tokyo 2020 olympics

Spain beats Japan to reach men's soccer final against Brazil

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Great match. Congratulations to Spain. Japan put up a valiant effort. Hope they can get the bronze.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Viva España!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Kentarogaijin: "Thanks Japan !!..

Good for Spain !!..

Viva España!

What??..

What??..

What??.."

What are you on about now? In any case, yes, good on Spain. Japan made if further than they should have, but time for the big boys to play.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Good game Japan. You played well. Japanese football is good shape.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Takehiro Tomiyasu's absence due to a cumulation of yellow cards really hurt Japan in the end since his replacement is the one who allowed space for Asensio to score, but I think the result came down (again) to the lack of end product in scoring positions from the Japanese forwards. Spain also had trouble scoring goals outside of the quarterfinal against the Ivory Coast, so the narrative would have been different if Japan had their scoring boots like in the match against France.

Anyway, I hope they will find a way to win bronze and make sure this is their best result in the discipline thus far.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Soccer is a generally pretty boring game and this was a pretty boring match, nothing really happened. I was however pleasantly surprised that the penalty and awarded to Spain and subsequent Yellow Card were rightly overturned by video referee. It highlights the imperfections in this sport.

Where I come from, if athletes go down its because they are hurt, not for theatrics and milking free kicks.

Spain did deserve the win in the end however.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Frank: I agree -- the intro of the video referee was LONG overdue in this sport in particular. About the game being boring, I generally disagree, though there are certainly boring matches. The game is FAR more intense than a "sport" like baseball, which sees half the time spend four-fifths of the game just standing in a field waiting. I also want to say that while I think there should be no spectators, I feel it added to the lack of excitement.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Smithinjapan. Yeah, perhaps that was a bit harsh, there are sports way more boring than soccer. I can wade through 105 mins +extra of an upbeat soccer match, but I can’t for the life of me afford 7 minutes for baseball. Although I do find the high school baseball tournament here somewhat entertaining. Its kinda genki, cute and emotional all at the same time.

I do hope however the video referee is introduced across the board, perhaps folk won’t fall over so much and just play. I will have to be careful though, I could make a lot of enemies dissing ‘The World Game’.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Smithinjapan. Yeah, perhaps that was a bit harsh, there are sports way more boring than soccer. I can wade through 105 mins +extra of an upbeat soccer match, but I can’t for the life of me afford 7 minutes for baseball.

What sports do you think are entertaining?

Where I come from, if athletes go down its because they are hurt, not for theatrics and milking free kicks.

Where is this oasis of honesty and fair play?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Frank: I agree -- the intro of the video referee was LONG overdue in this sport in particular. 

I get the feeling that that it hasn’t turned out too well. There have been some outrageous decisions even with VAR. It still leaves a lot of room for discretion with handballs, interpretation of offside, intent etc. The penalty decision in the Canada v US women’s semi the other day was a travesty. Never a pen.

Some are saying VAR is still having teething problems but it’s been there quite a while now. It certainly disrupts the flow of the game which is part of the reason why football is the world’s number one sport.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Fantastic match last night. You could feel the quality of Spain, and of Japan who stood up to them. Both sides will have risen in the world's estimation.

Thank goodness Spain finally saved this game from falling into another idiotic PK shootout.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

SPAIN Vs BRAZIL should be a great game too.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Too bad for Japan. Hope this loss doesn't devastate the other team's morale.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan made if further than they should have, but time for the big boys to play.

You've been hating on Japan football since day one. On the way to this game, Japan crushed France and beat Mexico who are both strong football countries. Then they barely lose to Spain 1-0 in overtime. There is nothing "big boy" about a beating a team you consider low level weaklings.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Yep, Japan completely dominated both France and Mexico, 2 teams that were expected to go far. Mexico was "only" a 2-1 win, but could easily have been by 3 or 4 goals if Japan had been a bit more clinical up front.

In the match vs New Zealand Japan looked very nervous and didn't play their usual game which kept NZ in the match. They were still the better team.

Vs Spain it could have gone both ways, but the referee certainly didn't help Japan (despite VAR overturning the pk call) and made a lot of wrong calls which mostly went into Spain's favour. Not playing the advantage in 2-3 situations for example when Japan would have been 2 vs 2 or better on counters were some (especially the one in injury time in the 1st half). Seems he was also very easily persuaded by the Spanish players (in Spanish, as he's from Peru) whenever there was a 50/50 call, and overall the Spanish players showed very little sportmanship in this game.

The timewasting in the last 5 minutes was also annoying, but this is what the best team often does (Italy, Spain, Argentina, Portugal, Brazil) and maybe Japan need to implement these tactics as well to level the playing field.

They will not win the World Cup by being the good guys.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Takehiro Tomiyasu's absence due to a cumulation of yellow cards really hurt Japan in the end since his replacement is the one who allowed space for Asensio to score, but I think the result came down (again) to the lack of end product in scoring positions from the Japanese forwards. Spain also had trouble scoring goals outside of the quarterfinal against the Ivory Coast, so the narrative would have been different if Japan had their scoring boots like in the match against France.

who is this wonder boy, world beater called Takehiro Tomiyasu ? , so if this wonder boy was playing Spain or any team for that matter won't have space to shoot let alone ?. Nice equating Ivory coast with France to buttress a lame point. How convenient for you to forget that Ivory Coast qualified 2nd from a group and drew with eventual finalist Brazil while Japan scoring 4 against a France Olympic team with a porous defense that also conceded 4 goals against Mexico, 3 against RSA leaking a total of 11 goals in 3 matches suddenly makes Japan Olympic team a gold medal favorite or world beater. An Ivory Coast team that almost beat Spain stood a good chance of beating Japan.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Yep, Japan completely dominated both France and Mexico, 2 teams that were expected to go far. Mexico was "only" a 2-1 win, but could easily have been by 3 or 4 goals if Japan had been a bit more clinical up front.

Expected by who ?

Mexico maybe but France who, because they are world cup holders ?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

who is this wonder boy, world beater called Takehiro Tomiyasu ? , so if this wonder boy was playing Spain or any team for that matter won't have space to shoot let alone ?. Nice equating Ivory coast with France to buttress a lame point. How convenient for you to forget that Ivory Coast qualified 2nd from a group and drew with eventual finalist Brazil while Japan scoring 4 against a France Olympic team with a porous defense that also conceded 4 goals against Mexico, 3 against RSA leaking a total of 11 goals in 3 matches suddenly makes Japan Olympic team a gold medal favorite or world beater. An Ivory Coast team that almost beat Spain stood a good chance of beating Japan.

Tomiyasu is the best defender to ever come out of Asia, and a move to one of the top 15-20 clubs in the world is imminent. Certainly you know that?

Noone have made Japan into a Olympic gold metal favourite, but that they were a challenger for a medal were obvious even before the tournament.

Expected by who ?

Mexico maybe but France who, because they are world cup holders ?

Expected by bookmakers, pundits etc. Odds setters and proper sports analysts usually know a lot more about team's strengths and weaknesses than any so-called expert in newspapers, tv or social media. Although the French team lacked any proper stars this time around, a lot of their players were regular starters in a top 5 league in Europe. If you had asked any so called "expert" in Europe or US who they thought would have won between Japan and France, 8/10 would probably have said France.

Obviously I knew otherwise, and maybe you too?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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