Japan’s national team Missed injury time and lost to Canada national team with a score of 1-2 in a friendly match. at Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
This is last friendly match of Japan national team before traveled to Qatar for join in FIFA World Cup 2022.
In the early stages of the match, Japan kept possession of the ball and attacked mainly through Soma’s gimmicks on the right flank. Then, in the 9th minute, Soma reacted to Shibasaki’s floating ball pass near the center of the pitch. When I got behind the final line, I took the preemptive point with a little forcible match.
Canada entered the match with a 3-5-2 lineup, but after conceding a goal, they raised their gear, but Japan did not give them freedom by pressing from the front line. In the 17th minute, he allowed a header shot with a high RBI to Saile Larin from a right CK, but he got no momentum.
Japan will aim for another goal in the 19th minute. From the counter, Minamino dribbled the center and passed to the left side. Kubo received this and attacked to the left of the box before firing a sharp shot, which went slightly off the frame to the right.
However, in the 21st minute, Canada successfully counterattacked. If you give a right CK again, kicker David Hoilet kicks a fast ball into the center. Atiba Hutchinson touched and spilled the ball into Steven Vitoria.
After tying the score, Japan created many dangerous scenes for Canada centering on set pieces. In the 35th minute, Kubo, who had the ball on the right side of the box, tried with his left foot, but was blocked by a Canadian defender. After that, Hoilet’s high-precision kicks threatened the goal many times, and Japan struggled to regain the initiative. Although they did not allow the come-from-behind comeback, the game was turned around with a pushed development.
Japan, wanting to give more players more playing time, changed three cards at halftime. Sakai, Kubo, and Asano will be replaced by Miki Yamane, Ritsu Doan, and Kiyo Ueda. As a result, Soma turned to the left side of the main battlefield.
Due to Canada’s encirclement, there were more choices to be kicked, and the scene of being brought into the air battle was conspicuous, but Ueda struggled as the starting point at the forefront. In the 57th minute, he received a foul on the left front of the box and won a free kick. However, the shot aimed directly at the kicker Doan is blocked by the wall.
In the 59th minute, Ueda pulled the ball out from the left side and dropped it into the center of the box. Minamino, who trapped and vigorously invaded the center of the box, crossed the Canadian defender and swung his right foot, but did not meet well and did not score.
Japan changed two cards in the 66th minute. Instead of Itakura and Tanaka, Yuto Nagatomo and Daichi Kamata are sent out. Kamata will continue as a defensive midfielder, Nagatomo will join the left flank, and Ito will serve as center back and partner for Taniguchi.
Kamata, who is reportedly performing well in Frankfurt, where he belongs, gets involved in the ball from a low position and quickly connects it to the front line. However, toward the end of the game, Canada tried to turn the game around by increasing the amount of time they had possession of the ball.
In the 85th minute, Japan brought in captain Maya Yoshida in place of Minamino on the final card. Change the formation to 3-4-3 and aim for the winning point.
However, in the second half AT, Yamane knocked down the opponent who tried to break through on the left side of the box, so a PK whistle. Although GK Gonda touched the kicker Lucas Cavallini’s kick, he could not kill the momentum and allowed the reversal.
The match ended soon after, and Japan suffered a defeat in the final match before the Qatar World Cup. Although it was not possible to gain momentum, the first game of the main tournament against Germany is approaching on the 23rd.
Credit Photo : KARIM SAHIB/AFP