Post by polarismtr on Aug 11, 2011 20:09:33 GMT 8
The 75th national A-match between Japan and South Korea
10 Aug, 2011
Sapporo, Japan
Result : JAPAN 3 (HT 1-0) 0 SOUTH KOREA
Goals : Shinji Kagawa 2, Keisuke Honda 1
- For your information
These two East Asian giants are usually pictured to be the hottest rivals each other in Asian international football scene. However, when you look closely into the history of the JK derby, actually it seems that "rivalry" isn't a proper term to describe them. Rather than that, Japan has usually been a piece of sushi to S.Koreans when it comes to football. Before the match yesterday, in a total of seventy four FIFA-sanctioned senior NT matches between the two, S.Korea took 40 wins, drew 22 times, and Japan only managed to collect 12 wins. (with penalty shoot-out being counted as a draw) When U-23 and U-20 matches added, it comes to 124 matches, 70 wins - 33 draws - 21 losses in favor of S.Korea. Way too one-sided for the term "rivalry"
This is, however, understandable because Japanese football was just around somewhere between the middle to mid-high level in Asia until 1990 while S.Korea on the other hand has always been one of the best in the continent since 1960's. Japan started to massively improve their football from late 1980's to early 1990's, and around 2000 they fast became one of the best NT in Asia. They also improved against their neighboring rival as they made results of 5 wins, 11 draws and 12 losses in 28 total matches vs S.Korea since 1990. Obviously better than before, but still it's safe to say that S.Korean dominance has been alive. S.Korea were maintaining unbeaten in most recent 6 games vs Japan.
But yesterday night in Sapporo, Japan took a huge, historical, sensational win. 3 - 0 . It was Japan's first 3-goal margin victory over S.Korea in 37 years.
Yes it was Japan's home, and S.Korea missed more key players than Japan did, but nonetheless 3 - 0 is something. Even though Japan's current NT is considered as their best ever team and S.Korea is currently undergoing a remarkable generational shift, no one expected the 3-0 scoreline in JK derby. In fact, it was not only the scoreline. Japan's performance deserved even more throughout the game. Virtually it looked like the UEFA Champions League final this year. Not only Honda and Kagawa, the goal scorers, all the Samurai Blues such as Uchida, Hasebe, Endo, and the Korean-Japanese FW Lee Tadanari shone as if they're Asian Barcelona FC while Park Chuyoung, Ki Sungyeung, Koo Jacheol and all the S.Koreans were being just another "Red Devils in shock and awe". S.Korea had their chances too including a couple of 1on1 situation but eventually failed to disturb Japan's clean sheet.
In the aftermath, a Tsunami of joy swept Japan. Japanese TVs keep replaying the game over and over again. Newspapers, internets, celebs on twitter and all don't look tired of praising the Samurai Blue's fantastic performance. Meanwhile, all the words you can see from S.Korean media are "miserable", "ridiculously humiliated","the most shocking night in modern korean football history","Sapporo disaster" and such. In fact, before the match, S.Korean media mostly predicted a hard fight admitting that Japan's current NT is a bit better than theirs. But again, no one even imagined a horrible defeat like this. It's probably the first ever experience to most of S.Koreans to witness their NT being "a piece of kimchi" to Japan as no one remembers 37 years ago.
- More about East Asian football
When you say S.Korean dominance in the history of East Asian football, you have to not miss the so-called "Konghanzheng (Koreaphobia)" of China.
It's almost ridiculous. China had never won a game against S.Korea until last year. I mean never. Ever since they first met in 1978, for more than 30 years, in 35 total matches, China has never won. All they had collected are 12 draws and 23 losses. Of course S.Korea has always been better in football than China. But even if so, considering that Chinese football as well has been fairly competitive in Asia to some extent, this is just unbelievable history. Chinese people and media called it Koreaphobia.
But China finally broke the phobia in last year's East Asian Championship. And surprisingly, it was also 3 - 0 win. East Asian Championship is an equivalent to Suzuki Cup in the SEA region, but unlike SEA countries regarding Suzuki Cup as a very important tournament, East Asians don't really care about this tourney and they usually send B-team or under aged players. So, in fact, it was S.Korean B-team that China managed to take their first ever win against.
No matter what, still win is a win and moreover was a huge win enough to compensate for the 32-year-long wait of Chinese football fans. This game, along with Japan's 3-0 win yesterday, might be a sign of the end of S.Korean dominance in the East Asian football for nearly a half century.
