In October 2008, I flew from Buenos Aires to Tokyo and, in a state of jet-lagged numbness, watched five matches in 10 days. I saw a lot of attractive, organized soccer, much that was technically correct. However, after a while weary appreciation slumped into exhausted grouchiness as I waited for somebody, somewhere, to do something different, to smash the neat conformist patterns and disperse the fog into which my brain had sunk.
Saudi Arabia's quest for a fourth Asian Cup title, and first since 1996, is over after they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Jordan in Doha on Thursday.
Japanese football star Keisuke Honda is honest about his national team's chances of becoming world-beaters.
Keisuke Honda is the rising star of Japanese football.
Paraguay booked a place in the last eight of the World Cup for the very first time in their history at the expense of Japan but only after a dramatic penalty shoot out in Pretoria.
Japan have comfortably beaten Denmark 3-1 at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg to book their place in the last 16 of the World Cup.
The Netherlands made a winning start to their World Cup campaign as a moment of defensive madness cost Denmark dearly in Johannesburg, while Japan defeated a disappointing Cameroon 1-0 in Monday's other Group E match.
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
|