Asian Football: AFC Asian Cup 2007
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Osim concerned by fatigue factor
Jul 28, 2007
PA Sport
PALEMBANG – Japan coach Ivica Osim is concerned about the fitness of his players following their long and exhausting journey to Palembang for their AFC Asian Cup third place play-off match against Korea Republic on Saturday night.
The Japanese side arrived in Palembang on Friday night, less than 24 hours before the match, after a long trip from Hanoi to the Sumatran city via Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta.
Following their arrival, the team held a late night training session at the Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, which finished at 11:30 pm, and the effects of the long trip could be clearly seen when the Japan coach later appeared at the pre-match press conference.
"What kind of question is this?" retorted an angry Osim when asked if he and his team were tired before their clash against the Koreans.
"It is a clear fact that the players are tired and this is a big problem for us. The question should be is whether I should use the tired players or not because we will have to wait and see before we use them."
The 66-year-old former Yugoslavia coach is concerned that players who may be physically exhausted will be pushing themselves too hard in their eagerness to play against the Koreans.
"Despite the fact that they are tired, the players are highly motivated and although they are tired they lie about this and this is a big problem for us," he added.
"I can't control the players' feelings but this is a dangerous situation because if they are on the pitch and they are tired we will have a lot of problems and this mean that we will lose the game."
With the winners of the clash on Saturday earning an automatic berth in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals, Osim is well aware of the importance of the match against their long-time East Asian rivals.
"We know the importance of the match which is really important. Also we should think about who we will play because we are playing against Korea.
"However, in case (Shunsuke) Nakamura or (Naohiro) Takahara played and lost the match, people will ask, ‘Why did I play with them while they are tired?’
"On the other hand, if we rested them tomorrow and we lost, people will say, ‘Why we didn't use them?’
"I don't know exactly the significance of the game between Korea and Japan," he added.
"But what I know is that Korea will be motivated against us and they will give us a lot of problems especially that they know our team very well.
"We will be at a disadvantage tomorrow as our handicap will be fatigue.” -
Verbeek puts trust in strikers
Jul 28, 2007
PA Sport
PALEMBANG – Korea Republic coach Pim Verbeek is fully confident that his strikers will be on target when they take on Japan in the third place play-off in Palembang on Saturday night.
The Koreans have scored only three goals in five games in their AFC Asian Cup campaign so far with two coming from midfielders Kim Do-heon and Kim Jung-woo and one by winger Choi Sung-kuk.
All of those goals came during the group stage as the Taeguk Warriors have yet to find the net in the knockout stage, having played out goalless draws with Iran in the quarter-finals and Iraq in the semi-finals, losing the latter 4-3 on penalties.
However, Verbeek believes that his strikers will end their futility in front of goal when they take on the Japanese at the Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium.
"They will score tomorrow," the 51-year-old Dutchman said confidently when asked about the goalscoring woes of his strikers in the tournament.
"The players are not 100 per cent recovered but they had good training on a good field which is a positive thing. Today we trained on the best football field since our arrival to the Asian Cup.
"It is obvious that we preferred to play the game in Jakarta on Sunday but we have to do it on Saturday.”
Verbeek is hoping that his side will be able to overcome the fatigue of playing two extra time matches in four days for the clash against their long-time East Asian rivals.
"There are no books to show you how to handle two extra time matches in only four days," he said.
"However, we know our players very well and we know how to deal with this situation and we will try to make them ready by tomorrow.
"Yesterday was a tough day. Today they were better and there is always a possibility to use the other players as we will try to use the strongest and fittest selection for tomorrow.
"The match tomorrow is not a test and we will use the players who are ready to play the game."
Verbeek feels that his previous experience of coaching in Japan at J.League sides Omiya Ardija and Kyoto Purple Sanga may also work to the benefit of his side.
"It will always be an advantage. I know the quality of their players and I have seen every game for them in the Asian Cup," said the Korea coach, whose younger brother Robert is the current coach of Omiya.
"I always talk to Robert and since I worked previously in Japan, I am always interested in Japanese football.
"However, I will do it all by myself with no tips or advice." -
Vieira takes delight in Brazilian success
Jul 27, 2007
PA Sport
JAKARTA – Iraq coach Jorvan Vieira is looking forward to locking horns with fellow Brazilian Helio dos Anjos in the final of the AFC Asian Cup 2007 on Sunday.
Speaking on Friday, Vieira said that the fact that two Brazilian coaches have successfully led their teams to the final of the Asian continentÂ’s biggest international football tournament speaks volumes for the standards of football coaching in his native country.
