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2010 World Cup: Denmark 1-3 Japan – Report

Angela Asante, June 24 2010,
Japan will meet Paraguay in the Round of 16 – that’s the way things will be. The Samurai Blue crashed Denmark 3-1 thanks to a spectacular performance on the night. Japan have therefore advanced to the next stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Japan's Endo celebrates his free-kick.
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Denmark vs Japan, First Half: Powerful Samurai Blue Free-kicks Explode The Danish Dynamite

Nicklas Bendtner was once accused of putting fancy colored boots despite not ranking among the world’s best players like Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. Tonight he put more fuel to his critics by coloring his white socks with a red pen inside the 2nd minute of the match only to attract people’s attention.

To be fair, the game was more entertaining than one could have imagined considering the pedigree of the two teams that were playing on the pitch. The level of performances displayed described the intensity of each contender to avoid the demoralizing fate of exiting from the group stages of the 2010 World Cup.

 

The Danes took control of the game as early as the referee’s blow announced the start of the game. Thomasson made a good effort on goal which could have given Denmark a deserved lead. They rarely allowed the Japanese to attack but were exposed to a shock when Honda took the least opportunity to put Japan in front. Honda’s exquisite free-kick from around 30-yards near the touchline on the right had given the Samurai Blue a vital 1-0 lead after 17 minutes of play.

Now who wondered about Japan’s strength despite their inferiority in height compared to the Danes? At least, they made free-kicks their specialty. Endo took over from Honda to effect a 25-yard free kick in front of the penalty box. Denmark’s Thomas Sorensen had vowed not to be deceived by yet another Japanese free-kick but his concentration counted for nothing. In the blink of an eye, Takeshi Okada’s soldiers were up by two goals to nil. Pure power and precision from Endo. The Japanese were pretty much on course to becoming the second and only nation from the AFC to progress into the next round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Denmark’s players really started to feel the pressure as the scoreboard inscribed a 2-0 result that wasn’t favoring them. The Samurai Blue grew in confidence and used the right flank to create chances on goal. Their speed was visibly tormenting the Danes who looked distressed by the amount of work that was required for them to come back from half time with a winning plan.

Denmark vs Japan, Second Half: No Way Back In For The DanesDenmark's Nicklas Bendtner down on the ground.

It was interesting to see how Denmark would find a way back into the game. For the Danes, the problem to solve was huge. At least three goals were imperative whereas the defense needed to be alert. But we do know that the more you attack, the more you become vulnerable at the back. The Japanese were always around the corner, waiting to punish the Danes for the least mistake.

Nicklas Bendtner tried hard upfront to make his mark but it was never easy to best Japan’s equipped Samurai Blue defenders. His frustration earned him a yellow card in the 66th minute before Eriksen tried his luck with a long curling shot that almost found its way into the top corner of the net. A greater chance presented itself on the 70th minute when Larsen profited from a mistake to slide the ball into the penalty box, but Thomasson distressingly couldn’t even make a shot on target. At the other end, goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen had less work to do between the sticks as the Japanese didn’t attack much. The few strikes they did went straight into his arms.

Eleven minutes from time, Daniel Agger was awarded a debatable penalty which Thomasson executed rather poorly. The captain had to score on the rebound and even injure his lap in the process to revive the Danes’ hopes. Two more goals were needed though. Group E’s standings explained that Denmark’s sole option was to win whereas Japan could afford a draw.

But the Japanese had made it clear that they wanted to clinch a win no matter what mathematical analyses explained and they did just that. Honda destroyed Denmark’s back line with a teasing run in the penalty box before squaring the ball to substitute Okazaki who calmly drove it across the goal line with no keeper to beat.

Surely, that was it for the Samurai Blue! For the first time in their history of football, Denmark have crashed out from the group stages of a World Cup. Japan also created history on their own by reaching the Last 16 of a World Cup for the first time on foreign soil.

After seeing Japan roll and kick the Jabulani ball like masters, which other player at the 2010 World Cup will dare to say that the ball is light, uncontrollable, and disturbing?

 
 

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