17th Asian Games  (2014/Incheon) 2nd game of Group Stage
Wednesday 17 September 2014   Kickoff at 20:00   90minutes(45minutes halves)
Goyang Stadium (Goyang, Korea)

U-21 Japan National Team   1-3 (1st 1-1　2nd 0-2)   U-23 Iraq National Team

Scores
12min   Goal against（U-23 Iraq）
36min   NAKAJIMA Shoya（U-21 Japan）
48min   Goal against（U-23 Iraq）
72min   Goal against（U-23 Iraq）

Starters
GK　NIEKAWA Ayumi
DF　MUROYA Sei, IWANAMI Takuya, UEDA Naomichi, YAMANAKA Ryosuke
MF　ENDO Wataru,　OHSHIMA Ryota,　HARAKAWA Riki
FW　YAJIMA Shinya,　SUZUKI Musashi,　NAKAJIMA Shoya

Substitutes
GK　 POPP William
DF　 NISHINO Takaharu
MF　 KANAMORI Takeshi, KIDA Takuya, YOSHINO Kyohei, NOZAWA Hideyuki, AKINO Hiroki
FW　NOTSUDA Gakuto, ARANO Takuma

61min   HARAKAWA Riki → NOTSUDA Gakuto
75min   YAJIMA Shinya → KANAMORI Takeshi

Match Report

The U-21 Japan National Team played against the U-23 Iraq national team, to whom Japan have lost in the two previous official matches. Japan fielded some new players from the game against Kuwait.
Iraq took the initiative right after kick-off and passed the ball behind Japan’s defenders, trying to create a mad scramble for the ball in the centre in order to stifle Japan’s playing style.

After 12 minutes, Iraq crossed the ball from the left side. Although the Japanese defenders cleared the ball, Faraj received it, directly striking an opener.
Iraq kept attacking with Ali Adnan Kadhim, who was an AFC young player of the Year last year and is also an experienced member of the national team. As a result, Japan could not pass the ball around rhythmically as they wanted. It was a tough game.

In the 36th minute, YAJIMA Shinya, who was in the starting line-up for the first time in this championship, received a forward pass from the defender and directly passed it behind the opponent’s defenders. Then NAKAJIMA Shoya ran up to the ball and calmly slotted it in the goal, leveling the game. The game went into the second half at 1-1.

In the second half, Japan wanted to start their attacks, but it did not work well.
In the 48th minute, Ali Adnan Kadhim, who ran in from the wing, received an early cross and directly shot at goal.
Although Japan finally started playing in their style - passing the ball - and attacked on goal again and again, they couldn’t find the back of the net due to some good saving by the opponent’s goalkeeper.
After 72 minutes, Iraq earned a free kick in Japan’s goal area and again Ali Adnan Kadhim got a splendid goal with his left foot, building Iraq’s lead.

Japan never gave up attacking even with a two-goal difference and had some goal-scoring opportunities. However, in the end they could not score and Japan lost to Iraq 3-1. Again the players could not avenge their previous defeat. They will play their final game of the group stage to get through to the next stage.

Comments

TEGURAMORI Makoto, Head Coach
It was a regrettable result. However, I didn’t think they deserved a two-goal difference. They created many goal-scoring opportunities, and it was up to whether they could score using those opportunities or not. We let the opponent strike an opener, but then we leveled the game. It was disappointing that the opponent had their second goal first.
The players weren’t struggling against Iraq’s football. They could react and compete with Iraqi speed and power, and they could attack through the opponent’s defenders. I believe that we can beat them, if we have another chance in the knockout stage.

NAKAJIMA Shoya (Kataller Toyama)
I’m devastated.
There were goal-scoring opportunities and my teammate passed the ball to me in front of the goal. I could have stayed calmer to strike a goal.
We had more goal-scoring opportunities than Iraq. Yet we lost. I think Iraq is better at taking the initiative and playing the game in a better way.
Personally, I’d like to play calmer, not only so that I can score, and look around while playing, so that I can play my style.

UEDA Naomichi (Kashima Antlers)
As we conceded three goals, I have to do something as a defender. Also there are some individual issues to be fixed. We need to improve on those for the next match.
It’s vital that we score when we have a chance. I have a similar problem myself, which I want to adjust.
The reason we couldn’t score when we should have - I think it’s up to an individual’s mind. We need to have that scoring mentality for the next game.

OHSHIMA Ryota (Kawasaki Frontale)
I’m gutted that we lost.
I really wanted to win against Iraq and we had to win that game. If we get through to the next stage, we’ll have another chance to play against them in the final. So I want to stay positive.

U-21 Japan National Team Match Schedule

17th Asian Games （2014/Incheon）Groups