Japan’s World Cup 2022 Qatar star performers Ritsu Doan and Kaoru Mitoma had been named in Hajime Moriyasu’s 26-man team announced Wednesday for their future friendlies against Colombia and Uruguay. There had been 10 changes from the World Cup team of the manager with veteran defenders YutoNagamoto, Maya Yoshida, and Hiroki Sakai being noteworthy absentees, while Reo Hatate and KyogoFuruhasi, the Celtic duo stayed neglected.
The best XI player of 2022’s title has gone to Kyogo Furuhashi in Japan. This was as per a unanimous vote by the players’ association though he was not selected to play for Qatar World Cup in 2022. Omitting his participation in the Qatar tournament was a surprise and he admits that he was disappointed that he was not part of the final team. This was as per the choices made by the team’s manager Hajime Moriyasu.
However, this accolade handed to him by fellow players is a prestigious title for him. The players were chosen after the team was awarded Japan’s Team of the Year. This was by the professional football players’ association in the country. And this selection was a surprise since he had not been part of the World Cup team.
The football fans of Japan are overjoyed by their football team’s victory over Germany. After the match, the supporters of Japan earned praise for an off-pitch tradition, which appears to be uniquely Japanese as they cleaned the Stadiums when all football fans left. It is becoming a very common sight. Japanese fans stayed behind after the win of their team and helped in cleaning up the Khalifa International Stadium.
Chanathip Songkrasin, known as the ‘Thai Messi’, moved to Kawasaki Frontale earlier this year and may face Bình Dương. Bình Dương will play a friendly against J1 League defending champions Kawasaki Frontale on November 20. Photo courtesy of VPF
National Premier League New South Wales side Sydney United 58 made Australian football history on Sunday as they became the first non-top-flight team to qualify for the Australia Cup final, after they had beaten A-League Men side Brisbane Roar 3-2 in the semifinal.
In their second match of the BSWW Mundialito Gran Canaria 2022 held in Gran Canaria, Spain, the Japan Beach Soccer National Team got off to a strong start with AKAGUMA Takuya (Lazo Apego Kitakyusyu) scoring the opening goal in the first minute, with the assist coming from KIBUNE Yuki (Averdade Kumamoto BS).
TANAKA Hayate (Tokyo Verdy BS) scored the second goal in the eighth minute, when he redirected the clearance of the opposing goalkeeper to extend the Japanese lead, but Spain responded right back, scoring a goal in the very next play, as Japan finished the first period with a 2-1 lead.
Arsenal defender TakehiroTomiyasu has been missing in action as far as preseason is concerned for the Gunners. The Japan international has not been with the Arsenal team since they started preseason at the start of last week. He has been absent after his involvement with Japan during last month’s set of international games. To this effect, the Japan star has missed the preseason friendly wins over Ipswich Town and Nuremberg. He’s expected to report back to training at the start of the new week.
Tomiyasu was missing from the Arsenal squad as they began their preseason friendlies this summer with the 5-1 thumping of English League One opposition Ipswich Town at their London Colney training ground last week Saturday. Eddie Nketiah was the star of the show after he scored a hat-trick during the game, while Albert-Sambi Lokonga was also on the scoresheet. Young Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun came off the bench to score the fifth Arsenal goal in the second half.
Asian team Japan are now on an eight-match unbeaten run after thrashing Paraguay 4-1 at home in an international friendly clash on Thursday. Japan are going to the World Cup in Qatar, while Paraguay didn’t qualify for the tournament and it was not a surprise that the Asians had too much firepower for their South American visitors.
Japan took a two-nil lead into the break through the goals from VFL Bochum striker Takuma Asano and Europa League winner DaichiKamada. Asano gave the hosts the lead nine from the break before Kamada doubled the lead six minutes later an.d three minutes from the break.Derlis Gonzalez pulled one back for the Paraguayans on 59 minutes, but Japan restored their two-goal lead within one minute thanks to the goal from Kaoru Mitomi who plays his club football for Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League and was on loan at SG Union in the Belgian league for the 2021/22 season. SubstituteAo Tanaka sealed the win for the home side five minutes from time.
Japan international TakehiroTomiyasu made a welcomed return to the Arsenal starting XI for the London Derby encounter with hosts West Ham United in the Premier League after several months out with injury.
Arsenal fans showed their delight towards his return from injury when they cheered him as he came on as a late substitute during the 3-1 home win over Manchester United in the league penultimate weekend. He made his return from injury against the Red Devils after almost four months. His last appearance was when the Japan national team defender was rushed back from injury after a week for him to feature in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal tie with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium. He was clearly unfit as Liverpool beat hosts Arsenal 2-0 through a pair of goals from Diogo Jota either side of the interval to book their place in the Carabao Cup final via a 2-0 aggregate victory. Liverpool would go on to beat Chelsea on penalties in the final for their first trophy this season.
Ambitious big-spending Singaporean side Lion City Sailors received a harsh welcome to the AFC Champions League on Friday as they dropped their Group F opener, losing 4-1 to Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds at the Chang Arena in Buriram.
By virtue of winning the 2021 Singapore Premier League, Lion City Sailors became only the third Singaporean side to play in the AFC Champions League after Warriors FC and Tampines Rovers. In preparation for Asia’s premier club competition, the Sailors had done their homework – ACL-winning head coach Kim Do-hoon and Brazilian midfielder Diego Lopes were retained from last season, while another ACL veteran in striker Kim Shin-wook.
