said later, he would have liked to get along without Miyama, if it had been possible! Well, at least Sawa, Sakaguchi, Iwashimizu and the likes had some rest. In the next matches, turnover will obviously have to be more tight, will less first string players sitting on the bench, but anyway I'd try to spare one or two of them every match... edit: wow, it seems we managed to add 8 pages to this thread in just 90' ^__^ I hope all of Nadeshiko matches will be followed this way: now come the hard ones! O_O
For the record, meanwhile North Korea defeated Australia 1-0. Both teams should be very dangerous opponents, since they were the other two countries playing at WWC 2011 and the finalists at AFC Women's Asian Cup 2010 (although I remember Nadeshiko lost the semi-final against Australia in an awful way, with a goal in the injury time of first half, quite looking like an own-goal, considering the collaboration of so many players of Japan in making it possible ). Anyway, we'll think about those two teams later: next match will be against South Korea on Saturday. GAMBARE NADESHIKO JAPAN!
Yeah, in hindsight I agree completely with this assessment. I think I was just frustrated watching the game, since Thailand managed to contain the Nadeshiko for the first half, despite having virtually no possession and never managing to get into the Japanese half. I expected Japan to be up 2-0 by halftime. In the end, though, we got the best result -- we managed to win by 3-0 (in a post-game interview, Sasaki said that their aim was to score 3 goals) and we rested key players. We also got to see how some other players would perform with Miyama, Sawa, etc rested, which was interesting. So, all is good! And I agree completely with your ratings of the players, first half and second. I thought Sameshima was the stand-out player in the first half, and Utsugi looked good. Second half, lots of players looked good, particularly the ones you mentioned. Nagasato didn't have a very good game, but hopefully her performances will pick up in future.
Umm... I was just checking out Kawasumi's blog, and if you want to see something hilarious, throw the URL for her blog into Google Translate and see what comes out for the August 29 entry. http://pure-city.jp/nahomi/ The title "toire no kamisama" is actually a reference to an extremely popular song in Japan ("goddess of the bathroom") but gets translated as "God toilet" which is itself funny, but what's truly hilarious is what comes several lines down, where the Japanese "yareru" is translated as something unprintable here... How in the world???
Hi, Kyra, I know it's hard to accept, because Rumi was very well playing since then, and, judging from what I read on this forum, I guess you know her personally (are maybe even good friend with her?). I guess it's just that in the first half Utsugi had the task to play in a defensive midfielder position, "à la Sakaguchi", but, considering how null Thailand players were in the Japanese half of the court, Sasaki needed a more offensive midfielder and had to take out the more defensive one who was currently in the team, so it was Utsugi. True is that Rumi was also helping a lot the offensive play on the left wing, but really, if Norio wanted to put Miyama in, it was down to Utsugi or Kamionobe, the most back women on the midfield, and I guess it was mainly a question of positioning on the left wing (you couldn't really have Sameshima, Utsugi and Miyama all there). Yes, Miyama is so "universal" that she could have played in another position, but I guess she could give her best there. But I can understand you're a little bitter, especially if it sounds "personal". I am sure Utsugi will have other chances to shine during this tournament, cause, as I said before, a lot of turn-over will be needed and everyone will get some spotlight. Rumi can be proud for a very nice first half anyway and i am sure Sasaki took note (I don't think her substitution was a "punishment" at all: I told you, I guess it all boiled down to tactical reasons). I know it can't really "console" you, but did you notice that Rumi appears in the video-message that Nadeshiko Japan officially recorded to thank the rest of the world for their support? http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20110901p2g00m0sp072000c.html I mean: Utsugi appear there alongside way more popular players, like Sawa, Miyama and Kaihori. If they chose her, I guess that's not for her appeal only, but because they somehow believe she's really the future of this team. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz52mgqRy7k"]Message from Nadeshiko Japan 3-minute-Version - YouTube[/ame]
kyra, I dont think that "Sasaki doesnt like her". The strength of Japan is the MF, with perhaps already 3 of the best in the world (or 4 if you count Ohno), and and you have to be an exceptional player to get a regular place. They also now have a good DF line, but a mediocre GK and very mediocre FW line. But the MF is just at the highest standard. Rumi's advantage ? She is younger than all of them. Anyone know the result of the China v So Korea game ? Hopefully a tie.
Yay!!! It seems it was a 0-0 (match should be ended by now, isn't it?) http://translate.google.com/transla...cer/japan/2011/olympic_yosen/women/index.html So the ranking is Japan & N.Korea 3, China & S.Korea 1, Australia & Thailand 0. A good lead already. But it's going to be long and hard: today's was just the easiest match. By the way: hadn't some member of the North Korean team been disqualified for doping at WWC? How did they make up for them? (I'll be harsh, but in fact some No.Korean players really looked like men: I mean, does anyone remember DDR "female"-athletes in the '80s? All those totalitarian regimes like Kim-Il-Sung's one have this crappy State-endorsed doping feature. & ) edit: Japan also has got first place overall, because of better goal difference on North Korea, although you can't really compare that now, since opponent teams were too much different.
