At the Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese national football team won 4-0 against the powerful France.

As a third consecutive win in the qualifying league, he advanced to the quarterfinals in 1st place in the group.


And this match was a great response as a team due to the return of the players who were late due to injury and the rise of the reserve team.

Offensive and defensive key man

The biggest thing was that the two key offensive and defensive players, both of whom were late due to injuries, started in the starting lineup for the first time in this tournament and left a result.

Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is a key player in the defense, who is also a regular member of the national team with no age limit, but he was unable to enter the bench in these two games due to a pain in his left ankle the day before the tournament began.



Although he said, "It's not 100% yet," he made a full appearance as a center back.

He kept the French attack to zero and smiled, "I was really shocked because I was injured the day before the tournament, but I'm glad I was able to stand on the pitch and contribute to the victory."

In addition, forward Ayase Ueda, a striker who has scored the most points in the team of the Tokyo Olympic generation, was temporarily withdrawn due to a pain in the base of his foot in late June.



This also showed an activity related to 2 goals, such as aggressively shooting and connecting to the first goal.

Ueda said, "It's my weapon to actively move toward the goal, and I'm glad that the result of forcibly shooting led to the goal. I was very confident that I was able to break through the qualifying league in this way." I looked back.

“No matter who enters, the team strength does not change”

In the past two games, the players who did not play much time also left results.

Koji Miyoshi, who participated in the second half, scored the third goal, and Daizen Maeda also scored the fourth goal just before the end.

Miyoshi


"I was thinking of making the chance absolutely. The players who came out from the second half were able to score points and finish the game."



Director Hajime Moriyasu said a certain response to the activities of these players. did.

"Who does not change the team force well into, out of the thickness in the strength of the. Team he has shown in a performance that firmly result is put out, the future of think alive come and to fight"



the quarterfinals to be carried out in 31 days In the final match against New Zealand, Hiroki Sakai, who boasts an outstanding sense of stability on the right side back, was suspended due to the accumulation of yellow cards.

In addition, the players who continue to participate from the first match will be in the fourth match on the second day of the middle, and it is possible that fatigue will accumulate.



Even so, Captain Maya Yoshida said after the match that the overall strength of the team that had fought through the qualifying league and trained would come to life.

"I think it's important for everyone to be prepared, and for the players to take the place, to get results and accelerate the momentum. I think I'm fighting with good confidence, so be careful not to overconfide. I want to move forward while doing it. "