Tokyo 2020: Men’s Football Round up – Day Three and knockout fixtures

The four groups in matchday three in Tokyo 2020 had 14 out of the 16 teams still in contention to qualify for the knockout stages, here is a roundup of day three.

Group A

Golden Japan

Japan have set their sights on Olympic Gold after a 4-0 thrashing against France in Yokohama. Golden star Takefusa Kubo was once again on the scoresheet as he spearheads his team to glory in Japan.

Although France midfielder Alexis Beka Beka had the first real attempt in the match, it was Kubo who opened the scoring in the 27^th minute. Goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni saved just before Kubo redirected the rebound into a gaping net.

Less than 10 minutes later right-back Hiroki Sakai of Urawa Reds scored in a similar fashion as he scored from a rebound after Bernardoni had saved a goal-bound effort. Sakai was a thorn in the side for France and he overstepped the mark just before halftime when he clattered into Timothee Pembele.

The goal of the match was scored by Koji Miyoshi as he received a pass on the edge of the French box from Reo Hatate and curled a lovely effort past the French Keeper.

Kolo Muani was sent off for a stamp in the closing stages of the match.

Insult was added to injury in the 90^th minute when Daizen Maeda converted from inside the box, and thus France were knocked out conceding 10 goals in the group stages.

Japan face New Zealand in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Group B

South Korea hit six

South Korea deposited six goals into the Honduran net without reply as they topped group B, scoring 10 goals in the process, the most in the group stages.

Astonishingly Honduras gifted three penalties to their counterparts on a day to forget for Los Catrachos

The first penalty was awarded in the 12^th minute, Hwang Ui-Jo converted the penalty, but Goalkeeper Alex Guity would have been disappointed not to get a stronger hand to the effort. The second penalty was given seven minutes later and a different taker this time in Won Du-Jae made no mistake from 12 yards and slipped the ball down the middle of the goal.

Five minutes before half time Carlos Melendez brought down forward Lee Kang-in, the defender denied a clear goalscoring opportunity and was dismissed from the field of play. To add misery to the Hondurans Ui-Jo added a third goal courtesy of a rebounded effort. Ui-Jo completed his Hattrick with the third penalty of the match in the 52^nd minute, and it was 4-0.

Kim Jin-Ya and a wonderful long-range from Golden Star Kang-in completed the rout for the South Koreans to make it six.

South Korea will face a strong Mexican side in the quarter-finals.

Group C

Spanish dominance

Spain were the group winners of a highly contested battle where Argentina missed out on goal difference.

The two teams couldn’t be separated, but in truth, Spain controlled this contest from start to finish although they drew 1-1.

La Roja had 62 percent possession of the football, they controlled the ball in the middle of the park and fashioned numerous chances. Dani Olmo tested goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma from a free-kick, which was parried wide. Argentina went down the other end and Spain keeper Unai Simon had to make a smart stop going into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal.

The second half faired much better in terms of chances, and in the 52^nd minute, Olmo missed the chance of the game just outside the six-yard box, blazing the ball over the bar after receiving a slide rule pass from Mikel Oyarzabal.

Olmo more than made up for the miss, in the 66^th minute he gave Mikel Merino the opportunity to place a one-touch finish inside Ledesma’s net

Argentina turned up the pressure in the final 20 minutes of the match, searching for an equalizer, in their efforts collecting five yellow cards in the process. They were given a glimmer of hope after Tomas Belmonte of Lanus powered the ball into Simon’s goal in the 87^th minute.

Spain will face a tough Ivory Coast team for a place in the Semi-finals.

Group D

Ivorians shine

Ivory Coast and Germany shared the spoils in Miyagi Stadium as the Ivorians progressed to the knockout stages with a 1-1 draw.

Ivory Coast were a team a lot of people slept on but they have now proved their worth by progressing in this tough group.

Germany shaded the first half where they had seven shots and two on target, and their pressure told as Cristian Kouame was given a yellow card within six seconds and one of the quickest cautions in Olympiad history.

Forward Ragnar Ache went close on numerous occasions in the first half, but it was Marco Richter in the 11^th minute who gave goalkeeper Eliezer Ira Tape some work to do, as he tipped the ball wide for a corner.

Kouame had a speculative effort from 25 yards from goal, but this didn’t trouble the German keeper.

The second half was an edgy affair, and Kouame who was a threat all match found himself in the box and flicked on a pass into his teammates’ path, only for Benjamin Hendrich’s to put in his own net in the 67^th minute.

Germany were on the brink of exiting the group stages but were given a lifeline when substitute Eduard Lowen stood behind a free kick on the edge of the box and curled in a sumptuous effort into the top left corner of Tape’s goal.

In the end, the point was enough for the Ivorians and they face a Spain side, in what will be a great match to watch.