So I was right about one thing - Kaihori does not have the GK position locked up. At least, I dont think this was a "rest day" for Kaihori, but I suspect that Sasaki wants Fukomoto to keep competing. So what happens next ? Nagasato to be benched again ? Shall we see more of Kamionobe or Tanaka or of course Utsugi ? Scores out of 10 please ! One funny thing I saw in the highlights - the mere presence of Kozue causes yet another scrappy goal for Japan. I can think of 4 of these right away (including Sawa's goal against Sweden, and a goal in the AFC last year). She does not score many, but she has this habit of causing DF lines to self-destruct. By the way, were there multiple web live-video links available, and did they all work? I am worried..... And did you have to download software? That usually never works for me.
Sure i know she was replaced for tactical reason. She can play side back too but we can't put Sameshima on the bench... Mumf, i am not agree with Rumi advantage, she is not only younger she got others quality like her technique and good precision with her left foot for corner and FK (sure less than Miyama).
Well, here are my ratings from the game. Hard to judge some of the players, particularly the GK and center-halves, because they had precious little to do for most of the 95+ minutes... Fukumoto 6.5 Kinga 7 Yano 6.5 Kumagai 7 Kamionobe 7 Sameshima 8 Tanaka 7 Kawasumi 6.5 Utsugi 7 Nagasato 6 Takase 7 Subs: Miyama - 8.5 Ando - 7 Ono - 8
Now I don't know what to say about Nagasato: I can't really explain the spell that keeps her from scoring with NT, while she looks like a goal-machine with her club (I remember the 4-0 in one of the last Bundesliga matches before she joined her Nadeshiko team-mates in Asia, where she scored twice): And it's not like in her club she's fed with better assists than in the National Team. I mean, when she plays with Nadeshiko, she quite looks better as a support-forward, than as a real striker: for instance, she played well in the action that brought to first goal (Kawasumi-Nagasato-Kamionobe-Kawasumi-goal; a thing of beauty), but then she wasn't able to score (twice!) when Miyama put her face-to-face with the goalkeeper. I swear it's becoming a mistery. The rating it's not easy: some player was way better in the second half than in the first, so it's hard to assess them. Some other virtually didn't play, because of the nothingness of Thai attacks (Fukumoto? Yano? Kumagai, at least, chased some luck in the other half of the court...): i'll give a 6 to those ones but a "can't be rated" would be more fair. Anyway... Fukumoto 6 Kinga 6,5 Yano 6 Kumagai 7 Kamionobe 7,5 Sameshima 8 Tanaka 7,5 Kawasumi 8 (despite first half, and that's saying a lot; in second half she was a constant, uninterrupted danger for Thai goal) Utsugi 7,5 Nagasato 6,5 Takase 6,5 subs: Miyama 8 Ohno 8 Ando 7 About highlights: they were good, but, having seen the match live, I have to say they don't do justice of how, after the first goal, the match really became targeting practice for Nadeshiko Japan. Highlights couldn't obviously show everything, but I remember at least 4-5 other good shots on goal (and also well-targeted on goal): by Kawasumi again, Ando, Ohno, another ball that danced for an half minute in front of Thai goal and, especially, a Miyama counter-attack at 92', after one of the rare Thai free-kicks in the japanese half, that made me scream for "goal!", before I noticed it was on the outside of the net. I would have showed at least this last one in the highlights. Anyway, the highlights, apart from the post-match interviews, had some good images that wasn't showed (or I hadn't noticed) in the original broadcast, like Sawa happily clapping after Kawasumi's goal. The link that Kyra and I provided were ok (at least for Europe-based viewers) and they didn't need to download software or to subscribe anything. They froze just after the end of the game, during highlights, and they had some commercial banner appearing from time to time, but, apart from that, they were ok and I perfectly enjoyed the match with one of them (Kyra's feed had a little delay, so I chose to watch my feed instead); you can find both links around pages 4-5 of this thread. I've been said that the links you provided were working well also, although I couldn't access them from Italy (restrictions on bet sites in my country). There is something I want to say about yesterday's match and this forum: because of timing in my country (it was morning), I had basically no-one at home to follow the match with, so I was alone at home. But sharing the emotions with all the people in this forum, during the match and after, was someway like watching the match with a bunch of good friends. So, thank you very much to all of you.
For those of you who are interested, here are the highlights of that recent Potsdam-Hamburg match, which include Nagasato's two goals (as well as a couple of misses). (To be fair, Hamburg are probably one of the weakest sides of the league at the moment.) http://tv.dfb.de/index.php?view=3640
Also... How can you not love HER? You can find PLENTY of other good pictures from the match (and before and after) by browsing this link: http://viranesque.tumblr.com/ By the way, I also found Ohno's blog addy: http://ameblo.jp/shinobuohno/entry-11005322915.html Japanese-speaking friends will tell us if there is anything interesting there, besides pics of Sawa with a Banana jersey Edit: oh, the celebratory WWC's win slideshow that I posted some days ago (message #6 of this thread) seems now working, if someone didn't manage to see it.
This article from japanese source (in english) Asahi.com seems to give credit to the fact Kaihori just had a "day off", and it says she's "first-choice goalkeeper" in the team: http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201109010202.html It also confirms Iwashimizu was "serving a one-match ban", so we should see her back tomorrow against South Korea.