JFA should fine Alex for diving
TOKYO (June 6): Well, hats off to Zico this time.
With the pressure on, the Brazilian coach made all the right calls for the Bahrain match, didn't he?
I really liked his 3-4-2-1 formation, as it played to his squad strengths: midfield.
It enabled him to field six midfield players, even without the injured Ono, and finally he found the right balance.
The back three looks here to stay, and the four across the middle gave Japan solidity and plenty of width.
With seven players ready to defend, the other three could concentrate on attack.
Nakamura and Ogasawara had the freedom to roam, in support of the solitary striker, Yanagisawa, and these three players, plus Nakata, combined for the only goal of the game.
Despite defending Suzuki after the UAE game, Zico dropped him and brought in his former Antlers teammate to lead the line.
Everything worked well on the night, and Japan dominated the game, controlled the ball and restricted Bahrain to just a a couple of half-cahnces.
What a difference a goal makes!
Suddenly Japan is relaxed and optimistic, as qualification is just around the corner.
It should, in fact, be achieved on Wednesday night in Bangkok against North Korea.
Even though Japan will be without Nakamura, Hidetoshi Nakata and Alex due to suspension, they should still be capable of winning or drawing against a team with a 0-4 record in the final qualifying round.
What on earth was Alex doing?
It was a ridiculous attempt to win a penalty, a needless dive, and another yellow card.
I hope the JFA fines Alex because incidents like this reflect badly on Japanese football in general.
Two years ago in the Confederations Cup against New Zealand, the result could have been so different if Alex had been sent off in the first half.
He was booked for a clumsy foul early on, and should have been shown the yellow card again for diving in the New Zealand box. He escaped punishment, and Japan went on to win 3-0, so it was forgotten.
The JFA should tell him to stop cheating and just play football.
ends
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