Latest news with #AllJapan
Kyodo News
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Football: Nadeshiko Japan beaten 3-1 by Spain in friendly
KYODO NEWS - 12 hours ago - 11:29 | Sports, All Japan took the lead but went down 3-1 away to a dominant Spain in a women's football international friendly on Friday, their third straight defeat in a month. Nadeshiko Japan won the SheBelieves Cup with three straight victories in February as their Danish manager Nils Nielsen, the first foreigner to lead the side, got his tenure off to a strong start. But a draw with Colombia at home in April and two losses to Brazil since late May have stalled momentum. After absorbing early pressure at Butarque Stadium in Leganes, Mina Tanaka gave seventh-ranked Japan the lead on the half-hour mark against World No. 2 Spain when she struck on the turn with her left foot following a pass from the right by Maika Hamano. Spain drew level in the 44th minute as Claudia Pina swept her shot through the legs of Japan captain Saki Kumagai, and the home side went ahead through Vicky Lopez in the 66th minute after Momoko Tanikawa lost possession just outside her own box. Mariona Caldentey rattled the bar with a free-kick before Athenea del Castillo found the top left corner of the net to complete the scoring in the 88th minute. Related coverage: Football: Nadeshiko Japan suffer back-to-back defeats against Brazil FOCUS: As women's football grows in Europe, Japan aims to follow suit
Kyodo News
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Football: Nadeshiko Japan beaten 3-1 by Spain in friendly
KYODO NEWS - 33 minutes ago - 11:29 | Sports, All Japan took the lead but went down 3-1 away to a dominant Spain in a women's football international friendly on Friday, their third straight defeat in a month. Nadeshiko Japan won the SheBelieves Cup with three straight victories in February as their Danish manager Nils Nielsen, the first foreigner to lead the side, got his tenure off to a strong start. But a draw with Colombia at home in April and two losses to Brazil since late May have stalled momentum. After absorbing early pressure at Butarque Stadium in Leganes, Mina Tanaka gave seventh-ranked Japan the lead on the half-hour mark against World No. 2 Spain when she struck on the turn with her left foot following a pass from the right by Maika Hamano. Spain drew level in the 44th minute as Claudia Pina swept her shot through the legs of Japan captain Saki Kumagai, and the home side went ahead through Vicky Lopez in the 66th minute after Momoko Tanikawa lost possession just outside her own box. Mariona Caldentey rattled the bar with a free-kick before Athenea del Castillo found the top left corner of the net to complete the scoring in the 88th minute. Related coverage: Football: Nadeshiko Japan suffer back-to-back defeats against Brazil FOCUS: As women's football grows in Europe, Japan aims to follow suit
Kyodo News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Judo: Uta Abe back on top with women's 52-kg worlds gold in Hungary
KYODO NEWS - 4 hours ago - 16:31 | Sports, All Japan's Uta Abe claimed her fifth judo world championship Saturday in the women's 52-kilogram competition, but older brother Hifumi was only able to win bronze as compatriot Takeshi Takeoka topped the men's 66-kg podium in Budapest. The 24-year-old Abe, who suffered a shock loss at last summer's Paris Games, overcame fellow Olympic gold medalist Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo in a hard-fought final in the Hungarian capital. The two went toe-to-toe in a tactical battle before the Japanese star broke her opponent's balance and threw her for ippon with just under a minute left. "It's been a really tough year, but I think my strong willpower led to this result," Abe said. "There's still a long road ahead, and I feel as though I need to work even harder." Back-to-back Olympic gold medalist Hifumi Abe's bid for a fifth world title came undone in a huge quarterfinal upset against Obid Dzhebov of Tajikistan, marking his first loss to an overseas opponent in an individual event since February 2019. Dzhebov executed a counter-throw to reverse the 27-year-old Abe's forceful attack and score ippon midway through the allotted time, leaving the Japanese judoka and the crowd stunned. "I think I get stronger by getting beaten," Abe said. "Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, I don't