Japan’s Coach Redeems Himself at the World Cup in Qatar 29 Years Later
As a midfielder for the Japanese national soccer team, Hajime Moriyasu was there 29 years ago when the “Agony of Doha” occurred. He has apologized and is now the coach.
After defeating 2010 winner Spain 2-1 on Thursday at the Khalifa International Stadium, Japan took first place in its World Cup group. The squad defeated 2014 champion Germany by the same margin last week at the same location.
Moriyasu was reflecting on the 1993 match in Qatar against Iraq, which denied the squad a berth in the championship the following year, as a time against Spain was coming to a close.
After Japan defeated Spain, Moriyasu commented, “I remembered the disaster in Doha about a minute before the conclusion.”
In the team’s last qualifying match, Japan was up 2-1 and surrendered in stoppage time knowing that one goal for the opponent would seal their fate. Their prospects of competing in the largest soccer competition in the world were destroyed, along with Moriyasu’s.
It was different this time. It was successfully defended this time.
By winning Group E this time, 54-year-old Moriyasu had his Hollywood ending.
Moriyasu praised his team’s strong defence and added, “I could sense that the times had changed. “I felt like they were playing a fresh kind of soccer.”
Maya Yoshida, Japan’s 34-year-old captain, exemplified their team’s resilience on the pitch. When a loose ball landed in front of a gaping empty net in the 90th minute after goalie Shuichi Gonda saved an effort by Jordi Alba, the seasoned centre defence was the first to respond.
To get the ball before Marco Asensio and eliminate the threat, Yoshida twisted his body. Dani Olmo, a forward for Spain, briefly gained control before Gonda dived in to block his attempt.
Japan scored two goals on offence in the 48th and 51st minutes.
The goals against Germany came in the 75th and 83rd minutes.
Luis Enrique, the Spain coach, remarked, “In 10 minutes, we were decimated.”
Croatia, a group that advanced to the final in Russia four years ago, will play next. If Japan wins again on Monday, it would go to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time. We are giving this victory to the people of Japan, the coach declared.
