Homare Sawa turned in the first truly great performance of the 2011 World Cup as Japan defeated Mexico 4-0. Sawa scored three goals, two of them on headers no less. But it wasn't just the goals, but Sawa's superb overall play that led Japan to victory.
This is Sawa's fifth World Cup. She played in her first at age 16 in 1995. But in all those years and all those World Cup games, she had never turned in one quite like this.
The first goal came in the 13th minute. Japan won a free kick on the left wing, about 28 yards from the goal. Aya Miyama's serve was absolutely perfect into the box. Sawa was able to get space between herself and Nayeli Rangel and rise to easily head the ball inside the right post from six yards out.
In the 15th minute, the ball was played to Yuki Nagasato at the edge of the penalty area. She worked her way back to the right, touching the ball over to Shinobu Ohno. Ohno cut between Mexican defenders Alina Garciamendez and Luz Saucedo, then drove the ball into the upper part of the net just inside the right post from about 15 yards out. In a matter of just a couple of minutes, Japan had struck like lightning and the match was already slipping away from Mexico.
Mexico's first shot came in the 19th minute as Dinora Garza tested Japanese keeper Ayumi Kaihori from 25 yards, but the ball one-hopped right to Kaihori and she had no trouble with it.
Sawa nearly got her second in the 28th minute, but her header went just wide. Japan was putting on quite a show with their skill and precision passing.
Mexico's nightmare on set pieces continued in the 39th minute. Aya Miyama's corner this time went to the near post, with Sawa making a perfect run in that direction. Sawa flicked the header past Cecilia Santiago's right hip and into the net and it was 3-0 for Japan.
Mexico came close to getting one back early in the second half. Stephany Mayor's strike from 25 yards was headed toward the left post, but Kaihori was able to dive and knock the ball wide. The ball was probably going to go just wide anyhow, but the Japanese keeper was taking no chances.
Yuki Nagasato almost had a goal in the 56th minute, but Natalie Vinti was able to deflect the ball just enough that it hit the post instead of going into the net and Mexico had dodged a bullet.
Sawa made it a hat trick in the 80th minute, but Yukari Kinga must get a lot of credit for this one as well. Kinga worked a give and go with Mana Iwabuchi on the right side, with Kinga taking the ball to near the end line. She then crossed it back across the middle where Sawa found open space and finished from nine yards inside the left post.
Indeed, Japan had played one of the best matches of the tournament. They controlled the midfield and were able to create chance after chance, often methodically working the ball up the field with sharp, short passes.
It was the second straight disastrous day for Concacaf teams. Canada was blitzed by France by the identical score on Thursday. In Mexico's defense, not many teams would have beaten Japan on this day, but their marking on set pieces was substandard at best. Maribel Dominguez, Mexico's best offensive option, was held in check by the Japanese and rarely threatened.
Japan secured a spot in the quarterfinals with the victory and they will meet England with a chance to win Group B on Tuesday. Mexico put themselves in a very precarious position because of the size of the defeat. They now have to defeat New Zealand, probably by a fairly large margin and hope England loses to Japan. Even defeating New Zealand, a team that played both Japan and England to one goal, will not be an easy task.
Showing posts with label Shinobu Ohno. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shinobu Ohno. Show all posts
July 1, 2011
June 27, 2011
Japan 2, New Zealand 1
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Amber Hearn, Anna Green, Aya Miyama, Ayumi Kaihori, Japan, Jenny Bindon, New Zealand, Ria Percival, Shinobu Ohno, Yuki Nagasato
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Amber Hearn, Anna Green, Aya Miyama, Ayumi Kaihori, Japan, Jenny Bindon, New Zealand, Ria Percival, Shinobu Ohno, Yuki Nagasato
Aya Miyama's goal off of a free kick in 68th minute proved to be the winner as Japan defeated New Zealand 2-1 in Group B play on Monday.
Japan came into the match as the favorite and they wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Shinobu Ohno hit a soft chip that split New Zealand's two central defenders and sent Yuki Nagasato through. With Ferns' goalkeeper Jenny Bindon coming out, Nagasato chipped the ball neatly over Bindon's head to make it 1-0 for Japan just six minutes in.
New Zealand's strategy for the day was to test the Japanese defense with long balls and it paid off in the 12th minute. Anna Green sent a long ball out of the back that Ria Percival ran down in the deep right corner. Percival crossed the ball to the far post, where Amber Hearn was waiting for the opportunity. Hearn rose up and headed it past Japanese goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori to tie the match.