want to waste this was positive I managed to compete at the worlds less than a year after the Paris Olympics." Takeoka made sure Japan would take home its eighth straight championship in the division by outpointing Tajikistan's Nurali Emomali in the deciding match. It was a maiden world title for the 26-year-old Takeoka, who took silver at last year's championships in Abu Dhabi. "Other athletes will be studying me because of this result, so I need to keep improving and not get complacent," Takeoka said. After advancing through the repechage, the 27-year-old Abe clinched bronze with victory over Cuba's Orlando Polanco. Dzhebov, ranked fourth in the world but without an Olympic appearance to date, placed third for his first podium finish at the worlds. Related coverage: Judo: Ryuju Nagayama wins men's 60-kg gold on opening day of world c'ships Judo: Kagawa wins 1st nat'l open-weight title, Abe loses in 2nd round Judo: Japanese women aim to rebound from Olympic setback at worlds
Kyodo News
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Judo: Uta Abe back on top with women's 52-kg worlds gold in Hungary
KYODO NEWS - 1 minute ago - 13:50 | Sports, All Japan's Uta Abe claimed her fifth judo world championship Saturday in the women's 52-kilogram competition, but older brother Hifumi was only able to win bronze as compatriot Takeshi Takeoka topped the men's 66-kg podium in Budapest. The 24-year-old Abe, who suffered a shock loss at last summer's Paris Games, overcame fellow Olympic gold medalist Distria Krasniqi of Kosovo in a hard-fought final in the Hungarian capital. The two went toe-to-toe in a tactical battle before the Japanese star broke her opponent's balance and threw her for ippon with just under a minute left. "It's been a really tough year, but I think my strong willpower led to this result," Abe said. "There's still a long road ahead and I feel as though I need to work even harder." Back-to-back Olympic gold medalist Hifumi Abe's bid for a fifth world title came undone with an upset loss to Obid Dzhebov of Tajikistan in the quarterfinals. But Takeoka made sure Japan would take home its eighth straight championship in the division by outpointing Tajikistan's Nurali Emomali in the deciding match. It was a maiden world title for the 26-year-old Takeoka, who took silver at last year's championships in Abu Dhabi. "Other athletes will be studying me because of this result, so I need to keep improving and not get complacent," Takeoka said. After advancing through the repechage, the 27-year-old Abe clinched bronze with victory over Cuba's Orlando Polanco. Related coverage: Judo: Ryuju Nagayama wins men's 60-kg gold on opening day of world c'ships Judo: Kagawa wins 1st nat'l open-weight title, Abe loses in 2nd round Judo: Japanese women aim to rebound from Olympic setback at worlds
Kyodo News
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Football: Nadeshiko Japan suffer back-to-back defeats against Brazil
KYODO NEWS - Jun 3, 2025 - 14:41 | Sports, All Japan went down 2-1 against Brazil in A women's football international friendly on Monday, ending their two-game series away to the South Americans with two defeats. Nadeshiko Japan fell to a 3-1 loss on Friday for their first defeat under new Danish manager Nils Nielsen and the world's fifth-ranked nation were beaten again by their eighth-ranked opponents at Cicero de Souza Marques Stadium in Sao Paulo. Manaka Matsukubo, one of six changes for Japan's starting XI, hit the post on a one-on-one with goalkeeper Lorena in the 28th minute before Kiko Seike, who scored a late consolation in their previous game, sent her shot wide after skipping past the keeper three minutes later. Despite a hint of offside, Seike gave Japan the lead a minute into the second half as she side-footed home Aoba Fujino's low cross delivered with the outside of her foot. Defender Rion Ishikawa turned the ball into her own net in the 54th minute, however, allowing Brazil to draw level after keeper Ayaka Yamashita completely missed the ball from a corner. Seike hit the post minutes later before Brazil hit Japan on a counter for the 79th-minute winner as substitute Jhonson dinked her shot past Yamashita. Related coverage: Football: Nadeshiko Japan drop opener of friendly series in Brazil Japanese footballer in Australia arrested in betting scandal Football: Wataru Endo lifts trophy as Liverpool celebrate title with fans
