The Japan national football team defeated Kyrgyzstan 5 to 1 in the final round of the World Cup Asian 2nd qualifying round, which began in 2019, and finished 8 games in the 2nd qualifying round with all wins.
And the final qualifying will start in September.
Japan national team coach Hajime Moriyasu said, "We have to be prepared for the final qualifying to be a tough battle that is completely different from the second qualifying," and he did not loosen his expression.
To Asian final qualifying
The Soccer World Cup Qatar Tournament, which will start in November 2022.
The quota for Asia is "4.5", and 12 countries including Japan will compete in the final qualifying from September.
The second qualifying started in September last year, which also served as the qualifying for the "Asia Cup" to be held in China in 2023, and Japan in Group F decided to advance to the final qualifying with all eight wins.
[Results of the second qualifying round for the Japanese national team]
September 10, 2019 Japan 2-0 Myanmar (away)
October 10, 2019 Japan 6-0 Mongolia (home)
October 15, 2019 Japan 3-0 Tajikistan (away) )
November 14, 2019 Japan 2-0 Kyrgyz (Away)
March 30, 2021 Japan
14-0
Mongolia (Home)
May 28,
2021
Japan
10-0
Myanmar
June 7, 2021
Japan
4-1 Tajikistan
June 15, 2021 Japan 5 to 1 Kyrgyz
(concentrated in Japan from the 2021 match against Myanmar)
▽ 8 games 8 wins 0 losses
▽ Total goals: 46
▽ Total goals: 2
[Countries and results in the final qualifying]
▽ Syria (Group A: 1st place) 8 games 7 wins 1 loss
▽ China (Group A: 2nd place) 8 games 6 wins 1 loss 1 minute
▽ Australia (Group B: 1st place) 8 games 8 wins 0 losses
▽ Iran (Iran) Group C: 1st place) 8 games 6 wins 2 losses
▽ Iraq (Group C: 2nd place) 8 games 5 wins 1 loss 2 minutes
▽ Saudi Arabia (Group D: 1st place) 8 games 6 wins 0 losses 2 minutes
▽ Oman (Group) E: 2nd place) 8 games 6 wins 2 losses
▽ Japan (Group F: 1st place) 8 games 0 losses
▽ UAE (Group G: 1st place) 8 games 6 wins 2 losses
▽ Vietnam (Group G: 2nd place) 8 games 5 wins 1 loss 2 draws
▽ Korea (Group H: 1st place) 6 games
5 wins 1 draw
▽ Lebanon (Group H: 2nd place) 6 games 3 wins 2 losses 1 draw
(* Group E, 1st place is Qatar, the host country of the World Cup)
(* Group H is a match against DPR Korea because North Korea declined to participate Is invalid)
5 games in 3 weeks
The representative of Japan who has been unable to work for a long time due to the influence of the new coronavirus.
Even so, the second qualifying round was held intensively in Japan, so the team will continue to fight for three weeks from May 24th.
In the match against Myanmar on May 28, Nozomi was only a player belonging to an overseas team, and Yuya Osako was also active with 5 goals, so he won 10-0.
Due to the influence of the new coronavirus, the warm-up game against Jamaica was canceled, but on June 3rd, he also played against the representatives of the Tokyo Olympic generation under the age of 24 and won.
In addition, on the 11th, he won a warm-up game against Serbia, which is ranked high in the world.
During the three-week training camp, the Japanese national team won all five games, and Moriyasu said he felt a response in two respects.
"Athletes" who felt a response
The first is "thickness of the player layer".
The rise of new forces has shined.
In order to join the activities of the Japanese national team under the age of 24, some of the main players left the team, but I was able to try the players who had few turns so far.
In the match against Serbia, which won from Europe for the first time in five years, with Maya Yoshida and Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kawasaki Frontale's Shogo Taniguchi, who returned to the national team for the first time in three and a half years, while there were no two immovable center backs. Naomichi Ueda of the French 1st division did not allow a goal due to his calm defense.
In the match against Kyrgyzstan on the 15th, Ado Onaiwu of Yokohama F. Marinos, who was additionally convened due to injury, achieved a hat-trick of 3 goals while starting the national team for the first time, leaving a result.
Director Moriyasu said, "We are able to improve the base of the team while increasing the player base."
Veteran Yuto Nagatomo also said, "I have been representing Japan for more than 10 years, but there is a rare competition in recent years. Everyone is fighting desperately for survival toward the final qualifying."
“Sharing the concept”
The other is "sharing the team concept".
It is expected that the conditions of the convocation will not be known in the future due to the corona wreck, but even if there are players who cannot be called by the members, Moriyasu will ask more players to keep the team's strength. I thought it was important for me to understand the concept of the team.
Under these circumstances, the players talked to each other and communicated with each other during the match, and practiced the team's goal of "quick switching between offense and defense."
Director Moriyasu said, "The moment I lost the ball, I switched to it and expressed the part where I regained the ball as soon as possible. The players are consciously improving the level in offense and defense."
“Parts that must be thoroughly implemented”
On the other hand, I feel that there are challenges.
In the match against Tajikistan on the 7th, the play without tension led to the first goal of the second qualifying.
Immediately after Japan took the lead, Furuhashi was carelessly robbed of the ball by the opponent, and then defender Gen Shoji cleared it, but it was halfway and the ball was picked up by the opponent again and it was easy to cross the ball. It was a goal to be put in.
Also, in the match against Myanmar on the 15th, Japan was attacked by the opponent in the additional time just before the end of the first half, which led 3-0, and gave a penalty kick and conceded a goal.
Director Moriyasu pointed out, "We put pressure on the source of the pass. We have to do more thoroughly to prevent the opponent from playing freely against the ball sent before the final goal."
Furthermore, against the attacking team who scored 46 points in the 8 games of the second qualifying, "In the final qualifying, the opponent also challenges the battle with a strong defense. I asked for a further level up.
To another dimension of tough battle
There are no plans for the Japan national team until the final qualifying round in September.
Asian final qualifying for the 1994 World Cup America Tournament.
Director Moriyasu stood on the pitch of "Tragedy of Doha", which was one step short of Japan's first World Cup appearance.
While accepting this harvest positively, I tightened my feelings again.
"I have to be prepared for the final qualifying to be a tough battle that is completely different from the second qualifying. It feels very painful to enter the final qualifying softly. As an individual, I always raise my level and tighten my mind. Get ready "