10 Aug, 2011
Sapporo, Japan
Result : JAPAN 3 (HT 1-0) 0 SOUTH KOREA
Goals : Shinji Kagawa 2, Keisuke Honda 1
- For your information
These two East Asian giants are usually pictured to be the hottest rivals each other in Asian international football scene. However, when you look closely into the history of the JK derby, actually it seems that "rivalry" isn't a proper term to describe them. Rather than that, Japan has usually been a piece of sushi to S.Koreans when it comes to football. Before the match yesterday, in a total of seventy four FIFA-sanctioned senior NT matches between the two, S.Korea took 40 wins, drew 22 times, and Japan only managed to collect 12 wins. (with penalty shoot-out being counted as a draw) When U-23 and U-20 matches added, it comes to 124 matches, 70 wins - 33 draws - 21 losses in favor of S.Korea. Way too one-sided for the term "rivalry"
This is, however, understandable because Japanese football was just around somewhere between the middle to mid-high level in Asia until 1990 while S.Korea on the other hand has always been one of the best in the continent since 1960's. Japan started to massively improve their football from late 1980's to early 1990's, and around 2000 they fast became one of the best NT in Asia. They also improved against their neighboring rival as they made results of 5 wins, 11 draws and 12 losses in 28 total matches vs S.Korea since 1990. Obviously better than before, but still it's safe to say that S.Korean dominance has been alive. S.Korea were maintaining unbeaten in most recent 6 games vs Japan.
But yesterday night in Sapporo, Japan took a huge, historical, sensational win. 3 - 0 . It was Japan's first 3-goal margin victory over S.Korea in 37 years.
Yes it was Japan's home, and S.Korea missed more key players than Japan did, but nonetheless 3 - 0 is something. Even though Japan's current NT is considered as their best ever team and S.Korea is currently undergoing a remarkable generational shift, no one expected the 3-0 scoreline in JK derby. In fact, it was not only the scoreline. Japan's performance deserved even more throughout the game. Virtually it looked like the UEFA Champions League final this year. Not only Honda and Kagawa, the goal scorers, all the Samurai Blues such as Uchida, Hasebe, Endo, and the Korean-Japanese FW Lee Tadanari shone as if they're Asian Barcelona FC while Park Chuyoung, Ki Sungyeung, Koo Jacheol and all the S.Koreans were being just another "Red Devils in shock and awe". S.Korea had their chances too including a couple of 1on1 situation but eventually failed to disturb Japan's clean sheet.
In the aftermath, a Tsunami of joy swept Japan. Japanese TVs keep replaying the game over and over again. Newspapers, internets, celebs on twitter and all don't look tired of praising the Samurai Blue's fantastic performance. Meanwhile, all the words you can see from S.Korean media are "miserable", "ridiculously humiliated","the most shocking night in modern korean football history","Sapporo disaster" and such. In fact, before the match, S.Korean media mostly predicted a hard fight admitting that Japan's current NT is a bit better than theirs. But again, no one even imagined a horrible defeat like this. It's probably the first ever experience to most of S.Koreans to witness their NT being "a piece of kimchi" to Japan as no one remembers 37 years ago.
- More about East Asian football
When you say S.Korean dominance in the history of East Asian football, you have to not miss the so-called "Konghanzheng (Koreaphobia)" of China.
It's almost ridiculous. China had never won a game against S.Korea until last year. I mean never. Ever since they first met in 1978, for more than 30 years, in 35 total matches, China has never won. All they had collected are 12 draws and 23 losses. Of course S.Korea has always been better in football than China. But even if so, considering that Chinese football as well has been fairly competitive in Asia to some extent, this is just unbelievable history. Chinese people and media called it Koreaphobia.
But China finally broke the phobia in last year's East Asian Championship. And surprisingly, it was also 3 - 0 win. East Asian Championship is an equivalent to Suzuki Cup in the SEA region, but unlike SEA countries regarding Suzuki Cup as a very important tournament, East Asians don't really care about this tourney and they usually send B-team or under aged players. So, in fact, it was S.Korean B-team that China managed to take their first ever win against.
No matter what, still win is a win and moreover was a huge win enough to compensate for the 32-year-long wait of Chinese football fans. This game, along with Japan's 3-0 win yesterday, might be a sign of the end of S.Korean dominance in the East Asian football for nearly a half century.