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Courtesy of:- Ray Lo, and the Spurs List.
Dallas Cup XXXI
Monday 29th March 2010, 12 noon
Richland College, Walnut St., Dallas, TX
Tottenham Hotspur v Japan National Team
(White/Blue) (Blue/White)
4-3-3 4-4-2
1(1) 1(0)
Tottenham team – Jansson, Blackwood(Bartram 24), Butcher, Durojaiye, Francis-Angol(Oyenuga 60), Nicholson, Carroll, Cox, Waller-Lassen(Pritchard 66), M'Poku, Byrne
Unused subs – Archer, Luongo, Munns, Tapping
Coach – J. McDermott
Scorer – Waller-Lassen 29
Booked – Oyenuga 73, Jansson 88
Japan team – Nakamura, Tanaka, Teraoka, Uchida, Abe, Kato(Fujita 84). Kojima, Kiyotake, Musaka, Usami, Sugimoto
Unused subs – Hiraide, Horigome, Kikuchi,Matsubara,Nagai, Ogino, Omori,Sato, Taguchi,
Takahashi
Coach – K. Nuno
Scorer – Sugimoto 51
Booked – Teraoka 75
This match was scheduled for midday in high temperatures at the alternate site which had no shade for the players. With both sides having won their opening games this match was important to both sides.
Spurs lined up with Butcher and Durojaiye at the back with Jansson in goal. Blackwood started at right back with Francis-Angol on the left. There was a midfield three of Carroll, Nicholson and Cox supporting M'Poku in front of them with Waller-Lassen to the right and Byrne to the left.
Spurs defended the north end in the first half with both sides jostling for control of the midfield with the extra man for Japan giving them more possession. Spurs used the wings to good effect with the Japanese full backs having to cling on to them at times to prevent being left behind.
Japan had the first chance with a weak effort by Kojima that Jansson saved. Nicholson played Byrne in on the left but he shot wide. Musaka got behind Francis-Angol and crossed for Sugimoto to draw a good save from the keeper. Blackwood made a strong run down the right until he went down stretching too much and had to come off with an injury to his hamstring and was replaced by Bartram.
Waller-Lassen was caught by Ogino right after this which resulted in a bit of shoving. The ref allowed the Japanese to get away with tackles that were a fraction late on several occasions which would have been punished in the Premier league. Spurs took the lead on the half hour when Byrne was found coming in from the left. His drive was saved by Nakamura but the ball came out to Waller-Lassen at the far post who turned it back into the net.
A few minutes later and a corner from the right was headed on by a defender which Waller-Lassen retrieved before it went behind, but he could only fire wide from the tight angle. Jesse was on target from Carroll's free kick but Nakamura saved his effort. In the last minute of the half Byrne collected a throw-in by M'Poku but shot wide.
Japan equalised early in the second half when Sugimoto was played in through the right channel and hit a first time effort to Jansson's right. The keeper had to be out quickly minutes later to deny Sugimoto as he got through again before saving from the same player at the expense of a corner. Sugimoto headed the corner wide. Spurs responded with Carroll hitting the far post with a low drive. Francis-Angol was injured in the build-up and was replaced by Oyenuga with Byrne dropping to left back.
The pace of Oyenuga on the left saw him get past Tanaka and fire in a shot that Nakamura saved. Waller-Lassen was replaced by Pritchard on the right. Usami was played in but fired wide from a good position. Oyenuga was shown a yellow card when he caught Tanaka jumping for a long ball. Teraoka was then booked for pulling back Oyenuga after he had got past him.
M'Poku fired well over from the free kick. After Kojima saw his effort saved Oyenuga was wide from Carroll's free kick.Fujita replaced Kato to play wide on the left and proved the cross for Abe's effort that was saved.Sugimoto fired wide before he pounced on an error by Butcher to face Jansson one on one. Jansson raced off his line and caught Sugimoto as he leapt to block the ball which the ref thought deserved a yellow card. Teraoka hit the crossbar in the dying minutes from a free kick just outside the area.
The draw leaves Japan as favourites to qualify for the semi-finals as they have the easiest final group game. With the same goal difference as Spurs they have scored a goal more. Spurs next opponents are Mexican side Tigres who beat Dallas Texans 4-1 in the last game of the day.
© Ray Lo MMX
P W D L F-A GD Pts.
Japan 2 1 1 0 4-3 +1 4
SPURS 2 1 1 0 3-2 +1 4
Tigres 2 1 0 1 6-4 +2 3
Texans 2 0 0 2 2-6 -4 0
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