Nigeria sends Japan crashing out of Olympic men's soccer

Sunday 10th August, 09:21 PM JST

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Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

VOR at 09:56 PM JST - 10th August

Japan fielding an Olympic Soccer team is almost equivocal to Jamaica sending Bobsleders to the winter olympics.

Stick to baseball and judo fellas and leave the running and kicking to people with longer legs.
Sarge at 09:56 PM JST - 10th August

"men's soccer"

Zzzzzzzzzz
Crucifier99 at 10:04 PM JST - 10th August

The mission to win a medal in soccer after 44 yrs ends after 2 matches at the olympics, The meticulous preparation entailing 36 matches since august 2006 against various opposition didn't yield any dividend at all what a waste of tax payers money. Nigeria didn't even play up 14 matches prior to the olympics and you could see the gulf between the 2 teams. The most prepared soccer team on this planet eliminated after 2 matches Sorimachi has to be tried and jailed for deceiving the country that he was aiming for a medal.
Pukey2 at 10:23 PM JST - 10th August

rjd:

Sad news.

Sorry, no offence to the team, but I don't find anything sad about this. I can't say I was surprised at the outcome.
smithinjapan at 10:46 PM JST - 10th August

RJD: Japan sucks at soccer. They used to be making some headway into the game, particularly when the World Cup was held here and in Korea, but since then they've been going down hill with no signs of recovering. They had SOOOO many chances for shots against the US team in particular, and they seemed almost relieved when they lost the ball and could run back to defend. In short, the Japanese players are SCARED on the field... they're more scared to make a decision and shoot for a goal than they are of losing, which is why the haven't gotten past the first round of competition in any major events in the past several years.

Good riddance to bad rubbish, I say.
Pukey2 at 11:03 PM JST - 10th August

I also have to say I find it very odd (not!) that there was hardly any mention of this match in all the news reports - just the gold medal by the judoka and the semifinal win by Kitajima. Was the outcome of this match too embarassing to report?
bamboohat at 11:25 PM JST - 10th August

sounds like a really demanding coach.

"Don't worry guys, its ok we lost. It's not your fault, everybody else in the world is bigger and smarter than you.."

Sounds like that episode of "cheers" when coach was sorry for riding the 2nd graders too hard, so he took them all out for root beers after they lost the championship.
okapake at 02:56 AM JST - 11th August

Japan soccer was so much better with gaijin coaches.
AlfGarnett at 05:13 AM JST - 11th August

ere, the game is called football innit!!!I saw the highlights of this match on the box. The Japanese time was rubbish. They had lots of possesion, but they dont have players who are good at scoring. They had loads of chances, but they was too scared to have a go, always passing to someone else.

They was even worse than Millwall, ha ha.
chibaman at 07:57 AM JST - 11th August

Can't see them doing any better in London either, unless there are a few more Koreans in there.
rjd_jr at 08:11 AM JST - 11th August

That's true, I guess it ain't really sad at all. Besides sarge is right. Who really cares, soccer?
chibaman at 08:28 AM JST - 11th August

Who really cares, soccer?

Yeah not me, but that doesn't make me better than everyone else and have to force my views down others' throats.

Down with Sorimachi Japan (cue booing).
rajakumar at 09:14 AM JST - 11th August

Way to go Africa/Nigeria soccer team.
Bovinus at 12:45 PM JST - 11th August

Japan doesn't have its best players because the clubs wouldn't release them. Hence, every player except 3 is under 23. No Maki, no Kawaguchi etc etc. Why would anyone expect anything other than 3 straight losses?
Kreza23 at 01:38 PM JST - 11th August

Bovinus - EVERY player is under 23. You are allowed up to 3 players over that age, but Japan took none because, as you said, the club teams wouldn't release them. I think Sorimachi would've botched his choices anyways.

Japan's goal looked offside to me, but it didn't matter in the end. I just hope they don't get embarassed against Holland (and congrats to the US by the way for tying them, and almost beating them!).