Japan’s media hailed the shock 1-0 win over Spain in their opening game of the London Olympics men’s soccer tournament as a miracle yesterday.
The hyperbole abounded after Thursday’s upset, reminding people that Japan’s men can play a bit too after the country’s women sensationally won last year’s World Cup.
Japan’s Nikkan Sports daily described the win as the “Miracle of Glasgow” after Yuki Otsu’s first-half goal proved the difference in the Group D game.
Despite being an under-23 competition, Spain, world and European champions at senior level, are regarded as potential gold medalists at the Olympics.
Japan’s job was helped by the sending off of midfielder Inigo Martinez just before halftime.
“I was sobbing at the end of the game,” match-winner Otsu told Japanese media after his close-range goal helped Japan beat Spain for the first time at any level.
“We are here to win the gold medal,” added the German-based midfielder, who was tweeting “Please! Please!” from the bench in the second half after being withdrawn with a bruised ankle.
“Japan shock the world,” screamed the Sankei Sports, while the Mainichi Daily’s headline ran “Otsu sinks unbeatable Armada” and the win was a hot topic on yesterday’s television talk shows.
The government also praised the result, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura calling it a “truly a great start to beat mighty Spain.”
Japan’s men last won an Olympic medal at the 1968 Mexico Games when they took bronze, but they have not advanced beyond the group stages since the 2000 Sydney Games.
A Japan team full of fresh-faced players such as Hidetoshi Nakata and Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi famously stunned Brazil 1-0 at the 1996 Atlanta Games, dubbed the “Miracle of Miami.”
However, Japan’s players insisted after beating Spain that there was nothing miraculous about the win.
“It’s not a miracle,” Otsu said.
“It’s the result of hard work and preparation,” he added.
After Japan’s world champion women won their opening game, the pressure had been on the men, who caused a stir by flying to London in business class, while the women sat in premium economy.
Japan’s women came to symbolize the determination of a nation united in recovering from last year’s tsunami and nuclear crisis.
“It’s a good job we won,” Japan captain Maya Yoshida said. “If we had lost after they won, you know what people would have been saying about us.”
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was