21 Sep 2006(Thu)

Tokyo, September 20, 2006: There were some pretty good goals around the J.League at the weekend.

Tulio scored a beauty for Reds, cutting in from the left wing (what on earth was he doing out there anyway?) and curling a right-foot shot inside the far post. It was a trademark Ahn Jung Hwan strike -- and more ammunition in my campaign to have Tulio installed as the new captain of Japan!

I saw that goal on TV in the evening, as I had been at Kokuritsu in the afternoon to watch Shimizu S-Pulse extend their eye-catching unbeaten run. I had already written my article in my head before the kick-off against Kashima -- and it was a glowing one, praising Kenta for building a new, exciting, hungry team.

And then, of course, S-Pulse lost.

Which brings me round to another fine goal.

It was scored by Takuya Nozawa, a player long held in high esteem by the Antlers staff but now 25 and still trying to impose himself on the J.League.

Only a player with good touch, good vision and high technique can score a goal like Nozawa did against S-Pulse on Saturday. Spotting Nishibe off his line, Nozawa floated a right-foot shot from 30 metres over the keeper and under the crossbar. Nishibe got a hand to it but could not divert the ball from its course, and Nozawa had every right to celebrate a wonderful goal.

It was so good it could have been scored by...well, Ogasawara.

With the former Antlers captain now at Messina for a year, this is the perfect time for Nozawa to step it up and fill the creative gap left by Ogasawara.

"His technique is at the highest level," Antlers manager Paulo Autuori said of Nozawa after Saturday's game.

"But he has to be more competitive and more effective going towards the goal.

"Ogasawara was thinking more on the pitch, whereas Nozawa has more mobility with or without the ball. We will see."

I asked the Brazilian manager if he thought Ogasawara would return to the national squad.

"I hope so," he said. "I think he can come back if he does what Mr Osim wants his players to do. He knows what Mr Osim is looking for, and can show it with his performances at Messina."

So all is not lost for Ogasawara, according to Paulo Autuori, nor for Kashima, who are in fifth place and trail Gamba by 10 points with 11 matches to go.

"We must win every game, and not make any mistakes," he said.

A few more goals of Nozawa's quality on Saturday would help, too.

ends