Japan maintained a healthy edge in possession throughout the match, but they had to be wary of long balls over the top and counterattacks. The Nadeshiko created several chances later in the first half.
Bindon was forced to make a diving save on Ohno's drive from 22 yards in the 17th minute. Just a minute later, Yukari Kinga hit a cross from the right side and Mizuho Sakaguchi volleyed it off the left post, with Bindon making a save against Homare Sawa on the rebound. The Japanese team had come so close to regaining the lead.
Later in the half, Ohno struck one just over the bar from 15 yards out and a Nagasato header off of a corner kick went tantalizingly wide. However, the half ended with the score still tied at one.
The first 20 minutes of the second half were remarkable only for the lack of chances produced. Japan continued to control possession, while New Zealand continued to look for counterattacking opportunities.
But in the 67th minute, Ferns' veteran Rebecca Smith was whistled and carded for tripping Mana Iwabuchi just outside the penalty area and a free kick was awarded. Aya Miyama calmly struck the shot into the upper right corner of the net from 20 yards out, just beyond Bindon's hands and it was 2-1 for Japan.
In the 69th minute, Green very nearly caught Kaihori off guard, as she elected to shoot her free kick, with the ball going just over the crossbar. Unfortunately for the Ferns, it was one of the last chances they would have to draw even.
Iwabuchi nearly increased the lead in the 89th minute, but her drive from 22 yards missed the left post by inches. The 18 year old, who came on as a 2nd half substitution, looked very good in the 35 minutes she was in the match.
New Zealand had one final chance after being awarded a free kick 25 yards out in stoppage time. Amber Hearn's attempt dipped just over the bar and Japan preserved the 2-1 victory.
Japan will take on a game Mexican squad the Friday, while New Zealand will play England in the other Group B match.
Japan came into the match as the favorite and they wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. Shinobu Ohno hit a soft chip that split New Zealand's two central defenders and sent Yuki Nagasato through. With Ferns' goalkeeper Jenny Bindon coming out, Nagasato chipped the ball neatly over Bindon's head to make it 1-0 for Japan just six minutes in.
New Zealand's strategy for the day was to test the Japanese defense with long balls and it paid off in the 12th minute. Anna Green sent a long ball out of the back that Ria Percival ran down in the deep right corner. Percival crossed the ball to the far post, where Amber Hearn was waiting for the opportunity. Hearn rose up and headed it past Japanese goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihori to tie the match.
Japan maintained a healthy edge in possession throughout the match, but they had to be wary of long balls over the top and counterattacks. The Nadeshiko created several chances later in the first half.
Bindon was forced to make a diving save on Ohno's drive from 22 yards in the 17th minute. Just a minute later, Yukari Kinga hit a cross from the right side and Mizuho Sakaguchi volleyed it off the left post, with Bindon making a save against Homare Sawa on the rebound. The Japanese team had come so close to regaining the lead.
Later in the half, Ohno struck one just over the bar from 15 yards out and a Nagasato header off of a corner kick went tantalizingly wide. However, the half ended with the score still tied at one.
The first 20 minutes of the second half were remarkable only for the lack of chances produced. Japan continued to control possession, while New Zealand continued to look for counterattacking opportunities.
But in the 67th minute, Ferns' veteran Rebecca Smith was whistled and carded for tripping Mana Iwabuchi just outside the penalty area and a free kick was awarded. Aya Miyama calmly struck the shot into the upper right corner of the net from 20 yards out, just beyond Bindon's hands and it was 2-1 for Japan.
In the 69th minute, Green very nearly caught Kaihori off guard, as she elected to shoot her free kick, with the ball going just over the crossbar. Unfortunately for the Ferns, it was one of the last chances they would have to draw even.
Iwabuchi nearly increased the lead in the 89th minute, but her drive from 22 yards missed the left post by inches. The 18 year old, who came on as a 2nd half substitution, looked very good in the 35 minutes she was in the match.
New Zealand had one final chance after being awarded a free kick 25 yards out in stoppage time. Amber Hearn's attempt dipped just over the bar and Japan preserved the 2-1 victory.
Japan will take on a game Mexican squad the Friday, while New Zealand will play England in the other Group B match.
June 20, 2011
Group B Preview: Japan
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Aya Miyama, Ayumi Kaihori, Homare Sawa, Japan WNT, Mana Iwabuchi, Nozomi Yamago, Shinobu Ohno
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Aya Miyama, Ayumi Kaihori, Homare Sawa, Japan WNT, Mana Iwabuchi, Nozomi Yamago, Shinobu Ohno
Japan (#4)
Region: AFC
Coach: Norio Sasaki
How They Qualified: Finished in 3rd Place in Asian Cup.
