See you in London: Hiroshi Kiyotake scores Japan's second goal against Bahrain on Wednesday at National Stadium. KYODOThe Under-23 team went into the match at National Stadium needing only a draw to make sure of its place at this year's Summer Games, but goals from Takahiro Ogihara and Hiroshi Kiyotake early in the second half allowed Takashi Sekizuka's side to top qualifying Group C in comfort.This summer's July 26-Aug. 11 tournament will be Japan's fifth successive Olympic appearance, with a bronze medal in Mexico City in 1968 the high-water mark to aim for.Japan could have qualified even in defeat with a strong goal difference providing a buffer from nearest rivals Bahrain and Syria, but Sekizuka was taking no chances as he fielded an experienced lineup. Full internationals Kiyotake and Genki Haraguchi took their places alongside Borussia Monchengladbach striker Yuki Otsu, but it was Omiya Ardija midfielder Keigo Higashi who almost opened the scoring when he hit a rasping shot from outside the box with only two minutes on the clock.Bahrain managed to keep Japan quiet until Haraguchi headed straight at goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla in the 21st minute, but the visitors grew in confidence as the first half wore on and Hiroki Sakai was lucky not to gift them the lead when he headed over his own bar shortly before the interval.But with Japan still struggling to find any fluency as play resumed after the break, Ogihara made the breakthrough. Haraguchi made a smart cutback from the left in the 53rd minute, and the 20-year-old Cerezo Osaka midfielder opened up his body to coolly side-foot the ball past Lutfalla.The impact was immediate. Kiyotake added a second six minutes later as Japan clicked into gear, rifling a shot from the edge of the area after Higashi had shredded the Bahrain defense again down the left wing.Kiyotake hit the post soon after as Japan threatened to run riot, but not even the substitute appearance of livewire striker Kensuke Nagai could conjure up another as the home side eased down toward the final whistle.The draw for the 16-team final tournament will take place on April 24. Nadeshiko Japan have already qualified for the women's competition.WARSAW — Japan will play five-time world champion Brazil in a friendly international in the Polish city of Wroclaw on Oct. 16, Reuters reported Tuesday.Reuters quoted Wroclaw mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz as saying on the city stadium's official website, "Japan and Brazil want to play in Europe and we are lucky enough to be (located) right in between.""We bet that after the Euro emotions in June there will still be hunger for more spectacular matches," he said.Wroclaw is one of the four cities in Poland that will stage matches during Euro 2012.LONDON — Germany striker Mario Gomez scored four goals, leading Bayern Munich into the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday with a 7-0 rout of FC Basel.A week after Lionel Messi became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match, Gomez became the eighth to hit four as Bayern overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit to advance 7-1.Arjen Robben also scored twice for Bayern, which was joined in the next round by Marseille despite the French club's 2-1 defeat at Inter Milan.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Japan punches ticket to London Olympics
Japan booked its ticket to the London Olympic men's soccer tournament with a 2-0 win over Bahrain on Wednesday night.See you in London: Hiroshi Kiyotake scores Japan's second goal against Bahrain on Wednesday at National Stadium. KYODOThe Under-23 team went into the match at National Stadium needing only a draw to make sure of its place at this year's Summer Games, but goals from Takahiro Ogihara and Hiroshi Kiyotake early in the second half allowed Takashi Sekizuka's side to top qualifying Group C in comfort.This summer's July 26-Aug. 11 tournament will be Japan's fifth successive Olympic appearance, with a bronze medal in Mexico City in 1968 the high-water mark to aim for.Japan could have qualified even in defeat with a strong goal difference providing a buffer from nearest rivals Bahrain and Syria, but Sekizuka was taking no chances as he fielded an experienced lineup. Full internationals Kiyotake and Genki Haraguchi took their places alongside Borussia Monchengladbach striker Yuki Otsu, but it was Omiya Ardija midfielder Keigo Higashi who almost opened the scoring when he hit a rasping shot from outside the box with only two minutes on the clock.Bahrain managed to keep Japan quiet until Haraguchi headed straight at goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla in the 21st minute, but the visitors grew in confidence as the first half wore on and Hiroki Sakai was lucky not to gift them the lead when he headed over his own bar shortly before the interval.But with Japan still struggling to find any fluency as play resumed after the break, Ogihara made the breakthrough. Haraguchi made a smart cutback from the left in the 53rd