JAPAN STUNS WORLD CHAMPIONS SPAIN 1-0
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 27 Jul 2012
Japan stunned world and European champions Spain 1-0 in one of the biggest upsets in Olympic Games football history.
The aggressive and talented Japanese grabbed the lead through a first-half strike by Yuki Otsu and could have scored more goals if not for some poor finishing and brilliant goalkeeping by Machester United's Spanish keeper David de Gea.
It was clear that Spain's Under 23 side with three overaged players allowed by the rules were lucky to escape without a more severe beating at Hampden Park.
Otsu scored off a corner when he tapped the ball in from six yards out in the 34th minute of the match and Spain never recovered especially after Inifgo Martinez was shown a red card and banished for a bad foul just before halftime.
Spain's manager Luis Milla said ?We had to push forward and take risks and this is not our philosophy.?
Japan had never beaten Spain in any age group and the win will be remembered alongside their 1-0 victory over Brazil at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
The match will be telecast at 9:00 p.m. Saturday over Cignal pay-per-view and Hyper HD.
The three points put Japan on top of Group D with Morocco and Honduras sharing the spoils in a 2-2 draw from the first match.
Kyodo news agency reported that Japan delighted the near capacity crowd of 37,726 from the first half with an unexpectedly strong performance against one of the tournament favorites.
Spain fielded a stellar cast including three from this summer's Euro-winning team, Juan Mata, Jordi Alba and Javi Martinez but while they saw far more time on the ball, they could never penetrate Japan's rock-solid defense that limited Spain to just one shot on target before halftime.
Mata's solo effort in the 25th minute was parried away safely by keeper Shuichi Gonda.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Canelo Wins the 'Xicoténcatl' Belt and is Undisputed Super Middleweight Champion Once Again
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Sun, 04 May 2025Florentino Inumerable rules 2025 Illinois Senior State Chess Championships
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 04 May 2025Canelo Grinds Out Uninspiring Win Over Elusive William Scull in Saudi Arabia; Canelo-Crawford Up Next
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 04 May 2025Badou Jack Edges Norair Mikaelian in Grueling Cruiserweight Battle on Canelo-Scull Undercard
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 04 May 2025Jaime Munguía Avenges Loss, Dominates Bruno Suráce in Riyadh Rematch
By Dong Secuya, Sun, 04 May 2025Weigh-In Results: Naoya Inoue vs. Ramon Cardenas/Rafael Espinoza vs. Edward Vazquez World Championship Doubleheader
Sun, 04 May 2025Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia, Throws Garcia-Haney Rematch into Chaos
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 03 May 2025Haney's Cautious Approach Leads to Wide Decision Win Over Ramirez in Times Square
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 03 May 2025Teo Lopez Retains Titles with Unanimous Decision Over Barboza Jr. in Times Square
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 03 May 2025Canelo and Scull Hit the Scales: Undisputed Super Middleweight Showdown Set for Tomorrow in Riyadh
Sat, 03 May 2025Press Conference Notes: Naoya Inoue-Ramon Cardenas & Rafael Espinoza-Edward Vazquez Top Monster World Championship Doubleheader Sunday in Las Vegas
Sat, 03 May 2025Triple A Promotions Presents Live Boxing at R&J Music Pavilion in San Antonio on May 10
Sat, 03 May 2025Quiksilver, Roxy, Billabong sponsor Sarangani Bay Kayakfes 2025
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 03 May 2025IIEE kickoffs Electrical Safety Month in QC and sets chess tournament in Baguio
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 03 May 2025High Profile Names Headline but Not Much Meat on the Bone in the Matchup
By Chris Carlson, Fri, 02 May 2025