Prior Cups:
2007: Group Stage
2003: Group Stage
1999: Group Stage
1995: Lost in Quarterfinals
1991: Group Stage
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (12) Ando, Fukumoto, Iwashimizu, Kinga, Miyama, Nagasato, Ohno, Sakaguchi, Sawa, Utsugi, Yamago, Yano.
Roster (Average Age: 25.70)
Recent Matches:
Homare Sawa played in her first World Cup in 1995 at the age of 16. She is one of the most respected players in the world. Now 16 years later, she will be competing in her fifth World Cup as a member of the highest ranking Japanese team ever.
The Japanese have competed in all five previous Women’s World Cups, but have only made it as far as the quarterfinals once. That was in 1995. This team has the potential to go that far or even further. They return 12 players from their 2007 team, among the most of any team here. And while no group can be considered easy, Group B certainly is one from which they should advance.
But lately, Nadeshiko Japan has not been performing like…well, like Japan normally does. They looked flat in a recent two-game series in the United States losing both by 0-2 margins. Their most recent outing was a 1-1 tie against non-qualifying Korea Republic. Last year, they earned their spot in the World Cup by beating China for the third place match in the Asian Cup, after losing to Australia in the semifinals.
Still, they are the fourth ranked team in the world and they did perform reasonably well at Algarve, defeating Norway and Sweden after losing a close match to the United States.
Their strength is their technical ability. They have a great passing game and don’t give up possession easily. They have a talented and experienced midfield led by Sawa and Aya Miyama. In addition to being a strong technical player, Miyama can place a free kick pretty much anywhere she pleases with deadly accuracy.
On offense, Shinobu Ohno has blazing speed and has been their best scorer lately. Yuki Nagasato is another veteran forward who knows how to score, although she is still only 23 years old. It will be interesting to see if young Mana Iwabuchi makes any impact at this competition. She looks to be a star of the future for the Japanese side.
Perhaps the weakest position for the Japanese is their defense. Not their ability or their experience, but their lack of size. They will be going against several big, strong teams in this tournament if they are to advance very far. Set pieces on the defensive end could be an Achilles heel for Japan, as the recent trip to the United States proved to some extent.
In goal, the Japanese have good depth and experience. Nozomi Yamago has been a national team keeper for a long time. She played in six World Cup games in 1999 and 2003. Ayumi Kaihori has seen her share of starts lately and appears to be the heir apparent.
In light of the recent tragic events in Japan, there will be much on the players’ minds that doesn’t involve soccer, which is quite understandable. But hopefully, this team will be at the top of their game when they open in Germany in less than a week. If they are, they will be a hard team to face and they could well advance far into this competition.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained on www.fifa.com and www.jfa.or.jp.
Region: AFC
Coach: Norio Sasaki
How They Qualified: Finished in 3rd Place in Asian Cup.
Prior Cups:
2007: Group Stage
2003: Group Stage
1999: Group Stage
1995: Lost in Quarterfinals
1991: Group Stage
Returnees from 2007 WWC: (12) Ando, Fukumoto, Iwashimizu, Kinga, Miyama, Nagasato, Ohno, Sakaguchi, Sawa, Utsugi, Yamago, Yano.
