No way a team will lose freely, stuff like that will not happen anymore in modern footbal,beside some old examples. Not at that level. Maybe they consider to lose and offer a b-team but they are worth around 400€ Mio so even their c-team would be 10 times more expensive then the holen egypt team. Egypt played a great game and won, spain lost,thats all, simple as that. But there wouldnt be plans to loose from he beginning, thats for sure.
This means nothing if not a bad stat. Hosoya, Asano, D.Maeda in the past R.Miyaichi etc I'm fed up of these "speedsters", it's not actually what JNT need. We need good striker, players who can score. Japan will always has its fast wingers and the likes, it's not what JNT lacks. We need scorer and Hosoya seems not. Anyway I agree, it's 99% his goal. LOL. Exactly what some idiots thought they did in WC22? Lost to Japan to avoid Croatia and then lost to Morocco? Anyway it's a fascinating match and Japan has a very good tradition against la Furia Roja even in Olympic Games.
Why are you so intent of having Japan as a "victim", underestimated etc.? The logical explanation is simply that with only 2 days off between games, and Spain qualified for the next round, they sat key players and players at risk of a second yellow. And then it wasn't enough. Plus, how stupid do you think the Spanish actually are? Oh, we think Paraguay is stronger than Japan? After losing 5-0? Or if it's not Paraguay, between Mali Israel and Japan they think Japan is the easiest? Sure. France potentially in the semi final? If they want gold, they expect to meet them somewhere anyway, Semi Final, Final, doesn't matter. But they are aware that they made their road to meet France more difficult by likely having Japan in the next round. Japan will do exactly the same, they'll sit the the guys on a yellow, they'll sit some of the guys Oiwa regards as important to be fully fit in the next round, vs (probably) Spain.
Well f**k to be honest these conspirancy theories leave me perplexed. On which basis they would see Japan as the weaker side? Also Japan already has beaten Spain in the Olympics.
Okay, how the hell is that Israel team physically fitter than our guys so far? They also have the best scoring chances so far.
Japan plays with his b-team. Its normal cause they are not that used together as the a-team. Hope it will change when the games goes on. Anything about Koki Saito? Sick? Injured? Rest?
Now Japan is fighting themselves into the game. I like it and very close that Japan scored almost a direct corner ala Mario Basler ^^. What a goal that would be. Edit: Next chance for Japan. Now we have a game.
Japan is evolving very strong in this game, they practical usurp the game at the moment. Great attitude, thats the right spirit. Now, they need only a few more accurate chances. The atmosphere is so crazy now in compare to the beginning, its like a WC game. Japan is firering the heat. Edit: Morimoto, on Discovery + you can watch. Of course its Pay-TV.
i'm confident this team will win against spain! spain seems to have a fragile defense and japan seems to score in every game and hasn't conceded a goal.
What a game. Sure Japan has his downs in the defense sometimes and in the offense as well but overall a great game from attitude and fighting spirit. Glad for Hosoya as well. Kokubo will be the No. 1 for the senior team, thats for sure. Overall a good game. You can clearly see a gameplan in compare to Moriyasu. Especial the defense with the long back passing passage to let the enemy run and control the game. I like it. In the last 5 minutes Japan could have scored 2-3 goals if they play one accurate single pass. Such a waste or opportunities but at the end of the day Japan are the best team of the group stage together with France. 3 games, 3 wins, 9 points, 7:0 goals. Thats yummy.
Well it seems I don't know even 1 spaniard u23 player. When we beat them in 2012 they were full of well known youngsters. And it seems that their subs are not exactly the best. Anyway Japan is always able to pull the rabbit out of the hat or to being trashed by random opponents. I hope Kokubo and defence keep doing thei job. Hosoya has spent his jolly, someone else need to score in the upcoming match.
Japan is straight away facing Spain at the QFs, hope they give it 100% their best. Definitely they will be the favourites, but hope Japan can give them a good fight. Oiwa should play the strongest 11 from the get go.
I can find any REAL footage of the Mali and Israel matches, if there are any, please post the links here. Only real footage of Japan U23 team were from NBC Sports YouTube channel, between Japan and Paraguay. I may be copyright in USA, so any else would do. I search and I found a lot of video game footage which is BS.
Ganbare!!???? Game starts in a few seconds. I am soooo overhyped. Beers are cold, now lets win Japan!
Hosoya again. Nice time to shine. VAR... For what??? De ********. Offside cuz Hosoya's right feet was over the line. What a ********ing stupid rule.