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發表於 2007-7-22 13:26:58
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Soccer-Viduka was winding me up, says Japan's Nakazawa
Sun Jul 22, 2007 5:52AM BST
By Alastair Himmer
HANOI, July 22 (Reuters) - Penalty hero Yuji Nakazawa has accused
Australia captain Mark Viduka of continually abusing him during Japan's
Asian Cup quarter-final win over the Socceroos.
The Japan defender smashed home the decisive kick in a heart-stopping
shootout to send the holders into the last four but was left with plenty
to remember Viduka by.
"I've got a few bruises," Nakazawa told Reuters after Saturday's clash
in Hanoi. "There was some kicking going on from him -- and from me.
"He's a big guy but I didn't want to back down. He kept saying nasty
stuff to me during the game. I'm not telling you what. You'll have to
ask him."
Japan, bidding for a third successive Asian Cup title, won 4-3 on
penalties after the match had finished deadlocked at 1-1 following extra
time.
Alaves striker John Aloisi had put the Socceroos in front after 68
minutes only for Eintracht Frankfurt's Naohiro Takahara to equalise
three minutes later.
Australia were reduced to 10 men after Vince Grella's controversial
sending off in the 76th minute and Japan held their nerve better in the
shootout than the exhausted Socceroos.
"I made sure I hit it hard," said Nakazawa after his decisive penalty
that exorcised the ghosts of Japan's 3-1 defeat by Australia at the 2006
World Cup.
"I didn't want him to be able to save it even if he guessed right so I
whacked it. I missed one at the last Asian Cup in 2004 but I was very
cool this time."
When the whistle blew for the end of extra time in Hanoi, even Japan
coach Ivica Osim could not bear to watch the penalty shootout, the
Bosnian quickly disappearing down the tunnel.
"There were a lot of emotions for me because it was Australia," the
Japan defender said after avenging the team's crushing defeat in Germany
last year.
"That's the way the coach (Osim) is. There's nothing wrong with my heart
though. I didn't feel any pressure. Winning such a big game has brought
the team closer together."
Nakazawa warned Japan that the job of retaining their Asian Cup title
was still only half-finished.
"We have learned from the World Cup but we couldn't break them down when
they had 10 men and we conceded from a set piece," the 29-year-old said.
"We only won on penalties so it's nothing to write home about. It's nice
to win but if we lose now beating Australia will mean nothing. We still
have to win two more games." |
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發表於 2007-7-22 15:34:52
