soccer

Japan, Australia draw 1-1 in World Cup qualifier

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Japan doesn't deserve to go through this time.

I agree. They need a shake-up. The average age of starters for the game was over 28 years old. That means they'll be over 30 at the World Cup.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Neither team has been very good these qualifiers. Despite the sense of entitlement they feel, Japan doesn't deserve to go through this time.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

AC Milan could not even qualify for the less prestigious lowly Europa league so how is warming the bench in such a team something to boast of, is beyond me? I don't see being an automatic starter for all asian NT as a big feat, the usual Asian representatives at the WC have struggled to win a match at the WC. Despite the money and popularity of soccer in Asia, how many Asian players are playing with the big European clubs, not that many I can think of.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Kagawa was a non-factor. I'd much rather see Manabu Saitou.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

edojin -

Haraguchi himself admitted it was a careless action and said it was a penalty.

Can't get more correct than that.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The plus point for Japan is that they have no has-beens in the team whatsoever.

Huh? Japan needs an influx of youth and energy!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Meanwhile, the comedy continues with England being unable to beat Slovenia in their qualifier.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The plus point for Japan is that they have no has-beens in the team whatsoever. Hasebe is by far the oldest in the team yet he is good enough to play for Eintracht Frankfurt. Honda, who assisted the goal, is good enough to play for AC Milan. Kagawa, Borussia Dortmund and ex-Man United, is only 27.

Is Honda a regular at AC Milan ? and isn't AC Milan of the past few years a has been team ? Needless to talk of the Bundesliga teams you named as we all know it is a one team league and the overwhelming destination of Japanese players.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"Japan doesn't deserve to go through this time."

If they get enough points, they'll deserve to go through. If they don't, they won't.

It's pretty much as simple as that.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Despite the sense of entitlement they feel, Japan doesn't deserve to go through this time.

Your Jedi mind-reading tricks are impressive. What am I thinking?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Definitely a penalty.

Japan were good last night, make no mistake, and completely shut Australia's midfield down. They were very unlucky not to win.

But Australia were also very poor in the first half. Sobering game for the Socceroos.

A good point for Japan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"England don't deserve to go through either with the way they're playing."

They do reek at the moment. Nearly as bad as the Welsh but not quite.

What's all this crap about 'deserve'? You deserve to go through if you get enough points.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Neither team has been very good these qualifiers. Despite the sense of entitlement they feel, Japan doesn't deserve to go through this time.

I am sure smith has been reading along and refraining from commenting, but I am curious to know from him as why he thinks there is a sense of entitlement? What basis does he have for making a statement like that?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Not many of yesterdays squad will make it to the World Cup finals, if they qualify, in 4 years time. Just because you play in a World Cup qualifier does not mean you have to play 4 years later in the finals.

FYI the WC is not in 4 years time, that's the Tokyo Olympics. The WC is in 2018 in Russia.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

You do not keep exactly the same players in a squad even for 2 years. Those that go beyond the age of 32 in 2018 will be lucky to be in a finals squad

And Honda, and his cohorts have been on the national team now for how long? They will be there for the WC too, I'll bet anything on that one, barring injury of course.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@edojin

I question the penalty that was called that produced the penalty shot. The Australian appeared to have fallen on his own ... and was not knocked down as ruled by the referee

There was clearly contact between Haraguchi's shoulder and the middle of Juric's back, it looked like an honest mistake from Haraguchi, but it's a penalty in any case.

I'm sure it's not difficult finding a clip of it online somewhere.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Despite the flock of disparaging crickets' shrills against it above, the team of Blue Samurais is advancing steadily! An away draw with its strongest opponent is an advantage. Eventually, Japan and Australia will qualify!!!

Still don't know what "deserve" means? Learn from Jimizo's definition right on top here.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Bicultural: that's one reason... they're still depending too much on has-beens (some of them "never was"). But they've had some youngin's in there -- hence Honda's demands they raise their game so he doesn't have to do all the work.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Japan were technically superior last night. Should have taken all 3 points and Asano had a great chance to win it.

The plus point for Japan is that they have no has-beens in the team whatsoever. Hasebe is by far the oldest in the team yet he is good enough to play for Eintracht Frankfurt. Honda, who assisted the goal, is good enough to play for AC Milan. Kagawa, Borussia Dortmund and ex-Man United, is only 27.

I would love to know who the never-was players are. Honda? Hasebe? Kagawa? Never-was?

I do not rate the coach at all but the team showed their ability in Australia last night.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Fact: Yamaguchi 26. Kiyotake 26. Haraguchi 25. Sakai 25. Kagawa 27. Yoshida 28.

5 members does not make a team. Currently 15 members of the national team are 30 or older, the oldest being what 36? So half the team will be in their early to mid-30's by the time the WC is played.

Another 13 members will be 30 or 31 when the world cup starts, meaning that out of a total of what 45 players on the national team roughly 2/3rd's of the team will be in their 30's at the WC.

Your "fact" becomes fiction when all I said is the team needs younger blood!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

with all the injury -faking etc and prima donnas upset when their har-dos get mussed, I have to say that international football is best as a ladies game now. Agreed the japanese womens team puts the men to shame, though their world cup slaughter at the hands of the US was cringe-inducing.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

England don't deserve to go through either with the way they're playing.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Japan have already been thrashed by UAE and Saudi Arabia have a good chance too. We might all be at war with Russia before 2018 the way things are going in Syria.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

dr l, the context of this debate is the criticism levelled at Japan within an Asian World Cup qualifiying tournament. We are not talking about Japan on a World Cup finals stage. And within the Asian qualifying environment, including yesterdays match, they are still a decent team and their star team members would get into most Asian qualifying teams.

AC Milan for your info are currently 3rd in Serie A, above Inter, Roma, and Lazio and 1 point behind Napoli in 2nd.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Fiction:

Huh? Japan needs an influx of youth and energy!

Fact: Yamaguchi 26. Kiyotake 26. Haraguchi 25. Sakai 25. Kagawa 27. Yoshida 28.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

In response to the comment that Japan needs an influx of youth, I have already named 6 starting players from yesterday between the ages of 25 and 28. The average peak age for a professional football player is between 28 to 30. You do not play 21 year olds in crucial World Cup qualification teams.

Not many of yesterdays squad will make it to the World Cup finals, if they qualify, in 4 years time. Just because you play in a World Cup qualifier does not mean you have to play 4 years later in the finals.

Yesterdays team was a perfect blend of 25 to 28 year olds, and the well-known experienced 30 year olds.

You dont play an under-21 team in World Cup qualifiers.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Yes, my mistake. The Russian World Cup is in 2 years time. But the point is the same. You do not keep exactly the same players in a squad even for 2 years. Those that go beyond the age of 32 in 2018 will be lucky to be in a finals squad. And the current youngsters knocking on the door in 2016, such as Asano (21), will be available for first team selection in 2018 (Asano will be 23 and ready to start). 2018, 2020, it's all relative.

Like I said, the under-21's arent going to play in World Cup qualifiers or finals, and last nights balance was just right.

Someone else here wants to criticise the Bundesliga as an under-par one team league and describe AC Milan as has-beens. Within all of the Asian qualifying teams, I dont see many nations with members of AC Milan or Borussia Dortmund. As you well know, Honda and Kagawa would immediately be selected as starters for every other Asian country if they had the choice, Australia included, and Hasebe would be selected for the majority of Asian countries.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I question the penalty that was called that produced the penalty shot. The Australian appeared to have fallen on his own ... and was not knocked down as ruled by the referee. If not for this penalty goal, Japan would have won the game 1-0.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

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