Sports / News
Lights go out on misfiring Japan at Asian Cup
(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-07-26 14:29
HANOI - Japan's players were left to pick up the pieces on Thursday after
their devastating defeat by Saudi Arabia in the Asian Cup semi-finals.
Japan's players react after losing their semi-final match against Saudi
Arabia at the 2007 AFC Asian Cup soccer tournament at My Dinh Stadium in
Hanoi July 25, 2007. From L-R: Japan's Yuji Nakazawa, Yuichi Komano,
Hisato Sato, Naohiro Takahara (19) and Keita Suzuki (13). [Reuters]
Their bid for a third straight title came to a shuddering halt in
Wednesday's 3-2 loss to a Saudi side who had never beaten the Japanese in
the continent's premier competition.
"I don't think it was a jinx," Japan playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura told
Reuters. "The Saudis had a new coach and several new players. It's not a
major shock - it can happen."
Japan must now try to regroup for Saturday's third-place playoff with
fierce rivals South Korea in far-flung Palembang on Indonesia's Sumatra
island.
"I really wanted to play South Korea in the final," said Nakamura. "We
could see the finish line. We just came up short."
The Celtic midfielder added: "It was tough in the heat too. They were
defending with eight players and left two up front all game. We got
sucked into their tactics."
Saudi Arabia will be bidding to become the first team to win the Asian
Cup four times when they take on Iraq in Sunday's final in Jakarta.
Japan, meanwhile, were simply left to rue a lack of ambition in their
semi-final in Hanoi.
"They were there for the taking," shrugged Eintracht Frankfurt striker
Naohiro Takahara, who had scored four goals in four games but was largely
anonymous against the Saudis.
"We just couldn't finish. We never found our rhythm and we made a lot of
mistakes. Their third goal came quickly after we'd scored our second -
that killed us."
Japan were favourites to become the first team to win three successive
Asian Cups since Iran completed a hat-trick of titles in 1976 after
knocking out Australia in the quarter-finals.
But after exorcising the demons of their 3-1 defeat by the Socceroos at
last year's World Cup in Germany, Japan played their worst game of the
tournament against Saudi Arabia.
Japan coach Ivica Osim accused his team of "going soft" against a Saudi
side still exhausted after a horror 12-hour trip from Indonesia to
Vietnam.
The Bosnian refused to name and shame players but still let rip in a
thinly veiled dig at Takahara and midfielder Yasuhito Endo.
"Certain key players simply didn't do enough," growled the 66-year-old.
"If you watched the game you'll know who I'm talking about. The players
need to be more adaptable.
"We still have an awful lot to improve on.
Top Sports News
� F1 hearing hangs over McLaren's title hopes
� Troicki stuns top seed Djokovic at Croatia Open
� Bombs mar celebrations of Iraq soccer win
� Iraq edges South Korea on penalties, into first final
� China dispatches second-string squad for Asian Basketball Championship
Today's Top News
� Terms set for normal ties with Vatican
� Remaining 22 Korean hostages alive
� Premier: Food safety a top priority
� Study: Obesity is 'socially contagious'
� Fate uncertain for Korean hostages
Most Commented/Read Stories in 48 Hours
Learn Chinese, Learning Chinese, Learning Materials, Mandarin audio lessons, Chinese writing lessons, Chinese vocabulary lists, About chinese characters, News in Chinese, Go to China, Travel to China, Study in China, Teach in China, Dictionaries, Learn Chinese Painting, Your name in Chinese, Chinese calligraphy, Chinese songs, Chinese proverbs, Chinese poetry, Chinese tattoo, Beijing 2008 Olympics, Mandarin Phrasebook, Chinese editor, Pinyin editor, China Travel, Travel to Beijing, Travel to Tibet
No comments:
Post a Comment