October 15, 2024
It would have been possible to spend the whole day today watching World Cup Qualifiers in Asia, Africa and South America, or Nations League matches in Europe or Concacaf. Fatbear decided to settle down and watch the early kick-off European time and see how Brighton and Hove Albion’s Karou Mitoma got on for Japan.
These diaries had also been keen on football in Australia, having covered their 4-0 victory in the Asian Cup against Indonesia in January this year, as well as ten domestic matches in Australia over the past few years.
Japan
Being ranked 16th in FIFA’s rankings, Japan were the top ranked side in Asia. They had breezed through the Second Qualifying Round with six wins out of six, beating North Korea ( H 1-0 and awarded a 3-0 away win after being denied entry into North Korea for the return match ), Myanmar ( 5-0 both home and away ), and Syria ( also 5-0 home and away )
Their progress through the Third Qualifying Round had so far been serene, with a 7-0 home win over China, a 5-0 victory in Bahrain and a 2-0 success in Saudi Arabia so now in the eight qualifiers played they were still to concede a goal. It remained to be seen if Australia and Indonesia would provide tougher opposition.
Japan were eliminated in the quarter finals in the recent 2023 Asian Cup, going down 1-2 to Iran. In the 2022 Qatar World Cup they beat Germany and Spain in their group games, both 2-1, but lost 0-1 to Costa Rica. However, this was enough to finish top of their group before being eliminated in the round of 16 in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw with Croatia.
All of the Japan starting XI in their game last Thursday in Saudi Arabia play their league football for major sides in the top leagues in Europe, assuming you include Crystal Palace in that category ! Indeed, all their squad play for European sides, apart from the two reserve goalkeepers, who were with J-League sides.
Aside from Mitoma, Japan’s squad included midfielder Waturu Endo ( Liverpool ), winger Takumi Minamino ( Monaco and ex-Liverpool and Southampton ), attacking midfielder Daichi Kamada ( Crystal Palace and ex-Lazio and Eintracht Frankfurt ) as well as players with Feyenoord, Sporting Lisbon, Freiburg, Parma, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Union St Gilloise, St Truiden, Celtic, Real Sociedad, Reims, Nijmegen, Southampton, Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers and Grasshoppers.
These diaries only report on football from Japan so far was in October 2023, when Kawasaki Frontale beat Ulsan Hyundai 1-0 in the 2023/24 AFC Champions League. None of the Kawasaki players from that day were in the current national squad.
Australia
Australia were ranked 25th in the World by FIFA, the fourth highest in Asia.
Like Japan, the Socceroos had begun their qualifying campaign in the Second Round with six wins out six and without conceding a goal, as they swept past Afghanistan ( H 7-0, A 5-0 ), Palestine ( H 5-0, A 1-0 ) and Lebanon ( H 2-0 and A 5-0 ).
However, results in the Third round were less forthcoming, starting with a surprise 0-1 home loss to Bahrain thanks to an 89th minute own goal and then a 0-0 draw in Indonesia, a side they had brushed aside in the last 16 of the Asian Cup as reported on by Fatbear.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2024/01/australia-4-0-indonesia-att-7863-2023.html
It didn’t look good when they fell behind at home to China, but they recovered to eventually win 3-1, so they began the day in second place in their group, in which the top two qualify directly to the 2026 finals, whilst 3rd and 4th enter the competition’s complicated play-offs. Seven of the side that started against China had played in the match against Indonesia in January, with another four on the bench.
Australia had been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup, losing 1-2 in extra time to South Korea. In the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Socceroos started with a 1-4 loss to France, but rebounded to beat Tunisia and Denmark, both 1-0, to take the runners-up spot in the group. In the Round of 16, they fell 1-2 to eventual winners Argentina.
Matchday Information
Today’s match was played at the 63,700 capacity Saitama Stadium which is home to Urawa Red Diamonds and located 30km north-west from the centre of Tokyo.
The match was streamed live with a commentary in English on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube channel, as well as on onefootball.com. Bet365.com also live streamed the match, and made Japan 4/11 favourites, with Australia at 7/1 and the draw at 4/1.
The weather at the 19.35 local kick-off time ( 11.35 UK ) was dry after a sunny day, with the temperature around 22 degrees.
