As the second Asian team to take the field in this morning's Copa América, Japan didn't manage to snatch the points with a 2-2 scoreline like Cada did, but compared to newly crowned AFC Asian Cup champions Cada, Japan is fielding a young lineup that's looking ahead to next year's Olympic team, with more than half of the starting lineup alone being first-time representatives of the adult world.
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Out of the race.
(Japan's starting lineup. Photo credit: Reuters)
Japan's starters for this match were Keisuke Osako in goal, Kenyo Tomiyasu, Naodori Ueda, Daiki Sugioka, and Teruyuki Hara in defense, Yuta Nakayama, Yue Shibasaki, Shoin Kubo, and Shoya Nakajima in midfield, and Dairan Maeda and Eisei Ueda in front. The only five players on the starting lineup who have represented Japan as adults are Yue Shibasaki, Shoya Nakajima, Naodori Ueda, Kenyo Tomiyasu and Kenyoung Kubo.
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Playing internationally, Kubo Kenyoung has only made one appearance for Japan in a previous friendly, and this match against Chile was his first
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Official Tournament. All but these five players are making their debut for the adult
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Playing in the tournament, forward Eisei Ueda is even just a college student.
(Eisei Ueda. Photo credit: Reuters)
Aside from the starters, as many as 16 players on Japan's 23-man roster for this Copa America are without adult
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With such a lineup, it is quite a surprise to see that this young Japanese team is aiming for the Olympics, and even preparing for the next World Cup in advance. The Olympics can have 3 overage players on the field, and it seems that Yue Shibasaki has been entrusted with a big task, maybe next year's
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Will still participate as a big brother.
(Shoya Nakajima controls the ball. Photo credit: Reuters)
This game although 0-4 defeat, but from the situation on the field, Japan's performance is not as bad as the score difference of this poor, Ueda Eisei, Kubo Kenyoung have created excellent chances, college students Ueda Eisei's run to get many good chances for themselves, perhaps after the first game!
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After the game, the next step is to be able to better capitalize on the chances in front of the goal. Head Coach Mori Boichi also recognized his team's performance in this match, saying that although there was a gap between the two sides, the Japanese team was brave enough to challenge the defending champions and in fact created better chances.
(Ichi Moriho. Photo credit: Reuters)
I can't help but envy Japan after watching this game.
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In a big game like the America's Cup, they can still send the Olympic team, and the scene is not too embarrassing, the cultivation and breadth of Japanese soccer talent is really far beyond Taiwan's reach.