minute, and the 20-year-old Cerezo Osaka midfielder opened up his body to coolly side-foot the ball past Lutfalla.The impact was immediate. Kiyotake added a second six minutes later as Japan clicked into gear, rifling a shot from the edge of the area after Higashi had shredded the Bahrain defense again down the left wing.Kiyotake hit the post soon after as Japan threatened to run riot, but not even the substitute appearance of livewire striker Kensuke Nagai could conjure up another as the home side eased down toward the final whistle.The draw for the 16-team final tournament will take place on April 24. Nadeshiko Japan have already qualified for the women's competition.WARSAW — Japan will play five-time world champion Brazil in a friendly international in the Polish city of Wroclaw on Oct. 16, Reuters reported Tuesday.Reuters quoted Wroclaw mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz as saying on the city stadium's official website, "Japan and Brazil want to play in Europe and we are lucky enough to be (located) right in between.""We bet that after the Euro emotions in June there will still be hunger for more spectacular matches," he said.Wroclaw is one of the four cities in Poland that will stage matches during Euro 2012.LONDON — Germany striker Mario Gomez scored four goals, leading Bayern Munich into the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday with a 7-0 rout of FC Basel.A week after Lionel Messi became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match, Gomez became the eighth to hit four as Bayern overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit to advance 7-1.Arjen Robben also scored twice for Bayern, which was joined in the next round by Marseille despite the French club's 2-1 defeat at Inter Milan.
See you in London: Hiroshi Kiyotake scores Japan's second goal against Bahrain on Wednesday at National Stadium. KYODOThe Under-23 team went into the match at National Stadium needing only a draw to make sure of its place at this year's Summer Games, but goals from Takahiro Ogihara and Hiroshi Kiyotake early in the second half allowed Takashi Sekizuka's side to top qualifying Group C in comfort.This summer's July 26-Aug. 11 tournament will be Japan's fifth successive Olympic appearance, with a bronze medal in Mexico City in 1968 the high-water mark to aim for.Japan could have qualified even in defeat with a strong goal difference providing a buffer from nearest rivals Bahrain and Syria, but Sekizuka was taking no chances as he fielded an experienced lineup. Full internationals Kiyotake and Genki Haraguchi took their places alongside Borussia Monchengladbach striker Yuki Otsu, but it was Omiya Ardija midfielder Keigo Higashi who almost opened the scoring when he hit a rasping shot from outside the box with only two minutes on the clock.Bahrain managed to keep Japan quiet until Haraguchi headed straight at goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla in the 21st minute, but the visitors grew in confidence as the first half wore on and Hiroki Sakai was lucky not to gift them the lead when he headed over his own bar shortly before the interval.But with Japan still struggling to find any fluency as play resumed after the break, Ogihara made the breakthrough. Haraguchi made a smart cutback from the left in the 53rd minute, and the 20-year-old Cerezo Osaka midfielder opened up his body to coolly side-foot the ball past Lutfalla.The impact was immediate. Kiyotake added a second six minutes later as Japan clicked into gear, rifling a shot from the edge of the area after Higashi had shredded the Bahrain defense again down the left wing.Kiyotake hit the post soon after as Japan threatened to run riot, but not even the substitute appearance of livewire striker Kensuke Nagai could conjure up another as the home side eased down toward the final whistle.The draw for the 16-team final tournament will take place on April 24. Nadeshiko Japan have already qualified for the women's competition.WARSAW — Japan will play five-time world champion Brazil in a friendly international in the Polish city of Wroclaw on Oct. 16, Reuters reported Tuesday.Reuters quoted Wroclaw mayor Rafal Dutkiewicz as saying on the city stadium's official website, "Japan and Brazil want to play in Europe and we are lucky enough to be (located) right in between.""We bet that after the Euro emotions in June there will still be hunger for more spectacular matches," he said.Wroclaw is one of the four cities in Poland that will stage matches during Euro 2012.LONDON — Germany striker Mario Gomez scored four goals, leading Bayern Munich into the Champions League quarterfinals Tuesday with a 7-0 rout of FC Basel.A week after Lionel Messi became the first player to score five goals in a Champions League match, Gomez became the eighth to hit four as Bayern overcame a 1-0 first-leg deficit to advance 7-1.Arjen Robben also scored twice for Bayern, which was joined in the next round by Marseille despite the French club's 2-1 defeat at Inter Milan.
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