Some observations: There are more blondes and red heads on the Japanese squad than Belgium and even one dreadlocked Brazilian-born. The Belgians have a very odd looking all-orange uniform. If you though Sacramento fans were loud cheering on the Kings in Sunday’s game 7, you should hear the Japanese!
No host in the previous 17 Cups has ever lost an opening match.
Both teams are playing 3-5-2 configurations and through the first half neither was really able to generate any offense because they just didn’t bring enough players forward. On most runs I noticed only two offensive players on the attack and four or five for the defense. Easily shut down, then. But after the start of the second half, both teams started coming more aggressively.
Wilmots started the scoring in the 57th minute with a beautiful foot over head backwards. Suzuki (one of the blondes) two minutes later tied it after slashing through two defenders at the top of the box for a tap past the keeper. Inamoto, who plays for Arsenal in the English Premiership, put Japan into the lead in the 69th minute after some sweet dribbling around two defenders and a blast to the far corner.
Belgium is looking very tired and keeps giving up long on-side runs. With 20 minutes left, they have yet to make any substitutions (Japan has made two, losing their captain and best defender to foot/ankle injury) but the commentator says its because their bench. But Peter Van Der Heyden, starting right fullback, tied the match at 74:30 with a soft lift over the goalkeeper after the Japanese defense could not get a clear off a corner. The European side finally makes a substitution in the 83rd minute.
Inamoto almost put the Japanese team ahead with five minutes left, he put the ball in the net, but he was offside. Most of the players seem to have very little left in the tank! Just at the 90 minute mark, the Belgians were robed of a penalty shot after Japan’s keeper came off his line and took a dive to tackle a Belgian coming through to shoot. They couldn’t make anything off the corner kick they were left with.
All over, 2-2 tie. So for the first time in World Cup history, a host team does not win. But South Korea, the other host, did their part with a 2-0 win in Pusan over Poland.
BillSaysThis 