Kaito Called Up / No Updates Until Saturday / U19s Go Goal Crazy

Barry writes

Keeper Kaito has been called up for the national team which is cracking news. Well done, fella. You deserve it.

In other news, there's going to be no match report or update of any substance for Thursday's game until the weekend as I'm off down to Fukuoka tomorrow and leaving my laptop in Shiz. We've sold out nearly four planes on the Shizuoka --> Fukuoka route and I can't bloody wait! Look for me on the box. :)

Finally, in case you're not aware there's an Asian U19 something or other tournament going on right now. Japan played Guam yesterday and this happened:

:-D

Not sure if any S-Pulse youth are in there, but whoever Minami plays for must be pretty pleased with that performance. Comes on at half time and scores SEVEN. :)

Ghotbi Watch - Iran Through to 1/4 Finals

Barry writes:

New boss Afshin Ghotbi maintained his Iran team's 100% record at the 2011 Asian Cup with a 1-0 defeat of North Korea. This makes Ghotbi's team the first to progress to the knock out stages. They have secured the group top spot with one game still remaining.

Go Ghotbi!

The goal that put them through:



Japan are also looking good for progression, where a draw against the already eliminated Saudi Arabia will be enough to see them through.

Okazaki sinks Argentina

Barry writes:

Japan 1-0 Argentina
Okazaki 19

As an Englishman, I love watching Argentina lose. So thank you Japan, and thank you especially to our Okachan, whose timing and deadly finishing meant Japan sent Messi and co back home with their tail firmly between their legs. :)

Japan 5-0 Togo - Okazaki Grabs Three (Again)

Barry writes:

In the final match of 2009's Kirin Challenge Cup series, Japan walked all over Togo in one of the most one-sided international games I've seen for a long time. The final score of five to nothing could easily have been seven or eight. From an S-Pulse fan's point of view, the news of the night came as Okazaki scored a second hattrick in two games. After being rested for the 2-0 defeat of Scotland on Saturday, Okachan roared back into the national team and took his international tally up to fourteen.

All three goals had his own unique Okachan mark stamped all over them, with the second especially a finish of pure class:



Full Highlights



With Shinji in such pulsating form, I'm hoping he can get another couple next Sunday away at Oita to keep our title push on track.

Japan 6-0 Hong Kong - Okazaki Grabs Three

Barry writes:

In a qualifier for 2011's Asian Cup, S-Pulse legend Shinji Okazaki scored a hat-trick as the national team brushed aside Hong Kong 6-0. Tonight's haul brings Shinji's international goals up to eleven in seventeen games, and nicely marks the anniversary of his first international cap one year ago against the UAE.

Legend

The game was held at Nihondaira, Okachan's home turf, and a sold out crowd roared the Samurai Blues on to an easy victory. For full details of Japan's 2011 Asian Cup qualifying campaign, and the other goal scorers from tonight, click here.

Japan have two more games coming up, with Saturday's Kirin Cup game against Scotland sure to pose a harder test than Hong Kong. Best of luck, Shinji, and remember to keep those scoring boots on for the final six games of the season!

Full highlights:

Kirin Cup 2009: Japan 4-0 Chili

Barry writes:

Great result for the Samurai Blues in the opener of this year's Kirin Cup, and an excellent evening in particular for Shimizu's own Okachan.

Okazaki opened the scoring on 18 minutes when the Chili keeper could only parry Honda's long range shot, and on 23 minutes he doubled the lead with a classic Okachan finish.

Top work, fella! You do this city proud!



All the goals from Japan v Chili:

S-Pa's Young Lions off to Beijing

With the Beijing Games now only a matter of weeks away, the Japanese Olympic football team has been announced. S-Pa's wealth of young talent has been recognised, with an unmatched three players included in the eighteen man squad.

Goalkeeper Kaito Yamamoto rarely sees first team action all the time Nishibe is around and fit, but on the one or two occasions I've seen him, he's a solid keeper and a great prospect for the future. Honda has stepped up from university to professional football this season with ease and has proved one of our better close-season acquisitions. Okazaki has seen a fair amount of action with Kenta's forward line differing from game to game. He's young, hungry and the Olympics is going to be a great experience for him.

Kaito, Okazaki and Honda - Shizuoka's proud of you, now go get gold!