Match № 5

The match № 5, group B, second tournament day

JAPAN – CZECH REPUBLIC 3:1 (1:0)

January 4th, 2014, St. Petersburg, Peterburgsky SCC, 200 spectators

Referees: Yevgeny Kupa, Ilya Dorogostaisky, Pavel Yakovlev

Japan: Yoshimaru, Yamaguchi, Ishida, Suzuki (Miyamoto, 58), Motegi, Sugimoto (Watanabe, 66), Nakano, Misao, Kitagawa (Matsubara, 73), Shindo, Okugawa

Head coach: Atsushi Uchiyama

Czech Republic: Vorel (Shural, 46), Honish, Takacz, Shisha (Suhan, 46), Toml, Heleshic, Kulhanek, Danis, Schick (Schotkowski, 46), Kodr (Rys, 70), Zorvan

Head coach: Miroslav Soukup

Goals: Nakano (19), Toml (56), Watanabe (67, 71)

Failed penalty kick: Okugawa (2)

Yellow cards: Heleshic (37), Takacz (41), Suhan (49)

Best players: Ryosuke Shindo, Vorel Vojtech

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After match comments

Head coach of the team Japan Atsushi Uchiyama:

– It is a good tournament. We like everything.

– At the very beginning your team got a chance for penalty kick, but the player failed it...

– It happens even with adult players. Too much emotions – the result is failed penalty kick. But the executor is always the same.

– Your team showed a good play. But you said that became the head coach of it just several days ago. Is the result – the merit of the previous coach?

– The secret is in our model of play. We use Japanese, or I can say Asian style of football. We use it. It is based mainly on discipline.

– Is there any inconvenience for you because of the difference of time zones?

– It doesn't matter. We are here for two days already, it is enough for adaptation.

Head coach of the team Czech Republic Miroslav Soukup:

– I congratulate the opponent with the deserved and logical victory. The score corresponds to the game. Some players of the Japanese team are familiar to me, for last year they came to Czech Republic for Vaclav Ezek Memorial. That time we won. Today they were better. I think that Japanese team is one of the best teams at this great tournament.

– Your players looked quite worn out today. What was the reason?

– First, there is 3 hours difference between the countries. When the starting whistle came it was still 9 a. m. in Prague. It's always difficult to play at such an hour. Second, our coaches and players met a day before leaving for St. Petersburg. The players were at vacations and they came to the tournament relaxed a bit.

– Your team couldn't catch for the opponent –

– The same reason. They didn't awake, improper fit, lack of concentration. I let the players on the field when they say they can play. Before the game I ask them: "Ready?" If they say: "Yes", they go in the first team.

– It seemed to us that Zorvan was badly injured. But you didn't substitute him –

– We thought so, too. But then Filip said himself he was ready to play further. I didn't mind. You see, we have a catastrophe with injuries these days. During two trainings we lost two players. Our doctors will tell me today in the evening what we are to expect.

– How would you estimate the general condition of your team?

It is difficult to say right now. But I'm sure all of them are professionals. We had a good goalkeepers. The main goalkeeper, Vorel, is from Sparta from Prague, second is from English West Ham United. It is natural that Vorel became the best player of our team today. We have some problems in other lanes, but it can be solved. The most important thing is to restore forces and begin the preparation for the next match. We should look through all the players.