Japan beats lackluster U.S. 2-0 in World Cup warmup

I didn't see the game but have seen Mitoma play for Brighton and he looks a real talent.

The US will never be good at footy. Just the way it is. Ditto Japan.

I knew that it was more than possible for Japan to win against the US; it’s not that surprising; the level of the quality of their national teams is very similar, between 50-50 and 50-60; things change when we compare these two to the Europeans; it’s a completely different world and they’re still light years from reaching them; waiting to see what Japan will do against Germany and Spain in November.

(edited)

between 50-50 and 40-60;

The US will never be good at footy. Just the way it is. Ditto Japan

They’ve both had good squads in the past. Both have reached the knockout stages of World Cups on a few occasions. The current squads aren’t vintage crops, but every country goes through this, even the elite like Brazil, Italy and Germany.

The US and Japan are good overall. This is the world’s most popular sport. They are both good if we take into account how many teams are competing.

I beg to differ. They’ll never be good and reaching the knockout stage is hardly a major accomplishment. The World Cup will always be Europe’s or South America’s to win. All the other countries are basically wasting their time. History backs me up on this.

Japan won, LOOOOOOL !!!..

@Stickman1760

I don’t think you fully realise how competitive this sport is. This isn’t a sport plated seriously by a handful of countries. This isn’t ice-hockey or baseball.

To reach the last 16, 8 or 4 of a World Cup is an achievement given how many countries play this game seriously.

This is a big pond with a lot of big fish.

I agree about the European and South American dominance. I still have hope that an African or Asian side can emerge to challenge. I still think Africa is the best hope.

1 thing is to be able to challenge a stronger opponent, to make them sweat, to earn the right to hope for a miracle, another thing is to actually win it. There’s a reason why they call the European Cups a World Cup without Brazil and Argentina; because the best of the best is a group of ten teams. Ten! Europe’s big eight (Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, England, Netherlands and Belgium) plus Brazil and Argentina; the WC winner will always be one of these ten. There’s good, there’s really good and then there’s great. Japan and the US are just good (maybe they can be really good in a few years); still not enough to win a WC; we had Chile, Uruguay and Colombia but they “disappeared” in the last few years. As for this year’s WC, my money is on Brazil; but they’ll have to deal with France, Germany, Spain and Portugal: imo these are the five strongest national teams at the moment.

the US team seems to have gone backwards in recent years.

Football unites. FIFA World Cup 2022 looks set to attract the attention of fans from across the football loving world. All the best to the participating nations, their footballers, fans, match-officials, sponsors, and the media.

Good, business-like performance from the men in Blue. Any Samurai-Blue outfit that can leave Celtic Bhoy Kyogo on the pine for the 90 mins must be fairly good! Fellow Bhoy Maeda was busy in his half and could be a surprise packet in the Cup.

Hoping everyone underestimates Japan in Qatar. They are more than capable of springing a few surprises! The USA team has enough talent if they get their stuff together to do well also.

To reach the last 16, 8 or 4 of a World Cup is an achievement given how many countries play this game seriously.

Well said @Jimizo. Hope to see ALL the Asian and African teams shine too.

Let me just say that I agree with those saying that it is always an achievement to reach the knockout stages of a WC. Respect to those that work hard to go as far as they can. But the cold reality is that the winner will always be one of those ten countries. Hopefully, things can change; I can see the US and Japan (if they keep working hard) with a promising future ahead of them, they’ll probably reach the semifinals or the final someday; there’s also Mexico and a couple of South American teams, South Korea in Asia and Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria and Ivory Coast in Africa. In Europe, outside of the big eight, we have Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Switzerland; as you can see, there’s always hope in football, that’s what makes it so exciting, but it’s gonna take a while. To those that wanna keep dreaming, I say: never give up, there’s always hope and… enjoy the game (!)

I beg to differ. They’ll never be good and reaching the knockout stage is hardly a major accomplishment.

I beg to differ, it’s changing and now m sure that will change with the next generations as well.

The World Cup will always be Europe’s or South America’s to win.

Often, but not always, there are other nations coming up. We used to have the best track and field, but there are other nations coming up and overtaking the US, that’s just how things change in life.

All the other countries are basically wasting their time. History backs me up on this.

Past, history wasn’t written yet for the future.

People get so offended when you criticize footy. Very sensitive

People get so offended when you criticize footy

Who criticized footy? You didn’t and nobody else did.

You belittled the footy teams, past, present and future, of the US and Japan.

I thought that was quite disrespectful.

Quite a few good sides over the years.

Seems the only time the US steps up is when they play Mexico