Roster (Average Age: 25.70)
| Name | Pos | Club | Age | Caps/Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miho Fukumoto | GK | Yunogo Belle | 27 | 54/0 |
| Ayumi Kaihori | GK | INAC Leonessa | 24 | 17/0 |
| Nozomi Yamago | GK | Urawa Red Ladies | 36 | 96/0 |
| Azusa Iwashimizu | DF | NTV Beleza | 24 | 63/8 |
| Yukari Kinga | DF | INAC Leonessa | 27 | 61/4 |
| Saki Kumagai | DF | Urawa Red Ladies | 20 | 22/0 |
| Aya Sameshima | DF | Boston Breakers | 24 | 26/2 |
| Kyoko Yano | DF | Urawa Red Ladies | 27 | 67/1 |
| Kozue Ando | MF | FCR Duisburg | 28 | 85/17 |
| Megumi Kamionobe | MF | Albirex Niigata Ladies | 25 | 13/2 |
| Nahomi Kawasumi | MF | INAC Leonessa | 25 | 14/2 |
| Aya Miyama | MF | Yunogo Belle | 26 | 92/23 |
| Mizuho Sakaguchi | MF | Albirex Niigata Ladies | 23 | 37/15 |
| Homare Sawa | MF | INAC Leonessa | 32 | 166/75 |
| Asuna Tanaka | MF | INAC Leonessa | 23 | 2/0 |
| Rumi Utsugi | MF | Montpellier | 22 | 43/5 |
| Mana Iwabuchi | FW | NTV Beleza | 18 | 5/2 |
| Karina Maruyama | FW | JEF Utd Ichihara Ladies | 28 | 61/13 |
| Yuki Nagasato | FW | FFC Turbine Potsdam | 23 | 63/31 |
| Shinobu Ohno | FW | INAC Leonessa | 27 | 86/34 |
| Megumi Takase | FW | INAC Leonessa | 20 | 16/4 |
Recent Matches:
| Date | Opponent | Competition | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/18/11 | Korea Republic | Friendly | T 1-1 |
| 5/18/11 | USA | Friendly | L 0-2 |
| 5/14/11 | USA | Friendly | L 0-2 |
| 3/9/11 | Sweden | Algarve | W 2-1 |
| 3/7/11 | Norway | Algarve | W 1-0 |
| 3/4/11 | Finland | Algarve | W 5-0 |
| 3/2/11 | USA | Algarve | L 1-2 |
| 11/22/10 | Korea DPR | Asian Games | W 1-0 |
| 11/20/10 | China | Asian Games | W 1-0 |
| 11/18/10 | Korea DPR | Asian Games | T 0-0 |
| 11/14/10 | Thailand | Asian Games | W 4-0 |
| 5/30/10 | China | Asian Cup | W 2-0 |
| 5/27/10 | Australia | Asian Cup | L 0-1 |
| 5/24/10 | Korea DPR | Asian Cup | W 2-1 |
| 5/22/10 | Thailand | Asian Cup | W 4-0 |
| 5/20/10 | Myanmar | Asian Cup | W 8-0 |
| 5/11/10 | Mexico | Friendly | W 3-0 |
| 5/8/10 | Mexico | Friendly | W 4-0 |
Homare Sawa played in her first World Cup in 1995 at the age of 16. She is one of the most respected players in the world. Now 16 years later, she will be competing in her fifth World Cup as a member of the highest ranking Japanese team ever.
The Japanese have competed in all five previous Women’s World Cups, but have only made it as far as the quarterfinals once. That was in 1995. This team has the potential to go that far or even further. They return 12 players from their 2007 team, among the most of any team here. And while no group can be considered easy, Group B certainly is one from which they should advance.
But lately, Nadeshiko Japan has not been performing like…well, like Japan normally does. They looked flat in a recent two-game series in the United States losing both by 0-2 margins. Their most recent outing was a 1-1 tie against non-qualifying Korea Republic. Last year, they earned their spot in the World Cup by beating China for the third place match in the Asian Cup, after losing to Australia in the semifinals.
Still, they are the fourth ranked team in the world and they did perform reasonably well at Algarve, defeating Norway and Sweden after losing a close match to the United States.
Their strength is their technical ability. They have a great passing game and don’t give up possession easily. They have a talented and experienced midfield led by Sawa and Aya Miyama. In addition to being a strong technical player, Miyama can place a free kick pretty much anywhere she pleases with deadly accuracy.
On offense, Shinobu Ohno has blazing speed and has been their best scorer lately. Yuki Nagasato is another veteran forward who knows how to score, although she is still only 23 years old. It will be interesting to see if young Mana Iwabuchi makes any impact at this competition. She looks to be a star of the future for the Japanese side.
Perhaps the weakest position for the Japanese is their defense. Not their ability or their experience, but their lack of size. They will be going against several big, strong teams in this tournament if they are to advance very far. Set pieces on the defensive end could be an Achilles heel for Japan, as the recent trip to the United States proved to some extent.
In goal, the Japanese have good depth and experience. Nozomi Yamago has been a national team keeper for a long time. She played in six World Cup games in 1999 and 2003. Ayumi Kaihori has seen her share of starts lately and appears to be the heir apparent.
In light of the recent tragic events in Japan, there will be much on the players’ minds that doesn’t involve soccer, which is quite understandable. But hopefully, this team will be at the top of their game when they open in Germany in less than a week. If they are, they will be a hard team to face and they could well advance far into this competition.
Note: Some information for this article was obtained on www.fifa.com and www.jfa.or.jp.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Search
Welcome