“This is good for Brazil. It’s a very special moment – two Brazilian coaches in one final in Asia,” said the 54-year-old.
“Maybe it might also happen one day in the World Cup because there are so many Brazilian coaches training national teams, you never know.
“But this is the Asian Cup - the top of the top on the Asian continent - and to have two Brazilians coaching here is very important and a very powerful statement for us.”
Vieira, who has been coaching in Asia and Africa since 1980, admits that he knows little about dos Anjos, who only arrived in Saudi Arabia in March after spending much of his coaching career in Brazil.
However, he is familiar with some of the members of dos AnjosÂ’ staff including goalkeeping coach Marcos Leme, who was an assistant to Vieira when he was in charge of Saudi league side Al Taei last season.
Given the wealth of coaching expertise in his native land, Vieira admits that he has been fortunate to have received the opportunity to coach at the highest level in Asia.
“I am very pleased because I know the importance that football has in the world and how crazy they are for football in Asia.
“We have so many coaches in Brazil who could perhaps show better than me but they have not had the opportunity.
“We have good standards and a good school and we have proved it as five-time World Cup champions.
“And nobody expected that we would win the recent Copa America but we did it with a new generation, new players and new coach.
“It’s like a gold mine of football talent and the more you look, the more you will find.” -
Nashat: Don't write us off
Jul 28, 2007
PA Sport
JAKARTA – Iraq’s star midfielder Nashat Akram insists he and his team-mates should not be written off when they take on Saudi Arabia in the final of the AFC Asian Cup on Sunday at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
Akram, who plays his club football for Saudi league side Al Shabab, is one of 15 players in the 23-man Iraq squad who play their club football outside their homeland and, as a result, the 23-year-old believes the Iraqis have nothing to fear from their opponents.
“Saudi are a good team,” he said. “I’ve played in Saudi Arabia for the last four years, so I know the players but they know me and all the players from Iraq.
“But the Iraqi team is good, too, and we have 14 or 15 professional players who play outside and that’s good for us.”
The match will be second time the two nations have met this year, with the Iraqis losing to Saudi Arabia in the group stages of the Gulf Cup in Abu Dhabi back in January, a defeat that saw Iraq exit the competition.
However, since that 1-0 loss, Brazilian Jorvan Vieira has taken over as coach and the Iraqis topped their group in the first round of the Asian Cup after defeating Australia and drawing with Thailand and Oman.
A 2-0 win over Vietnam followed in the quarter-finals before a penalty shootout victory over Korea Republic took them through to the nationÂ’s first-ever Asian Cup final.
As a result Akram, who has been linked with a move to newly promoted English Premier League side Sunderland, believes the previous performance will have little bearing on the outcome of SundayÂ’s game.
“Last time Iraq played against Saudi we lost and the Iraq team went out of the group,” he said. “But this time it is different, it’s not like before because we have different players and we have a coach from outside.
“He has changed everything because before now the Iraqi team has gone through the first round, the second round and the semi-final and we have gone through tough games against Australia, against Korea and Vietnam.
“These are all big games for us. We have to concentrate on the game and hopefully we can take the Cup.” -
Kawaguchi eager to beat Korea
Jul 28, 2007
PA Sport
PALEMBANG – Japan goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi is eager to win the AFC Asian Cup third place play-off against Korea Republic on Saturday to secure automatic qualification for the 2011 edition of the continental tournament.
The veteran Jubilo Iwata custodian vowed that his side will recover from their trip from Vietnam before they meet their East Asian rivals at the Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in Indonesia.
Saudi Arabia edged out Japan in a thrilling semi-final in Hanoi on Wednesday after Ivica OsimÂ’s side suffered a 3-2 defeat, while Korea crashed out on penalties after 120 against Iraq ended goalless.
“I wanted to play against Korea in the final,” said Kawaguchi. “However, we will be playing in the third place play-offs but we can't lose this game and we have to win it. Our games against Korea Republic are always hard and interesting as well.
“We have a lot of problems at the moment but we must win the game despite these problems. The rivalry between both sides will make our team stronger and hopefully we can win the game.”
Kawaguchi refused to rule out the danger of the Korean strikers who have failed to score in their last four matches, while also warning his team-mates of the Korean style of play.
“I know a couple of Korean players who play in Japan," said Kawaguchi, referring to Ngoya Grampus Eight midfielder Kim Jung-woo and Shimizu S-Pulse striker Cho Jae-jin.
