Brace yourselves because it is going down to PKs... and sadly the pressure is all on Japan. Game went exactly how I expected it to go, btw.
Our forwards are so pedestrian. I don't know why they do that, but hope dies with them when they choose to slow down instead of putting the afterburners on.
PKs it is. NZ keeper proved to be decent, and they have zero pressure. Also I think NZ kicks first which has been proved, it helps mentally as FIFA is stupid enough to do 1-2-1-2 instead of 1-2-2-1 etc. I would say it's 60-40 in favour of NZ now.
So Spain is next. With Tani and a bit of luck saving Japan's ass. But the problems are there and at the moment translate to the main NT too. That said, I expect the game against Spain to be completely different.
This was a very frustrating win. Spain is a hard nut to crack and personally i'm not confident of Japan prevailing against them. But Spain went to extra time as well so there is that. I hope Japan could register a win against them just like in London 2012. Football is a crazy sport and anything could happen.
Yeah and this is why I'm always happy when the bus-parking team crashes out in the shootout. Such teams won't be missed.
Slightly better team in the 120 mins won so the result is fair. Second Olymipcs SF for Yoshida and Sakai, well done! lol, this coming from someone who's been watching Japanese NT for years Remember that Japanese NT can make even some no-name from Jordan/UAE/whatever other country look like Buffon in his prime.
Kosei Tani was impressive. Parking the bus will nearly always be effective versus teams that require space to play, such as Japan.
Four games. One last minute goal scored by a striker. Our strikers need to F&@$! score against Spain. So much more pressure on Kubo and Doan to do something.