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Japanese Soccer News - February 2005

Japanese Soccer News
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Japan National Team

National Team: Miracle Win for Japan in Saitama; Ogura Nets in Extra Time to Down North Korea 2-1

North Korea, February 9th: It would be hard to find a match played under more tense circumstances. The Japanese government and public consider the regime of Kim Jong Il public enemy number one. Tokyo accuses the secretive regime of not being forthcoming about Japanese nationals that were kidnapped by agents of the North in the 1970s and 80s to be used as Japanese language teachers for its spy agencies. Many of the kidnapped are said to be dead, with Tokyo and Pyongyang arguing about an honest reckoning over their whereabouts and DNA findings. In addition, persistent worries about North Korea's nuclear ambitions have Tokyo on edge. Japan is only being held in check by its minder - the US - or would no doubt withdraw from the Group of Six negotiations and impose unilateral sanctions. From the North's perspective, Japan remains the unrepentant colonial power. Moreover, Japan's treatment of its 600,000 resident ethnic Koreans - two of whom took the field for the North - has been atrocious.

In front of 55,000 screaming Japanese fans, 5,000 North Koreans resident in Japan - mainly the descendants of workers conscripted by the Japanese army during and prior to World War II, and who still do not have Japanese citizenship - and a contingent of roughly 5,000 police, the game began at swift pace. Perhaps mindful of the treatment they received at the hands of unruly Chinese fans during last summer's Asian Cup - in which the Chinese booed every touch of the ball and pelted Japanese fans with drinks and cups - and the away match on June 8th in Pyongyang, Japanese fans behaved themselves. The 1000 empty seats used as a buffer zone between opposing supporters turned out to be an unnecessary precaution.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima's Ri Han Jae and Albirex Niigata's An Yong Hak were included in the North Korean side and quickly showed their worth. Both were raised in Japan and attended North Korean schools in Japan. Japan was first on the scoreboard on a lovely free kick from midfielder Mitsuo Ogawasara. In front of a raucous crowd at Saitama Stadium, the Koreans were a bit rattled at the onset. Japan capitalized on this case of the nerves. The North settled though and found its rhythm, and played the remainder of the first half even with Japan.

In the second half, after a beautiful series of passes, Nam Song-chol banged home an acute angle shot that left keeper Kawaguchi flatfooted. At that point, Coach Zico subbed in Reggina's Shunsuke Nakamura in midfield and, up front, Hamburg's Naohiro Takahara. Japan at this point - half in desperation - took over the match, swarming upfield. Takahara missed several golden opportunities, Tamada another. With ten minutes left, a clearly desperate Zico replaced the ineffective Tamada with Masashi Oguro, the leading Japanese scorer in the J.League. In extra time, he swept home a loose ball in front of net that the Korean keeper clearly should have handled.
Result: Three points for another bad performance under Zico. The next match, in Teheran, will not be nearly as forgiving.

North Korea: 5,000 Japanese Fans to Attend June Match in NK

North Korean diplomatic sources announced on February 11th that the hermit kingdom is preparing to accept up to 5,000 Japanese supporters for the Pyongyang match scheduled for this summer. Japan will meet North Korea in a second World Cup Qualifier on June 8th in Pyongyang.

Japanese fans will be carried on the North Korean carrier, Air Koryo, between Shenyang, a city in northern China, and Pyongyang. The itinerary for the Japanese fans will be arranged in order for them to arrive on June 6th and depart on June 9th.

National Team, Part II

In a runup to the North Korea match, on February 9th, Japan hosted Kazakstan on January 29th and Syria on February 2nd. Against the Kazakhs, Japan walked away with an easy 4-0 victory. Keiji Yamada found the net twice, once on a lovely through ball from Mitsuo Ogasawara. Two players made their national team debuts: JEF's Yuji Abe and Gamba Osaka's Masashi Oguro. The former was cut by Philippe Troussier prior to the World Cup, in 2002; the latter was the leading Japanese goal scorer in the J.League in the 2004 season.
Men of the match: Tamada for his 2 goals, and tiny Ogasawara for completely controlling the midfield.
Against Syria on the 9th, Japan had the better of the first half but was not able to find the net until the 43rd minute when Takayuki Suzuki nodded home a cross from Alex Santos. Syria kept Japan on its back heel at times, but never came close to scoring. The match turned when in the space of four minutes Syrian defender Jbelli picked up two yellow cards - and thus an early exit from the match. Only then did Japan begin to dominate. Down a man, Syria gave up two more goals, and Mitsuo Ogasawara took control of the midfield.
Still, a less than inspiring effort from Zico Japan.