Japan made two changes from the side that started in Saudi Arabia, with Endo and Kamada being replaced by Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo and Ao Tanaka, who plays for Leeds United.
Australia made six changes to their side that started against China, with only keeper Joe Gauci ( Aston Villa ), defenders Lewis Miller ( Hibernian ) and Harry Souttar ( Sheffield United ), midfielder Jackson Irvine ( St Pauli ) and forward Mitch Duke ( Machida Zelvia in Japan ) keeping their places. Midfielder 34-year-old Luke Brattan of MacArthur FC was making his debut, with Melbourne Victory defender Jason Geria being the only other the A-League representative in their XI. The officials were from Kuwait.
Japan were playing in an Scotland like all dark blue kit, whilst Australia were in their familiar gold shirts, green shorts and white socks.
Match Report
Japan enjoyed the early possession and in third minute Middlesborough’s Riley McGree pulled down Ritsu Doan as he ran away from him on the halfway line, but no card shown.
Shortly after, Tanaka dribbled inside the Australian area after receiving a pull back from the byline from Kubo and then flicked a pass back to Kubo, but being closed down by Souttar the Real Sociedad player shot left footed into the side netting when it looked like it should have been taken with his right foot.
The first attack from Australia came in the 7th minute when a free kick from the right was headed over and wide by Duke from the edge of the area.
The first burst of pace from Mitoma was seen in the 13th minute as he ran clear on the left, but his low cross cleared by Geria.
Japan continued to press and from a corner by Kubo, Doan was unmarked to the left of the penalty spot, but could only direct his left footed volley into the ground, which bounced up for an easy catch for Gauci.
A good ball down right-hand channel in the 21st minute from Ko Itakura released Kubo, but Cameron Burgess of Ipswich Town made an important block to concede corner, which was headed away by Souttar inside the six-yard box.
Already Mitoma looked to have the beating of Miller every time and Kubo was also looking dangerous on the right wing.
Two minutes later a scramble ensued after Kubo’s cross, and Minamino’s attempted scissor kick was blocked by Irvine, who also took a kick to his chest for his troubles.
Another corner to Japan was again met by Souttar with the clearing header, but from Kubo’s next corner, Taniguichi managed to get his head to the ball, but it sailed high and wide.
After half an hour of play Australia would have been very content with how the game had panned out so far. They had defended well, and although the Japanese wide men had looked lively, Japan had not yet created any clear-cut chances.
Westerlo’s Jordan Bos then went on a lung busting run from halfway to inside the Japanese area but was halted by a superb tackle by Itakura, who plays for Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Minamino showed good chest control to bring down a long ball forward and then played back to Mitoma, who made a trademark cut back inside the area from the left and his curling shot was heading to the far corner until it hit the shoulder of Geria, and deflected off for a corner. It was the best chance of the match so far.
The corner was headed away to Minamino, whose left footed shot from just outside the area skidded narrowly wide as Shogo Taniguchi slid in but couldn’t make contact.
In the 36th minute Doan was found in space inside the Aussie area but was stopped by a good tackle from Burgess.
Five minutes from half-time, Mitoma twisted and turned away from Miller and Feyenoord’s Ayase Ueda got his head to the cross but fouled Burgess in the process and his header was easily saved anyway.
A flowing move for Japan saw Mitoma, Tanaka and Minamino exchange first time passes on the edger of the Australian penalty area but a good tackle by Souttar ended the move.
It was still scoreless at halftime as the statistics showed 76% possession to Japan. However, it had been a typically resolute effort from the Aussies as Japan had just the one shot on target. At the other end Japan keeper Zion Suzuki had barely touched the ball.
Australia made a substitution at half time with Partick Yazbek of Nashville and formerly of Viking Stavanger replacing Brattan to win his second cap.
The Socceroos started the second period with a spell of possession without looking dangerous, but they had temporarily taken some of the sting out of the game.
Japan’s first attack of the half saw Mitoma’s cross headed away by the impressive Geria, then Kubo got to byline on the right, but Irvine stuck out a foot to deflect the cross back to his keeper. Mitoma then beat Miller again, but a heavy touch put the ball out of play. There was still no end product from the Brighton man !
