Band of Brothers....JEF United 2 - 1 Verdy

The run is over, Verdy tasted defeat for the first time in six and it`s fair to say they probably deserved the loss. A Kawano-less Verdy lined to face a JEF tucked into the final promotion spot. The Takagi brothers started the game with Yoshiaki in Kawano`s place and Toshiyuki (with a freshly shorn "do") in for the suspended Iio. A lifeless 10 minutes opened the game with neither side able to offer much in terms of entertainment. Slowly JEF began to turn the screw with their giraffe Neto up top doing his best to throw Tsuchiya about, Tsuchiya was having none of it and clattered the Brazillian a couple of times. Nice!!
JEF altogether were faster, bigger, more accurate passers and had some real quality for J2. Verdy would be lucky to get anything from this game I thought. However, it`s the unexpected that draws us all in really...and the unexpected came in the 30th minute with a goal again resulting from a foul on Yoshiaki Takagi. Currently, it seems the opposition are looking at his age, pushing him about and giving fouls away in dangerous positions.  Last week, Hiramoto benefitted and this week it was to be Toshiyuki Takagi who benefitted...and in some style!! Highlights are here.....
Now they love a good hero in a Japan and the Takagi brothers have every chance of being built up as the next saviours of Tokyo Verdy, the next saviours of Japanese football or even be called upon to sort out Kim Jong Il. They are decent, have a famous father and all they need to do now is produce moments on a regular basis like the 35 yard free kick slammed into the top corner yesterday!! An absolute belter that wouldn`t look out of place in South Africa in a few weeks. But this is the point, they are not the saviours of Tokyo Verdy, not the saviours of Japanese football and probably know nothing about Kim Jong Il (maybe a mild appreciation of his haircut aside...). Toshiyuki Takagi overhit 3 corners yesterday while we were trying to get back to 2-2 much to the annoyance of Tsuchiya and Tomisawa and also shot wide twice when in good positions... They show promise but at the moment that`s all. And neither are as good as mystery man Kawano who was AWOL for the trip to JEF....possible transfer in the works?? (GULP!!)
Anyway we got to halftime ahead after Doi had rolled back the years to pull off a wonder save from a blistering volley diving at full stretch to tip over the bar. Superb stuff!! If Takagi`s strike was top class then Doi`s save was equal to it. JEF also rattled the post before going in 1-0 down. The second half was a case of whether we could hang on to the lead and weather the inevitable storm. The Boys battlerd away but couldn`t hold back the tide. Wave after wave of attacks came with Doi having his busiest day of the season and playing well, Tsuchiya and Tomisawa also battled down to the wire and while we conceded two goals in the second half, the first another top drawer finish from the JEF striker after being played through and the second a dissapointing end to a great game of football. The Boys did their utmost yesterday but came unstuck against a better team. We were absolutely battered in the second half but still could have grabbed a late equaliser after a volley from Sugawara in 2nd half injury time. The keeper saved but any kind of touch through the crowd of players it steamed through would have sent it either side of him.
A good game, great entertainment TOP quality goals but the wrong result. Yokohama next week who rather worryingly won 4-0 yesterday.....We`ll be alright!!!