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As a co-host of EURO 2012, Poland is an automatic qualifier and is set to begin its campaign on June 9, 2012 in Warsaw, facing Greece as its first opponent.
Netherlands and Denmark are facing each other again for the 31st time, this time at the EURO 2012 this June 10, 2012.
In their first meeting since February 2010, the two countries will use the friendly as a mid-summer tune-up before their World Cup qualifiers in September
The Japan Football Association (JFA) announced on Monday night that the Sapporo Dome would be the stage for an August 15 friendly between Japan and Venezuela.The two sides last faced each other in February 2010 at Oita Stadium, battling to a scoreless draw. Since that match, Japan has enjoyed a resurgence after the World Cup under coach Alberto Zaccheroni, while Venezuela placed fourth in last year's Copa America.
The South American nation are in provisional third place in the Conmebol standings with seven points from four matches, while Japan begins the final leg of their World Cup qualifying campaign in August with matches against Oman, Jordan and Australia.The hosts may be without their younger players, depending on the country's performance at the 2012 London Olympics.Following the friendly, Venezuela will travel to Peru and Paraguay in early September, while Japan host Iraq at Saitama Stadium before traveling to face France in an October friendly. - http://www.goal.com/
The 19-year old discussed his relationship with Muamba after contributing an assist to Bolton's crucial relegation clash against Blackburn on Saturday afternoon
Bolton's Ryo Miyaichi was "relieved" after his contributions in Saturday's 2-1 win against Blackburn on an emotional day for the club.
The match was the first for the team since the sudden collapse of Fabrice Muamba seven days prior during an FA Cup fixture against Tottenham. That match was abandoned, and the following Premier League date against Aston Villa was also postponed.
"For [Fabrice] Muamba and for us it was a must-win," Miyaichi told reporters after the match. "So I'm relieved that we played well and got a good result."We knew that no matter how hard it was for us, he was the one suffering and we had to play well for him."The 19-year-old set up his team's second goal with a well-placed corner kick that David Wheater headed in at the 34th minute."I've practiced corner kicks before, but after being given the responsibility [of taking the corners] I'm glad I was able to contribute to a goal," the former Feyenoord winger elaborated.
Miyaichi also reminisced about meeting Muamba after arriving at Bolton."[Fabrice] was the first player who talked to me when I came," the youngster recalled. "He greeted me in Japanese, and I thought 'wow, there are some really happy players here!'"All we can do right now is pray for him." - http://www.goal.com
If one thing is certain at VfL Bochum on match day, it's that Takashi Inui will be leading the attack for the Ruhr valley club. The 23-year-old has started 23 matches since his arrival in Germany and with seven goals and four assists to his name.
Takashi Inui received a call-up to the Japanese national team for the World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan on February 29, and he was happy about receiving the call-up, all the more as it has been quite a while. Also, because Kiyo (Hiroshi Kiyotake) and (Keisuke) Honda have been injured, I thought that if I wasn’t considered this time I wouldn’t get another, so that was reassuring as well. Then it was up to me to make the best out of it.
Football in Germany is quite different from soccer in Japan. In Japan, it’s regarded as more important to defend as a team and there’s more emphasis on the passing game. Here the play is more direct, and improving of individual skills is prioritized. But there are not many players who are like me here, at least I haven’t seen any in the second division who have a similar playing style; as a rather uncommon player type, I guess it is not easy to defend against me.
There aren’t too many things which actually surprised me. It was clear to me that the players are strong [physically]. As you can see, I belong to the 'lighter' type of Japanese players. Of course, you can become physically stronger by training on machines, but that's not my goal. You can get past opponents with pace. In fact, there are many possibilities to get past robust challenges. - http://www.goal.com
Kashiwa Reysol 5-1 Jeonbuk Motors
Last season's beaten finalists Jeonbuk crashed a second consecutive 5-1 defeat in the ACL, with Japanese champions Kashiwa Reysol earning their first points of the competition.
The game sprang to life late in the opening 45, with three goals in five minutes before the break for the hosts. Jorge Wagner assisted Daisuke Nasu to score on 40 minutes, withLeandro Domingues netting from the spot, before dramatically adding another late goal moments prior to the interval.
The K-League champions steadied after the break with China international Huang Bowen pulling one back on 51 minutes, but it seemed all over on 77 minutes when the hosts won a penalty only for Leandro Domingues to fail to convert. However once again late in the half Kashiwa added more to their tally. Leandro Domingues set up Junya Tanaka to make it 4-1 on 89 minutes, before substitute Akimi Barada scored the fifth in stoppage-time. - http://www.goal.com/
The Japan international has gathered interest from England, but is already in advanced talks over a move to northern Bavaria, with FCN having confirmed their interest
Bayern Munich attacker Takashi Usami has amassed no shortage of interest from clubs both in Germany and abroad having made clear his intent to leave the Allianz Arena this summer.
