Japanese Soccer News 1 - April 2003

Japan National Team: Win in Seoul

Yuichiro Nagai came off the bench to score a fluke goal in extra time to give Zico his first victory in his brief tenure as head coach of the blues. Coming on for a tired- and old-looking Masashi Nakayama, the Urawa Reds striker scored his first ever goal for the national side. Under pressure, South Korea defender Cho Byung Kuk attempted to clear away from inside the box. The ball, however, bounded off Nagai’s leg, over the goalkeeper’s head, and into the Korean net for a 1-0 Japan win. The match was the first between the two World Cup co-hosts since the tournament ended last July.

In the previous three outings under Zico, Japan drew against Jamaica and Uruguay and lost to Argentina. The victory over rival South Korea puts the series at 12 wins for Japan, 35 for Korea, and 15 draws.

Japan was without its European midfield quartet of Hidetoshi Nakata, Shunsuke Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto, and Shinji Ono. In their place, Mitsuo Ogasawara in particular looked dangerous. Naturalized midfielder Allesandro Santos, too, showed great pace and gave the Korean defenders trouble.

J.League Update

Through stage five of the 2003 J.League season, the Kashima Antlers are on the top of the table with four wins for 12 points. Four teams have 10 points: JEF United and Yokohama Marinos have scored four more goals than have been scored against them, for Jubilo Iwata and Vegalta Sendai the goal differential is two. At the bottom of the table, Tokyo Verdy and Kyoto Purple Sanga lag with only three points apiece. Sanga, in particular, has disappointed their faithful since winning the Emperor’s Cup on New Year’s Day.

Perhaps the major story of the season thus far was the shock departure of Edmundo. In the off-season the thirty-one-year-old Brazilian moved from Tokyo Verdy, where he was dominant last year, to Urawa Reds. Here he was to partner with fellow Brazilian Emerson, who made the J.League Best XI last season. However, Edmundo left the Reds on March 28th after only several weeks, and in so doing renounced a million dollar plus contract to return to play for Vasco da Gama in Brazil. The Reds had hoped to build this year’s squad around the "Animal"—so known in Brazil for his explosive scoring ability—but homesickness and dissatisfaction with coach Hans Ooft’s training methods proved too strong for Edmundo.

Also, Edmundo has had a checkered past. The trouble-free period at Verdy last year was the exception in his career. He has been involved in car crashes, feuds with teammates, partying, and many red cards. Former Japan head coach Ooft is putting on a brave face about the situation, but the team’s performance speaks for itself.

Japanese Players Abroad

The major stories of the last month were the debut in the Premier League of Tottenham Hotspurs’s Kazuyuki Toda and the pending return from Belgium of forward Takayuki Suzuki. National team sparkplug Toda has been warming the bench in London this season. His appearance against Manchester City in April made him the second Japanese player to play in the Premier League. The first was Fulham’s Junichi Inamoto. Toda showed none of the jitters typical of a first timer, and in the following match he started in midfield.

In Belgium, it was announced that Takayuki Suzuki would be released from Genk after the current season. In 360 minutes of play, mainly as a substitute, he has received two yellow cards and has yet to score. Suzuki will return to his former club Kashima Antlers.

In the German Bundesliga, Naohiro Takahara scored his third goal of the season for Hamburg SV. Coming off the bench for starting striker Rodolfo Cardoso at 66 minutes, Japan striker Takahara headed home a cross from teammate and Iran international Mehdi Mahdavikia. This was the first goal in five matches for the "Sushi Bomber." With the 4-0 win over relegation-threatened Nuremberg, Hamburg moved into fifth place in the Bundesliga.

Farther south, in Italy, Hidetoshi Nakata and Shunsuke Nakamura faced off in a Serie A regular season match on April 27th. Playing at the latter’s home ground in Reggina, the 0-0 draw left Nakata’s Parma in fifth place with 49 points. Near the bottom of the table, Reggina languishes in 14th place.

Soccer or Baseball?

In a recent Asahi Shinbun newspaper poll of 524 Japanese about soccer and baseball, the reasons for the popularity of each sport were revealed. Of the total, 48% preferred baseball, 32% soccer, and 20% "neither." However, a closer look gives hope for soccer fans and the J.League. The top three reasons why baseball fans chose baseball were: I’ve watched it since I was little, it’s easy to understand, and I have a favorite team. For soccer, the top three were: speed, excitement, and the World Cup. Thanks to the advent of the J.League and last year’s World Cup, the first reason for choosing baseball may switch over to soccer in years to come.

Portugal Cancels Asia Tour Due to SARS; East Asian Championships to Go Ahead

Portugal's national football team called off friendlies scheduled for early June in Japan and South Korea due to fears over the pneumonia known as SARS.

Portugal was scheduled to face South Korea on June 8 and Japan three days later.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, is believed to have killed 112 worldwide and infected some 3,000 in around 30 countries, mainly in Asia. Tension in North Korea is also said to have been a factor.

Instead, it was announced that Portugal will be heading across the Atlantic to play the United States at Giants Stadium on June 7th. Four days later, in Miami, the team will face Mexico.

In Asia, though, the East Asian Championships will go ahead as scheduled. The May 28th-June 3rd tournament featuring Japan, China, South Korea, and Hong Kong will be played in Japan. Officials had considered canceling because of SARS; however, all participating players will be screened and checked prior to arrival in Japan.

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