Japan beat Vietnam 2-0 in Olympic qualifier

AFP - 7 April 2007 15:17

Japanese midfielder Shinobu Ono controls the ball during a qualifying match against Vietnam on 07 April 2007. Japan got off to a winning start to the final qualifying round for the Beijing Olympics with a 2-0 win over Vietnam.

TOKYO (AFP) - Asian Games silver medallists Japan got off to a winning start to the final qualifying round for the Beijing Olympics with a 2-0 win over Vietnam in a Group A match on Saturday.

The opening goal came from Japan's top goal scorer Homare Sawa, who struck home a headed pass from Eriko Arakawa, following a cross from Kozuke Ando in the 36th minutes.

In the 73rd minute, Sawa cut back a free kick by substitute defender Yukari Kinga to set up Tomoe Sakai for the second goal.

"First of all, I'm glad that we gained three points from the win in our first game. We created many chances, but we couldn't score a third goal," said Japan's coach Hiroshi Ohashi.

"They defended with 10 women with only one forward in the front. I expected that, but we couldn't break through their defenders. If we had sent more accurate crosses, we would have won it more comfortably."

Japan controlled the game, encamping in the Vietnamese field for most of the match, but they failed to create a clear scoring chance for most of a frustrating first half as the visitors kept their attacks at bay.

Japan had two chances at the end of the half, one from a free kick by Kinga and another from a cross from the left by Aya Miyama, but neither were converted.

Japan threatened the Vietnamese goal more in the second half. One shot from Sawa, from a pass by Shinobu Ono, landed in the net in the 54th minute, but it was ruled offside.

Five minutes later, Miyama's shot narrowly went wide, while one Kinga right-footer went over the bar in the 77th minute. The visitors did not conjure one serious chance in the game.

Vietnam's coach Ngo Le Bang admitted that they have to play defensively, against strong teams like South Korea and Japan.

"The Japanese team was very, very good, better than I've ever seen. We tried to play defensively with counter-attacks, but it was not successful. Our football is still not competitive against Japan," he said.

It was Japan's sixth straight win against Vietnam in six encounters.

Japan will play an away game against Thailand, while Vietnam will challenge South Korea at home, in their next games on April 15. The top finishers will qualify for the Olympics next year.