“I saw Korea's matches in the Asian Cup but their strikers couldn't make it in the last third of the field and this was the slight difference for them. They were attacking well against Iraq and they were leading the game but they couldn't make it at the end,” he added.
“There is also their defence which was stable and it will be very difficult to score against them and we must be very careful with their crosses.” -
wow.. what spirit and resilience from the korean team..
playing 3 120mins of games in a row and playing with 10 men down for an hour.. i applaud their mentality and fitness...
still it would have being an even more exciting game if it wasn;t for some incompetent referee.. is tis the best AFC can offer? can we have some european referees instead in the next cup??
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Thanks 4getmenot for your compliment.Originally posted by 4getmenot:wow.. what spirit and resilience from the korean team..
playing 3 120mins of games in a row and playing with 10 men down for an hour.. i applaud their mentality and fitness...
still it would have being an even more exciting game if it wasn;t for some incompetent referee.. is tis the best AFC can offer? can we have some european referees instead in the next cup??
Well, talking about the refereeing, several times there were unfair judgement. And do you think that was red card offense? Moreover Coaches Pim Verbeek and Hong Myung Bo were also sent off, leaving assistant Ghotbi alone to make decision for much of second half and extra time. It was tough.
hmm...
Jaeyoon -
Korea down Japan in shootout
Jul 28, 2007
PA Sport
PALEMBANG – Korea Republic claimed third place in the AFC Asian Cup 2007 after defeating Japan 6-5 in a penalty shootout at the Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in penalty shootout on Saturday.
Despite being reduced to 10 men after the 56th minute dismissal of Kang Min-soo, the Koreans were able to hold their East Asian rival goalless before skipper Lee Woon-jae stopped Naotake Hanyu in the shootout to give his side an invaluable win.
It was the third consecutive 0-0 draw for the Koreans but their victory in the third place play-off meant that they earned an automatic berth in the 2011 Asian Cup finals.
Korea coach Pim Verbeek made three changes to the squad that lost against Iraq in the semi-finals as he brought in Kim Do-heon for the injured Choi Sung-kuk and replaced midfielders Kim Sang-sik and Son Dae-ho with Kim Jung-woo and Oh Jang-eun.
Japan coach Ivica Osim made only one change from the side that lost 3-2 to Saudi Arabia with midfielder Satoru Yamagishi replacing Seiichiro Maki, leaving Naohiro Takahara as the teamÂ’s lone striker.
Japan started the match brightly and created the first chance on seven minutes when Shunsuke Nakamura sent Yasuhito Endo clear with a neat chip only for the midfielder to drag his shot wide of the post.
Three minutes later, defender Kang Min-soo became the first player to go into the book of United Arab Emirates referee Ali Al Badwawi for a foul on Naohiro Takahara on the edge of the area.
However, the Japanese failed to take advantage from the resulting free-kick as Yasuhito Endo sent the ball directly at goalkeeper Lee.
The Koreans began to get into the game and had a chance of their own in the 16th minute when Yeom Ki-hun fired a fierce shot from the edge of the area that went narrowly wide of the Japanese upright.
Japan survived another scare on 25 minutes when Yeom fired another free kick towards goal only to see goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi punch the ball out for a corner.
Four minutes before the break, Kim Do-heon tested Kawaguchi with a fierce shot from outside the area but the Japanese skipper punched the ball away once again.
Two minutes later, Japan very nearly opened the scoring after a corner from Shunsuke Nakamura was met in the six-yard box by Yuji Nakazawa but the central defender was unable to beat Lee Woon-jae who made a point blank save while Naohiro Takahara failed to follow up as the loose ball was hacked off the goal line by Kim Do-heon.
The Koreans had the upper hand at the start of the second half and went close in the 54th minute when Kim Chi-woo sent a powerful drive over the crossbar while Lee Chun-sooÂ’s header off a Kim Do-heon corner bounced narrowly wide.
The match took a dramatic turn in the 56th minute when Kang Min-soo was given his marching orders after a body check on Takahara.
Verbeek and two of his assistants were also dismissed by the referee for taking their protests too far.
Japan nearly took advantage of the extra man in the 73rd minute when substitute Naotake Hanyu received a neat pass from Shunsuke Nakamura and fired in a powerful shot that was superbly blocked by Lee Woon-jae.
Despite their numerical superiority, the Japanese struggled to break down the resolute Korean defence but very nearly won the match in the fourth minute of stoppage time when substitute Hisato SatoÂ’s shot from the left of the Korean box went inches wide of the far post.
