February 17, 2003
A3 Mazda Championship Kicks off

0 - 2 Songnam Ilhwa

To be sure, Jubilo played a competitive match. They probably even had a slight edge in ball control and shots on net. However, it was immediately apparent that the loss of Naohiro Takahara will pose a big challenge for new coach Masaaki Yanagishita. Despite some very sloppy pitch conditions, Jubilo had some good build-up and were able to create scoring opportunities throughout the match. But there was simply no one available in the front line to finish off the chances. Norihiro Nishi, in particular, made it clear that he will not be able to fill the shoes of Takahara. While he may be a talented midfielder who can put the ball on net from distance, he lacked either the mobility or the decisiveness to get off shots when under pressure. He also is nowhere near as dangerous in the air. Jubil\o's best chances on crosses into the box came late in the match, when Rodrigo Gral replaced Nishi up front.

An equally important concern regards the team's physical condition. As has been pointed out by many observers including the RSN, Jubilo's core players are getting a bit long in the tooth. Under playing conditions where speed and strength were at least as important as finesse, Jubilo found themselves repeatedly beaten to, or muscled off the ball by the aggressive play of the Songnam midfielders and defenders.

The above comments should take nothing away from Songnam, who unlike their J.League counterparts, looked every bit the image of "champions". Whereas Jubilo players often gave up on 50:50 balls, Songnam contested every pass and every shot, and were quick to launch the lightning-fast counterattack. They also stuck well to their script, hanging back defensively to respect Jubilo's precise passing game, and only throwing themselves into attack when they had a chance for a fast counter. Thus, although they w ere outshot and outpossessed by Jubilo, Songnam's opportunities were far more dangerous, and their offensive thrusts vastly more effective.

Yet even with all of these factors going against them, Jubilo still might have been in the match if not for a truly horrendous showing by Makoto Tanaka. The veteran defender was complicit in both Songnam goals, and nearly gifted Kim Dae with a third goal midway through the second half.

The match got off to a brisk start, with both teams putting shots on goal in the first ten minuts. Kim Tae-Yong sent a ball into the side netting from the left edge of the penalty box on a counter, and Toshihiro Hattori pounced on a weak clearance to drive a shot into the chest of the Songnam keeper. After a brief flurry of Songnam opportunities around the 14-15 minute, Jubilo began to get their midfield ball-control game into gear. But just as the team was starting to generate a few offensive chances, a defensiuve blunder gave Songnam the early lead.

In the 22 minute, a Jubilo midfielder played the ball back to Tanaka about five meters outside his own box. Tanaka indecisively dribbled with the ball, allowing Yugoslav striker Drakulic Sasa to close ground and pressure the ball. Tanaka then compounded his error by playing a weak ball towards Hideto Suzuki that Kim Dae-Yi anticipated, and rushed to contest. Suzuki and Kim collided about three meters outside the box, and the refere decided that Suzuki was the worst of the offenders and awarded a free kick. Kim Tae-Yong played a perfect free kick that split the wall and bounded off the left post and into the net, giving Songnam a 1-0 lead.

Ten minutes before intermission, Jubilo had several opportunities to get back in the match, with a series of four corners and two free kicks all within the space of two minutes. But despite some close calls, Jubilo didnt have anyone up front who could put the ball into the net. On the corners, in particular, the absence of Takahara was apparent. Although the Songnam keeper misplayed several of the hich lobs for the far post, nobody in a blue shirt could get a head into the action, and eventually Songnam was able to releive the pressure.

In the second half, Jubilo started off fairly well, making a dedliverate effort to build their midfield game and establish a better ryhthm, which could prevent Songnam from getting good counterattacks. But on one of the few second-half breaks that the Koreans did generate, another blunder by Tanaka produced the second goal. This time a quick outlet to Sasa sent the tall Yugoslav down the right sideline with a man in support. Foolishly, Tanaka decided not to shadow Sasa down the wing and wait for support to fall back. Instead, he made a lunge for the ball and was left in the mud as Sasa bulled his way past. Trapped between two fast strikers on the break, Suzuki had to commit one way or the other, and as soon as he committed towards Sasa, the Songnam striker looped a cross to the opposite sideline for Kim Dae-Yi. The Korean captain sent a thundering drive into the top right corner to give SOngnam their final margin of victory.

The deficit nearly became 3-0 when yet another weak back-pass by Tanaka was intercepted by Kim at the left edge of the penalty box. But his shot was hurried by the out-rushing keeper Yamamoto, and it went into the side netting.

Looking at this match in terms of its bearing on Jubilo's J.League hopes, things do not look good. Jubilo looked very ineffective in the absence of Takahara, and they looked a step slower than they did last year (though this is partly a function of the rapid pressure that Songnam put on the ball). Certainly, a veteran like Tanaka is not going to have many nights as bad as this one, but on the whole, Songnam probably could have won the contest even if not for these blunders. Jubilo simply didnt have the finishing ability necessary to threaten the Songnam net. Unless they can find a replacement for Takahara, soon, they could be in for a long and disappointing season.

Dalian

Go Oiwa Akita, Oiwa, Narahashi and Soma. Tomoyuki Hirase Atsushi Yanagisawa or Euller Hitoshi Sogahata Masashi Motoyama, Koji Nakata and Mitsuo Ogasawara. Fernando Almeida de Oliveira Toninho Cerezo negotiated his transfer

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J.League Summaries & Forecasts for 2003

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