In February, FCN confirmed their interest in Usami, who is currently on loan at Bayern from Gamba Osaka. The German record champions have an option to make the deal permanent fora fee in the region of €3 million, but have turned down a move for the player, who has made just one Bundesliga appearance this season. And now, Bild reports that the 19-year-old has verbally committed his future to Nurnberg.
Usami will reportedly join FCN on loan with an option to buy, although the deal could fall through if Dieter Hecking's side are relegated. And if a move to Nurnberg collapses, Usami could be on his way to England.Nurnberg are currently 10th in the Bundesliga table, six points above the relegation zone with eight matches left to play. - http://www.goal.com
Hernandez has been heavily tipped to depart Victory, but the club has entered into negotiations with the Costa Rican
Carlos Hernandez may yet stay at Melbourne Victory, with the club announcing on Monday they have opened contract negotiations with the Costa Rican playmaker.
Many had expected international marquee Hernandez to depart the club after 37 goals in 129 appearances since joining Victory in 2007, with his contract up at the end of the 2011-12 season. Reports had circled that Hernandez's appearance in Friday's 3-0 win over the Wellington Phoenix - in which he struck a superb goal and impressed throughout - had been his last.
Attacking midfielder Hernandez had been the subject of several of signs and banners displayed by fans during the match, imploring him to stay or thanking him for his time at the club.Now, however, the club has revealed in a statement on their website that they have opened talks with the 29-year-old Hernandez, who has scored nine goals this season and contributed two assists and is "certainly in the club's future plans".
"Now we're at the end of our season, we've started negotiations with Carlos and his management over a new deal," Victory managing director Richard Wilson said on Monday."Players of Carlos' quality are difficult to find, so we'll be working hard to re-sign him."
Victory have already signed Gold Coast left-back Adama Traore and youngster Julius Davies as part of their rebuilding process for the 2012-13 season, while Central Coast defender Sam Gallagher has been linked with a move and former Newcastle Jets defensive utility Adam Griffiths is on trial at the club. - http://www.goal.com
Urawa Reds beat Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 on Saturday to leave the reigning J. League champions still searching for their first win of the new season.
Reysol clinched their first-ever title at Saitama Stadium on the final day of last year's campaign, but Urawa ensured there would be no happy return thanks to a 36th-minute goal from striker Ranko Despotovic.Reysol conceded an injury-time equalizer to draw 3-3 with Yokohama F. Marinos in last weekend's league opener — after losing to Thailand's Buriram United in the Asian Champions League — but manager Nelsinho is refusing to press the panic button just yet.
Despotovic's goal gave Urawa its first home league win since July 23, and new manager Mihailo Petrovic is hoping he will not have to wait so long to celebrate another. Urawa's Tomoaki Makino and Yosuke Kashiwagi both went close in quick succession midway through the first half, but the warning went unheeded as Despotovic pounced for the opener. The Serbian capitalized on a clumsy first touch from Jorge Wagner close to goal, before cutting inside to fire a left-foot strike past Takanori Sugeno. Wagner lashed a free kick over the bar moments later, and compatriot Leandro Domingues went even closer when he hit the woodwork early in the second half.But Reysol struggled to create chances as time wore on, and had Sugeno not denied Genki Haraguchi with a fantastic point-blank save in the 69th minute, the damage could have been even greater.
Elsewhere in the J. League, Cerezo Osaka edged city rivals Gamba Osaka 2-1 thanks to a 94th-minute goal from Kempes, Kawasaki Frontale beat Kashima Antlers 1-0 to pick up their second win of the season, and Vegalta Sendai also stayed perfect with a 2-0 win over Marinos.Omiya Ardija came from behind to beat Albirex Niigata 2-1, Shimizu S-Pulse edged Sanfrecce 2-1, while Vissel Kobe beat Consadole Sapporo and Jubilo Iwata also got the better of Sagan Tosu by the same scoreline. In the day's late game, FC Tokyo defeated Nagoya Grampus 3-2. - http://www.japantimes.co.jp/
KASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Leandro Domingues lived up to his billing as reigning J. League Player of the Year with a five-star performance Sunday, but Hiroyuki Taniguchi stole the show with a dramatic late equalizer as Yokohama F. Marinos held champions Kashiwa Reysol 3-3 in a gripping season opener.
Leandro was involved as Reysol twice took the lead through Hiroki Sakai and Junya Tanaka, respectively, only for Nelsinho's men to be pegged back by goals from Masashi Oguro and highly touted forward Manabu Saito. The Brazilian appeared to have sealed victory in the 64th minute, beating Hiroki Iikura with a delicate but deadly strike that would have provided Reysol with a major lift following defeat midweek in their Asian Champions League debut.But Taniguchi, who entered the fray in the 82nd minute, had the last word, bundling home in the first minute of injury time.
