Japan shock Pakistan 3-1

Chennai
September 1, 2007

Japan 3 Pakistan 1

Over the years, Japan had always threatened. But today in Chennai, they delivered by slaying Pakistan 3-1 to record their first ever win over the former World and Olympic Champions. In doing so they followed in the footsteps of China who had beaten India for the first time ever in the 2006 Doha Asian Games. Pakistan’s defeat now signals the tilt in power towards nations like China and Japan in the Asian continent.
At the 2007 Monchengladbach World Cup, Japan had finished ninth, a very creditable finish and above even India who had finished eleventh.
One could blame the debacle on Pakistan’s misses from penalty corners and wayward strikes in the circle but the fact remains that Japan had a better plan and used the counter-attack to continuously rattle the Pakistan defence. Imran Warsi, Imran Khan and Muhammad Imran were beaten quite regularly by the speedy Japanese forwards led by Ono Tomonori with two goals.
The only time Pakistan looked dangerous was when Shakeel Abassi dribbled his way in but lack of support even from his captain Rehan Butt blunted the sharpness that normally is Pakistan’s strong point.
In the 29th minute, Ono Tomonori caught a pass in the Pakistan striking circle, sidestepped Warsi to send a flyer past Salman Akbar.
After the break, Japan kept pedaling furiously upfront catching the tiring Pakistan defence napping. In the 42nd minute, a Japanese attack snatched a penalty corner which Yamabori Takahiko flicked in powerfully. At 2-0, Japan seemed to be cruising.
There was a burst of energy as Pakistan went into panic mode. Shakeel, Mudassar and Rehan Butt tried to break down the Japanese defence with deft moves and from one of those in the 47th minute, Shakeel, deflected in to cut the scores to 1-2.
Pakistan could have tied the scores but a Warsi penalty corner flick came off the upright.
It could have been the turning point, as coach Islahuddin, pointed out after the match but the Japanese rode on their luck and showing courage to venture out of their own half got a third goal.
In the 50th minute, Ono caught a wrong pass from a Pakistan defender and sped in towards Salman Akbar who came out to cut the angle but the ball slipped between his pads and virtually rolled in.
Japanese coach Yasuda Zenjiro, apologizing for his lack of conversing in English, was asked, how does it feel to beat Pakistan for the first time? Yasuda’s reply, “Very good” summed up the Japanese mood.

Score Sheet:

Ono Tomonori (29th, FG) 1-0
Yamabori Takahiko (42nd, PC) 2-0
Shakeel Abbasi (47th, FG) 1-2
Ono Tomonori (50th, FG) 3-1
 

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