Japanese fans erupted with joy yesterday as the Samurais beat the US 9-4 to advance to the World Baseball Classic final.
Japan, which defeated Cuba to win the inaugural classic three years ago, were due to face their arch-rivals from South Korea, the reigning Olympic champions, yesterday at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso led the expressions of praise and goodwill for Team Samurai in baseball-obsessed Japan: telling reporters: “You got to keep up the momentum to win the title for two straight times. I hope they will.”
In its evening edition, the business daily Nikkei wrote: “The United States staked their pride on being the ‘controlling nation’ of baseball. But Japan magnificently countered and repelled them with technique.”
“With the belief that their style has proven right, Japan will face the ‘final’ showdown with South Korea,” it wrote.
Japan’s world figure skating champion Mao Asada said she had been inspired by her country’s run to the Classic final against the homeland of her rival Kim Yu-na.
“I have been cheering for Japan every day. I have drawn so much power from them,” she told reporters before leaving Osaka to defend her title at this week’s world championships also to be held in Los Angeles.
“I want them to win and I will do my best as well,” she said.
Tomoaki Kato, a 32-year-old company worker, told the mass-circulation Yomiuri Shimbun: “I felt the power of [US] major leaguers was awesome. But Japan’s skill prevailed.”
“I really enjoyed it. I was excited,” Japanese golfer Shigeki Maruyama, 39, who has three US PGA Tour wins to his name, told TBS after watching the game.
“I want them to show the Japanese spirit tomorrow,” he said.
Earlier, top government spokesman Takeo Kawamura took time out from his daily briefing to comment on the game.
“I believe it will be a game in which nothing can be taken for granted,” he said about the final. “But I want to pin great hope on the squad.”
The two countries had split four earlier games in the 16-nation event. Japan is the only team to have defeated South Korea in the tournament.
Famous Japanese Kabuki actor Kanzaburo Nakamura, 53, said: “My voice got so hoarse after shouting too much. Tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day.”
Kylian Mbappe struck from the penalty spot as Real Madrid beat a dogged CA Osasuna 1-0 on Tuesday to make a winning start in Spanish La Liga under new coach Xabi Alonso. The France striker, last season’s European Golden Shoe winner, scored early in the second half, after he was fouled in the area by Osasuna defender Juan Cruz. It was enough to seal the points in Alonso’s first game in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Madrid now unbeaten in their opening fixture of a league campaign since 2008. “You can see that Kylian wants to do even more
STUMBLE: World No. 2 Coco Gauff confidently won her first set against seventh-seed Italian Jasmine Paolini before being overcome in the second and third sets World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and second-ranked Coco Gauff were sent crashing out of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Open on Friday, while Carlos Alcaraz fought off a fierce challenge from Andrey Rublev to reach the semi-finals. Top seed and defending champion Sabalenka had no answer for Elena Rybakina, falling to the 2022 Wimbledon champion 6-1, 6-4. Reigning French Open champion Gauff had 16 double faults in a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 exit at the hands of seventh-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini. Spain’s second-ranked Alcaraz had his difficulties, but he broke Rublev in the final game of a tense duel to emerge a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 winner
Spanish champions Barcelona opened their Spanish La Liga campaign on Saturday with an island cruise as they played almost an hour against nine men on their way to a 3-0 victory in RCD Mallorca. Barcelona’s second-half stroll did not please coach Hansi Flick. “They’re three important points, but I didn’t like the match,” he told broadcaster Movistar. “After going two goals up and following Mallorca’s two red cards, I think the team only gave 50 percent, and I didn’t like that,” he said. “Playing at 50 or 60 per cent is not possible against nine players.” Two of Barcelona’s Ballon
Manchester City signaled their intent to take back the English Premier League title as Erling Haaland struck twice in a 4-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday to begin their campaign. After four consecutive titles, City finished a distant third last season as Pep Guardiola’s men failed to win any trophy for the first time in eight years. New signings Tijjani Reijnders, who was the star of the show at Molineux, and Rayan Cherki were also on target to give Guardiola hope his side would be back in the title race this season. “We knew he is a top signing