Europe-based Players

Coming back from a back injury, Nakata played a full 90 minutes on January 30th against Cagliari in a 1-0 loss. On the 24th, he played 69 minutes against Roma in a 2-1 loss. In a 2-1 early Febraury loss to Palermo, Nakata played 45 minutes. He was not called up for the North Korea match.

West Brom midfielder Inamoto had his loan deal to Cardiff extended. He is now seeing regular time on the pitch. He was not called up for Japan's World Cup qualifier against North Korea on February 9th.

Shunsuke slotted home the winner in a 1-0 home victory against Palermo. That was his first goal of the season. It took place in the seventh minute after a blunder by Palermo's keeper and defender left Nakamura alone with the ball in front of net.
On the 6th, Shunsuke assisted on a free kick against Genoa in a 3-3 tie.

Japan forward Okubo debuted in Spain on January 10 - and what a debut it was. Okubo is the third Japanese player to play in La Liga and may be the first to make any impact. Playing for relegation threatened Mallorca, he scored and assisted in a bravura performance against Deportivo La Coruna. Followed by more than 50 Japanese journalists, Okubo quickly made his signing look more than an attempt at jersey-selling on the part of his Spanish club. In a 2-2 draw, Okubo scored assisted Luis Garcia in the 57th minute, and then banged home his first goal seven minutes later. Coach Hector Cuper said that, aside from a few minor tactical issues, "his speed, movement, and hunger are first rate." Unfortunately, though, he took a kick to the knee at the beginning of the match and was sidelined for 10 days or so. After a three game layoff, he was back on the pitch against Getafe.

Forward Takahara came on as a substitute against Mainz in 2-1 win on a January 29th. He did not have any part in Hamburg's two goals.
Much booed of late, the Sushi Bomber finally found his form. Against Nuremburg, Takahara netted twice in a 3-1 win. Hamburg fans were bitter prior to the match after the announcement that Taka would be starting in favor of Mpenza. He dispelled doubts and could have had a third goal after a lovely header skidded just wide.
Against North Korea, Taka missed twice from point-blank range.

Japan midfielder transferred from Kashima Antlers to Marseille, where he will be reunited with former Japan coach Philippe Troussier. In an unusual move, Marseille paid no transfer fee for the twenty-five year-old veteran of the 2002 World Cup, 2000 Sydney Olympics, and 1999 World Youth Championships. Marseille originally proposed a fee of roughly $200,000, but was rebuffed by Kashima. Then, after his Kashima contract expired on February 1st, the deal went ahead without the fee - and yet another J.League team was left with nothing but egg on its managerial face. Nakata, who felt that this was probably his last chance to play in Europe, is thrilled to be going to the cauldron that is Marseille. He has signed an 18-month deal.

Japan midfielder Ono is recovering from ankle surgery on December 27th and has yet to come back for his Dutch club.

J.League News: Toda Moves to Verdy

Journeyman Kazuyuki Toda has transferred to Tokyo Verdy. The hard-tackling midfielder started for Japan in the 2002 World Cup, played briefly at Tottenham Hotspur and Holland's ADO Den Haag, and then returned to his Japanese club team Shimizu S-Pulse last spring. He will be reuniting with Coach Ossie Ardiles at Verdy.

World Club Championships: Sayonara Japan

Manchester United Announces Summer Tour: Hong Kong, Beijing, and Tokyo

Man United announced recently that the Reds will play the Hong Kong National Team in Hong Kong on Saturday, July 23rd, and Beijing Guo'an on Tuesday the 26th prior to swinging through Japan for two matches on the 28th and 30th. The Japan matches, both to be played in Tokyo, are to be played against an as yet undisclosed opponent.
Speaking of the tour, United's commercial director Andy Anson said: "We will bring our full squad of players, subject to injury. The Asia tour will come at a vital time in our pre-season preparations and we cannot afford for our best players to miss out."

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