The influential Kubo’s cross to just beyond back post reached Minamino who could only head into side netting
The opening goal of the game came out of the blue. Australia worked the ball to Miller on the right wing and under little pressure, Taniguichi tried to clear the cross with his right foot instead of his left and only succeeded in slicing past his own keeper. It was the first goal Japan had conceded in qualification and they scored it themselves, and Australia had taken the lead without having had a single shot ! 0-1 after 58 minutes
The home side were spurred into action and Miller was on hand to put a cross off for a corner with Minamino waiting behind him. Bos then brought down Kubo on the left and was shown the first yellow card of the game, but the free kick from Kubo was headed well over by Machida.
A swift break from Japan saw Ueda gave Minamino the opportunity to run clear but the covering Geria produced another outstanding interception.
Peroxide blond substitute Junya Ito got to the byline but Ueda was unable to apply much power to his header from 12 yards and it was an easy gather for Gauci.
A Japan free kick in the 67th minute saw Irvine make a good defensive header under pressure from Ueda inside the 6-yard box and free kick was awarded to Australia.
With twenty minutes remaining Japan made two more changes, taking off Kubo, who had looked their most dangerous player, with Kamada replacing him. Minamino was also hooked for Keito Nakamura. Both substitutes play for French side Reims and as a result of these changes, Mitoma moved to a more central role in midfield and Nakamura took over on the left wing.
A minute later Tanaka tried a long range shot but Gauci made a comfortable catch.
Australian then made two changes, taking off Bos, who was walking a tightrope for a red card, and Duke, who had been virtually anonymous since his early header. Experienced defender Aziz Behich and young forward Nishan Velupillay, for his second cap having scored as a substitute against China, were the replacements
The one-way traffic continued with an Ito corner being punched away by Gauci, then Ito’s reverse pass just to strong for Mitoma to reach.
Nakamura made an almost instant impact, nipping past Behich to get to the left byline past, and his low cross was turned in from 3 yards by Burgess into his own net, although Ueda was lurking behind him for a tap in. Two own goals and it was now 1-1 with 76 minutes played.
Within a minute, Mitoma cut in from left but his goal bound shot blocked by Yazbek for a corner, from which Souttar again made the clearing header. Ito was also making an impact since his introduction, next curling a cross just ahead of the attackers and Gauci made the catch.
With ten minutes to play, the Aussies carelessly give the ball away just inside the Japanese half, after which Behich had to bring down Ueda to stop the breakaway. A yellow card inevitably was brandished, in a clear case of taking one for his team.
Australia then replaced Miller with Keanu Bacchus, who plays his club football for League One Mansfield Town, and was given the task of marking Nakamura. However, he was immediately exposed as Nakamura flew down left and delivered a testing low cross, which was met by an even better diving claim from Gauci.
Ito then made a strong run across the pitch and received a return pass from Nakamura, but Bacchus redeemed himself with a good block.
With three minutes of normal time left, after a scramble inside the Australian area, Mitoma had a shot blocked, then Aussie substitute Craig Goodwin was shown a yellow card less than a minute after entering the fray for a wild challenge on Machida.
Five added minutes were displayed, and Japan continued to search for a winner. Mitoma ran clear down the right only to be cynically brought down by Burgess for the fourth yellow card to the Socceroos.
Shortly after, the ball bounced around on the edge of penalty area but wouldn’t fall kindly for the Japanese attackers and the massed Aussie defence were able to block and then clear.
In the last minute of added time, a dangerous cross from Ito needed another good header from Souttar to put the ball out of play for corner. Ito’s delivery was an in-swinger, but Gauci made a vital catch under his crossbar to give his side the draw.
Highlights :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyNWDguVPaA
Japan : Suzuki – Itakura, Taniguchi, Machida – Doan ( Ito ), Tanaka, Morita, Mitoma – Kubo ( Kamada ), Minamino ( Nakamura ), Ueda ( Ogawa )
Australia : Gauci – Miller ( Bacchus ), Geria, Souttar, Burgess –Brattan ( Yazbek ), Irvine, McGree,Bos ( Behich ) – Duke ( Velupillay ), Hristic ( Goodwin )
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