Samurai Blue Reports

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Stand-ins Stumped by Saudis

The Young Samurai Blue started the year 2020 with an abject performance and a loss against Saudi Arabia. So should we be worried?

Olympians Starting to Look Like ... Olympians

Japan's Olympic Team made their Prime Time debut on Saturday, in chilly Nagasaki. The Young Samurai set the pitch alight, and gave fans a pleasant winter dream for the coming New Year.

Another Sluggish Step for Samurai Blue

Japan's 2022 World Cup qualification match on Thursday evening was another chance for the Samurai Blue to try out new players, tactics and formations against a small but feisty opponent. Instead, we got pretty much the same old, same old. Fortunately, next week's clash with Venezuela and the mid-December East Asian Cup should give us a chance to look at some new faces.

Hong Kong Kablooie

The Samurai Blue continued their experiments at the East Asian Cup, trotting out a host of debutants for the match against Hong Kong. The final result flatters them slightly, but the prospective Tokyo Olympians coasted to victory on a hat trick by Samurai Blue newcomer Koki Ogawa.

The New Era Has ... Arrived?

The East Asian Cup opened on Tuesday evening, with a host of fresh new faces for the Samurai Blue faithful to run the rule over. The best new debutante of all was not a player, although most J.League fans have come to know it very well over the past decade.

Going Through the Motions

Japan's first home match in 2022 World Cup qualification was played on Thursday evening, against that mighty footballing behemoth, Mongolia. If that intro doesnt set your pulse to racing . . . . well . . . . to be honest, this report on the Samurai Blue's performance isnt going to do so either. So pull up a pillow, and . . . .