Japan dominated extra time and could have opened the scoring right at the end of the first period when NakamuraÂ’s cross cum shot from the left of the box went just in front of Sato.
With only four minutes remaining In the second period, Naotake Hanyu pounced on a loose ball inside the Korean area but saw powerful shot blocked on the goal-line by defender Kim Chi-Gon.
Two minutes later, Japan went close again when Yuichi KomanoÂ’s low cross from the left flank was flicked by Sato towards goal but once again Lee Woon-jae made a superb save to preserve his fourth consecutive clean sheet.
Both sides clinically netted their first five spot kicks but after Kim Chi-woo had put the Koreans in front 6-5, HanyuÂ’s centrally-struck attempt was kept out by the raised right hand of Lee, giving the Koreans their second shootout win of the tournament. -
Ninja, salute to the two teams for playing such exciting game.
Thanks. Have a good Sunday.
Waiting for the final now.
Iraq vs Saudi Arabia.
I do hope Iraq can win. They need a victory to unite the country.
Cheers. -
Shield to referee final
Jul 28, 2007
PA Sport
JAKARTA - Mark Shield has been named as the referee for the final of the AFC Asian Cup 2007 tomorrow between Iraq and Saudi Arabia in Jakarta.
The Australian has refereed at both the 2002 and 2006 World Cup finals and was also the man in the middle for the AFC Champions League final last year.
Shield has already refereed four previous matches in the tournament including the quarter-final between Iran and Korea Republic. -
Jaeyoon,Congratulations! Korea deserved that hard fought win and probably saved the day for Pim and the KFA.I felt it was also a win for Japan Soccer as more pressure would now be put on Osim to drop some of the unripe players and take in a few more experience ones.Korea had assembled a young team and to come in third is an achievement still there is also a lot of work to be done in the forward line..The idea is to score goals and not entertain to win.Originally posted by Jaeyoon:Ninja, salute to the two teams for playing such exciting game.
Thanks. Have a good Sunday.
Waiting for the final now.
Iraq vs Saudi Arabia.
I do hope Iraq can win. They need a victory to unite the country.
Cheers.
Last night's referee is sadly one of Asia's best and so you can imagine the standard.However he is known to be inconsistent in his decisions and when that happens players get irritated and go for each other's legs.The red card he gave was a bad call.I believe if he had given out a few more reds Korea would still be able to hold and beat Japan because they are mentally stronger.Till we meet again good luck to Korean Soccer. -
i cannot believe this
iraq are the new asian champions.
well done, iraq.
congratulations!!!!!
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I learned from Iraqis, says Vieira
Jul 30, 2007
PA Sport
JAKARTA – Victorious Iraq coach Jorvan Vieira hailed his players and their ability to overcome the worst of situations following their 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the final of the AFC Asian Cup.
Younes Mahmoud scored the only goal of the game as Iraq were crowned continental champions for the first time, with the win coming just days after more than 50 football fans were killed by several car bombs in Mosul.
The supporters were celebrating IraqÂ’s penalty shootout win over Korea Republic when the explosions went off, and as a mark of respect Vieira and his team wore black armbands on Sunday to commemorate the dead.
“The Iraq players are fantastic people and you have to understand the difficulties,” said their Brazilian coach. “They have had this situation for the past years and they have fantastic power inside themselves.
“They are hard workers with extra power to do whatever we want. We were working and shouting and fighting and complaining and shouting again but they support everything and now we have come to the final and we are champions.
“I learned a lot from these people, it was a good learning process for me and something I will keep forever in my life.”
Vieira, whose two-month contract with the Iraq Football Association has now expired, was confident his team would overcome the three-time champions at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in the build-up to the match.
“I don’t know why but I was very calm today,” he said. “On the morning of the game I felt very well, sometimes this happens to me.
“I can feel when I’m going to lose a match but today I felt well and was secure that we could do something because of my relationship with the players. They have so much confidence, they were so sure and they wanted to win because it is very important for their country.
“We won today 1-0 but it was not enough for me. With all respect to Saudi Arabia, we could have won 2 or 3-0 today.
“I came here to win from the beginning. I want to win every time because I am a bad loser. Every time I wish to be here. When I watched Japan winning the Asian Cup in Lebanon in 2000, I thought: ‘I will be there one day’ and now I’m here.”
Vieira dedicated the win to team physiotherapist Anwar Jassim, who was killed in a bomb blast in the days before the Iraq team disembarked on the Asian Cup campaign.