Nelsinho made just one change to the side that started in Wednesday's 3-2 defeat to Thai champions Buriram United, with new signing Ricardo Lobo partnering Tanaka at the expense of veteran striker Hideaki Kitajima.The game exploded into life with less than three minutes gone as Sakai fired Reysol in front, the Japan Under-23 defender prodding in after Jorge Wagner had acrobatically flicked on Leandro's free kick.At the other end, Yuji Ono forced Takanori Sugeno into action and with shades of offside, former Japan forward Oguro briefly silenced the sea of yellow fans in the expanded stand behind the goal when he struck from close range.
But Kashiwa needed just five minutes to restore its advantage and it was the Leandro-Wagner hotline at work once again, Tanaka applying the finishing touch in front of national team coach Alberto Zaccheroni.Yokohama struggled to contain Wagner, who twice had headers saved by Iikura as Kashiwa pushed for a third, and Leandro went close when he found the roof of the net two minutes into the second period.Yokohama, not for the first time on a sunny afternoon in north Chiba, had a strong claim for a penalty waved away when Wataru Hashimoto appeared to handle in the area in the 49th minute.
And the visitors will probably feel justice was done, if only partially, on the hour mark as Saito let rip with a blockbuster that flew into the left-hand corner to briefly draw them level.Yokohama manager Yasuhiro Higuchi was pleased his team had produced three goals in the absence of injured striker Marquinhos, but also admitted that some dubious officiating by referee Nobutsugu Murakami had been a source of stress. - http://www.japantimes.co.jp
The Argentine striker was in top form this week as he grabbed five goals in the dominant win over Leverkusen before getting another double against Racing Santander at the weekend
Lionel Messi has already broken and created records in his still-fledgling footballing career and the Argentina international continues to astound, as he consolidated his case to become the world’s best footballer of all time in midweek.
The 24-year-old bagged five of Barcelona’s goals in the Catalan giants’ 7-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, becoming the first player in the new era of the competition to do so. It was a perfect performance from Messi that saw him get 10 out of 10 in Goal.com’s Player Ratings for the match.Messi was not done, however, as he hit two more goals on Sunday in Barca’s 2-0 victory at Racing Santander in La Liga. The three-time Ballon d’Or winner now has 50 goals to his name for the Blaugrana in all competitions this season.
It was a sublime week for Messi, who has once again been in astounding form this season and looks set to write many more pages in the history books. - http://www.goal.com/
SAITAMA — FC Tokyo made a winning return to the J. League first division with a 1-0 victory over Omiya Ardija as the new season got under way on Saturday.
Tokyo won the second division at the first time of asking last year following a shock relegation in 2010, but Omiya left the capital city side in no doubt that life in the top flight will be a different story after dominating the first half at Nack5 Stadium.But Brazilian striker Lucas struck in the 61st minute as Tokyo found new life after the break, and Omiya could find no reply as the visitors went on to control the second half and give new manager Ranko Popovic the start to the season he was looking for.
Omiya had to wait until late August before picking up its first home win last season, but manager Jun Suzuki was unconcerned at missing the chance to exorcise those demons from the outset of the new campaign.
New Tokyo signing Kenichi Kaga almost got his league debut off to the worst possible start when his slip let in Keigo Higashi as early as the first minute, but goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda spared the defender's blushes with a smart diving save.Gonda again came to Tokyo's rescue with a fantastic double stop from Cho Young Cheol midway through the first half, before Rafael went tantalizingly close after sliding in at the back post.
Tokyo went into the interval lucky to be on level terms, but the visitors returned for the second half with renewed vigor and it was not entirely against the run of play when Lucas gave them the lead shortly after the hour mark. The Brazilian flicked the ball up when it came to him on the edge of the box, then swiveled to lash a fierce shot past Takashi Kitano.
Nagoya Grampus also made a winning start — 1-0 over Shimizu S-Pulse — while Urawa Reds manager Mihailo Petrovic endured an unhappy visit to former team Sanfrecce Hiroshima as Hisato Sato gave the home side a 1-0 victory.Vissel Kobe beat Gamba Osaka 3-2 in one of the day's few high-scoring games, with Consadole Sapporo drawing 0-0 with Jubilo Iwata and Sagan Tosu also playing out a scoreless tie with Cerezo Osaka.Kawasaki Frontale beat Albirex Niigata 1-0, while defending champions Kashiwa Reysol begin their campaign against Yokohama F. Marinos in Sunday's only fixture. - http://www.japantimes.co.jp
