ReportWire

Tag: Manuel Neuer

  • Japan aims for World Cup knockout stage against Costa Rica

    Japan aims for World Cup knockout stage against Costa Rica

    [ad_1]

    DOHA, Qatar — How big was Japan‘s 2-1 upset of Germany in the opening round of the World Cup?

    Newspapers in Japan used the term “Daikimboshi” from sumo wrestling to describe the magnitude of the surprise: when a low-ranked wrestler overpowers a grand champion.

    The victory has also been compared to Japan’s 34-32 upset of powerful South Africa in the 2015 rugby World Cup in England.

    Japan was the underdog against four-time champion Germany, but it will be a strong favorite in its next Group E match against Costa Rica, where a victory could move Japan into the knockout stage with a game to spare.

    A loss by Costa Rica on Sunday would eliminate it from advancing. Costa Rica faces Germany in its final match and Japan goes against Spain.

    Costa Rica is reeling from a 7-0 thrashing against Spain in its opener, and it’s anyone’s guess how the Ticos will respond. With a population of just over 5 million, the tiny Central American country is appearing in its sixth World Cup. It reached the quarterfinals in 2014 in Brazil.

    Japan has never reached the quarterfinals at a World Cup, and that’s the aim this time. This is Japan’s seventh straight appearance, and it has reached the round of 16 on three occasions, including in Russia in 2018. It lost 3-2 in stoppage time to Belgium after leading 2-0.

    It was eliminated by Paraguay on penalties in 2010, and lost to Turkey 1-0 in 2002 when the country co-hosted the event with South Korea.

    Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu has spoken often about going farther this time and breaking the “final-16 hex.”

    Substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano scored late goals against Germany — they both play in Germany’s Bundesliga — to lead Japan to the upset. Asano got the winner in the 83rd minute, squeezing the ball behind German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from a very sharp angle.

    Costa Rica was overwhelmed by Spain with only 28% of the possession. It would also face the same problem against Japan, which is able to hold the ball for long spells, and is also a quick, counterattacking threat.

    “We couldn’t complete three or four passes,” Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez said of the Spain loss.

    The Ticos will have to do much more against Japan.

    ———

    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Japan gets 2 late goals to beat Germany 2-1 at World Cup

    Japan gets 2 late goals to beat Germany 2-1 at World Cup

    [ad_1]

    DOHA, Qatar — Another World Cup day, another World Cup shock.

    Substitutes Ritsu Doan and Takuma Asano scored late goals Wednesday to give Japan a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Germany.

    Both Doan and Asano play for German clubs.

    “I believe it’s a historic moment, a historic victory. If I think about the development of Japanese soccer, thinking of players, for them this was a big surprise,” said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu, who had five Germany-based players in his starting lineup and three, including the scorers, on the bench.

    “They’re fighting in a very strong, tough, prestigious league. They’ve been building up their strength. In that context we believe that those divisions (Bundesliga and second division) have been contributing to the development of Japanese players,” Moriyasu said. “I’m very grateful for that.”

    Ilkay Gündogan had given four-time champion Germany the lead with a first-half penalty. But Doan, who plays for Freiburg, pounced on a rebound to equalize in the 76th minute after Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer blocked a shot from Takumi Minamino.

    Then Asano, who plays for Bochum, sprinted clear of Nico Schlotterbeck and beat Neuer from a narrow angle in the 83rd minute of the first competitive meeting between the two nations.

    The match was played a day after Argentina’s 2-1 upset loss to Saudi Arabia.

    Before Wednesday’s game, Germany’s players covered their mouths during the team photo in an apparent rebuke to FIFA following its decision to stop plans to wear armbands to protest discrimination in host nation Qatar.

    Nancy Faeser, Germany’s sports minister, attended the match at the Khalifa International Stadium and was sitting beside FIFA president Gianni Infantino while wearing the same “One Love” armband that FIFA had outlawed with its threats of consequences.

    It was only the third time Germany had lost its tournament-opening game after defeats against Algeria in 1982 and Mexico in 2018. In the other World Cup openers for Germany, the team had won 13 matches and drawn four.

    Germany outplayed Japan for much of the match with 24 attempts on goal compared to Japan’s 11. Despite giving away the penalty for a clumsy challenge on left back David Raum, Japan goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda made a string of saves and was player of the game.

    “We fought as a team,” Gonda said. “We have to make sure we never stop.”

    Japan next plays Costa Rica, while Germany faces Spain on Sunday.

    Germany’s buildup was fraught by protests and political statements because of Qatar’s human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers and members of the LGBTQ community.

    Germany was playing at the World Cup for the first time since its shocking group-stage exit as defending champion in 2018, while Japan is appearing in its seventh straight World Cup and is looking to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

    ———

    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Germany goalkeeper Neuer set for return ahead of World Cup

    Germany goalkeeper Neuer set for return ahead of World Cup

    [ad_1]

    MUNICH — With the World Cup only weeks away, Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is set to return to action with Bayern Munich for the first time in nearly a month following a shoulder problem.

    Neuer has not played since a 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund on Oct. 8 but Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said Friday the keeper will play against Hertha Berlin in the Bundesliga on Saturday as long as there are no setbacks in the last training session ahead of the game.

    “We waited for as long as needed for him to be pain-free again. There’s always a certain risk but he and the doctors have given the green light,” Nagelsmann said. “Something can always happen. Soccer is a contact sport.”

    Neuer revealed Wednesday he was previously treated for skin cancer and had to undergo surgery.

    Nagelsmann added that Germany forward Leroy Sané and France defender Lucas Hernández will also return to the squad after recent injury absences but will only be involved off the bench. Sané had a thigh strain in the 5-0 win over Freiburg on Oct. 16 and Hernández has not played since tearing the adductor muscle in his left thigh against Barcelona in September.

    Two other Bayern players with World Cup ambitions remain out of the squad. Nagelsmann said Germany forward Thomas Müller is in line to return next week after various minor injuries and illnesses which have restricted him to only brief appearances over the last month, while Netherlands defender Matthijs de Ligt missed training with a knee issue.

    Germany coach Hansi Flick is scheduled to announce his squad Thursday. Germany’s opening World Cup game is set for Nov. 23 against Japan.

    ———

    AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link