Ayase Ueda warned Sweden his confidence was sky-high after the red-hot striker scored a classy World Cup brace to put Japan on the cusp of the knockout rounds. Japan thrashed Tunisia 4-0 on Saturday to join the Netherlands at the top of Group F and all but seal their place in the last 32 with […]
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Posted inSoccer America Daily
Japan fight back in 2-2 Dutch thriller at World Cup
Japan scored an 88th-minute equalizer as they twice fought back to rescue a 2-2 draw with the Netherlands in front of 69,285 in Texas on Sunday to open their World Cup campaigns. A match that had bubbled away in the first period sparked into life in the second half. Netherlands skipper Virgil van Dijk scored […]
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Japan captain Endo out of World Cup, ends international career
Japan captain Wataru Endo was ruled out of the World Cup with injury and announced his international retirement on Thursday, three days before his team’s opener against the Netherlands. The Liverpool midfielder pulled out of the tournament after failing to recover from a foot injury, and was replaced in Japan’s squad by Borussia Monchengladbach’s Shuto […]
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Nashville rolls out red carpet for the Samurai Blue
About 5,000 fans and Music City’s Mayor Freddie O’Connell showed up at Nashville SC’s Geodis Park for Japan’s welcoming ceremony and to watch Samurai Blue go through a light training session.
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Japan change World Cup training sites in Mexico over conditions
Japan’s World Cup squad had to twice change their training pitches in Mexico because of the poor condition of the fields, Japanese media said, in a turbulent start to preparations. Hajime Moriyasu’s side initially earmarked a practice pitch belonging to Tigres UANL in Monterrey after landing in Mexico this week. But the condition was poor […]
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Feisty Japan veteran Nagatomo still hungry at record fifth World Cup
Mellowing with age was never likely for Japan’s 39-year-old Yuto Nagatomo, who is as irrepressible as ever as he prepares for his fifth World Cup — an Asian record. The left-back may not be able to get around the pitch as quickly as he could during his Inter Milan heyday, but his relentless enthusiasm could […]
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Japanese minnows one win from fairytale Champions League title
Japanese minnows Machida Zelvia have vowed to keep their cool in Saturday’s final on hostile soil as they attempt to pull off a major shock by winning a fairytale Asian Champions League crown. The unheralded team from Tokyo’s suburbs, led by a former high-school coach, battled into the final with a 1-0 win over UAE […]
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Game Report: USA-Japan Women’s Friendly Player Ratings
USA-JAPAN EXPRESS:April 14 in SeattleUSA 0 Japan 1. Goals: Hamano 27.Att.: 36,128. The entirely different starting XI Coach Emma Hayes fielded for Tuesday’s evening rematch of the USA’s 2-1 win over Japan on Saturday produced a sharply contrasting performance. Tuesday’s U.S. crew failed to replicate the backline composure and midfield cohesion we witnessed three days […]
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Game Report: USA-Japan Women’s Friendly Player Ratings
The USA opened its three-game homestand against Japan with a 2-1 win on goals by Rose Lavelle and Lindsey Heaps. Those two veterans also combined with Sam Coffey in a midfield trio that powered the USA’s sustained dominance.
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Culture clash spelled shock end for Japan women’s first foreign coach
Women’s national team director Norio Sasaki argued that Japan could not win next year’s World Cup if Nils Nielsen remained in charge, describing his coaching as “a little too lax, a little too soft.”