“Anwar was going to pick up his ticket and he was on his way to be with us and he died in a bomb,” he said. “He left a wife and four kids. I didn’t know him but everybody liked him and this Cup, we offer to Anwar, our physio.” -
Iraq secure historic triumph
Jul 29, 2007
PA Sport
JAKARTA – Younis Mahmoud headed home his fourth goal of the tournament as Iraq secured a memorable 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Sunday to win the AFC Asian Cup.
The Iraqi skipper capitalised on a poor piece of goalkeeping by Yaser Al Mosailem to turn in Hawar MohammedÂ’s corner 19 minutes from time, giving the Middle Eastern side their first ever AFC Asian Cup crown.
The Saudis had scored 12 goals on their run to the final but rarely threatened the well-marshalled Iraqi defence which maintained its fourth consecutive clean sheet of the tournament.
Jorvan Vieira and Helio dos Anjos kept faith with the players that had got them to the final with both Brazilian coaches making no changes from their starting line-ups from the semi-finals.
The first half was a robust affair with Australian referee Mark Shield showing a total of five yellow cards.
Qusay Munir fired the first shot in anger for Iraq, volleying wide from the edge of the box after six minutes, while MahmoudÂ’s acrobatic overhead kick from eight metres out flew wide two minutes later.
Munir was the first player into the refereeÂ’s notebook for a sliding two-footed challenge on Abdulrahman Al Qahtani after nine minutes while Saudi midfielder Saud Khariri was also booked six minutes later for a body check on Mahdi Karim.
Karrar Jassim was also shown a yellow card midway through the half after tugging back Khariri but the Iraqi midfielder showed his class in the 28th minute when he weaved his way between Ahmed Al Bahari and Khaled Aziz on the left byline before firing in a stinging shot that was turned aside by goalkeeper Yaser Al Mosailem at his near post
The match threatened to boil over on 37 minutes when Mahmoud went down in the Saudi box clutching his face after an altercation with Waleed Jahdali. Referee Shield managed to take the sting out of the situation and booked both players.
The Saudis had few chances in the opening half but proved dangerous on the counterattack with their best opportunity coming a minutes before the break when Yasser Al Qahtani surged into the Saudi box and stepped past Jassim Ghloam before a sliding challenge by Bassim Abbas deflected the Saudi skipperÂ’s shot over the crossbar.
The second half began quietly but sparked back into life on 57 minutes when Nashat Akram played an excellent pass into Mahmoud, only for the Iraqi captain to be denied by Waleed JahdaliÂ’s sliding challenge.
Taiseer Al Jassam went close for the Saudis on the hour with a shot on the turn that forced an excellent flying save from Noor Sabri but it was the Iraqis who were looking the more dangerous team.
A quick counter-attack in the 62nd minute saw Mahdi Karim release Mahmoud on the right side of the box but Al Mosailem stopped the initial shot and also turned aside AkramÂ’s follow attempt.
Karrar Jassim just failed to make contact with a Mahdi Karim flick-on following a Hawar Mohammed corner while a bullet header by Mahmoud flew within inches of the target on 66 minutes.
However IraqÂ’s pressure would finally be rewarded in the 71st minute when Hawar MohammedÂ’s corner from the right was badly misjudged by Al Mosailem, who allowed the ball to sail over his outstretched glove and right onto the head of a lurking Mahmoud, who headed home at the far post.
Mahmoud could have sealed it on 77 minutes when he was sent clear by man of the match AkramÂ’s great through ball but Al Mosailed was off his line quickly to deny the Iraq captain with his feet.
But with the Saudis unable to muster a shot on goal in the closing minutes, the Iraqis were able to hold on to complete a historic triumph. -
Congatulations Iraq the undisputed champions of this competition.
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Iraq has shown that man can thrive in spite of tremendous difficulties.
Kudos to them... I hope the country stays intact for the next Asian Cup.
Jaeyoon, short ninja, thanks for sharing your views and opinions on the Asian cup...
Take care! -
Your welcome and thanks for supporting this thread.Don't worry If Singapore dont make it in 2010 there is still 2011 in Qatar and who knows maybe Iraq wouldn't even be there cuz they could officially be the 53rd State of USA>Originally posted by ordinaryguy32:Iraq has shown that man can thrive in spite of tremendous difficulties.
Kudos to them... I hope the country stays intact for the next Asian Cup.
Jaeyoon, short ninja, thanks for sharing your views and opinions on the Asian cup...
Take care!
You take care too. -
Thanks everybody!
Ninja and ordinaryguy32, welcome to visit Korea!