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The Mainichi
16-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Football: Ryo Germain nets again, Japan beat S. Korea in East Asian final
YONGIN, South Korea (Kyodo) -- Ryo Germain built on his impressive form with an early strike as Japan held on to beat South Korea 1-0 to claim their second successive East Asian E-1 men's football championship on Tuesday. Germain scored his fifth goal of the tournament just eight minutes into the winner-take-all finale, volleying in a cross from Yuki Soma at Yongin Mireu Stadium in a Seoul suburb. A week earlier, the 30-year-old Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker netted four times in the Samurai Blue's 6-1 opening win over Hong Kong when he made his national team debut. "My players made a great effort," Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu said. "They showed the pride of the J-League and the depth of our national team. The way they played this tournament made it difficult for me to select the World Cup squad." Japan's E-1 squad was selected entirely from the domestic J-League. The South Korean squad did not include players such as Tottenham star Son Heung Min, either. Japan and South Korea came into the match after both defeated China and Hong Kong in the four-team, round-robin event. South Korea first went close to scoring, with Na Sang Ho's shot hitting the far post in the seventh minute. The Koreans ramped up their attack in the second half, but Japan hung tough to defend dangerous situations en route to their third overall E-1 title. With the latest victory, Japan improved their win-loss record against South Korea to 16-40 with 23 draws. Both teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Earlier Tuesday, China edged Hong Kong 1-0 thanks to a 20th-minute goal from Huang Zhengyu.
Kyodo News
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Football: Germain nets again, Japan beat S. Korea in East Asian final
YONGIN, South Korea - Ryo Germain built on his impressive form with an early strike as Japan held on to beat South Korea 2-1 to claim their second successive East Asian E-1 men's football championship on Tuesday. Germain scored his fifth goal of the tournament just eight minutes into the winner-take-all finale, volleying in a cross from Yuki Soma at Yongin Mireu Stadium in a Seoul suburb. A week earlier, the 30-year-old Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker netted four times in the Samurai Blue's 6-1 opening win over Hong Kong when he made his national team debut. "My players made a great effort," Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu said. "They showed the pride of the J-League and the depth of our national team. The way they played this tournament made it difficult for me to select the World Cup squad." Japan's E-1 squad was selected entirely from the domestic J-League. The South Korean squad did not include players such as Tottenham star Son Heung Min, either. Japan and South Korea came into the match after both defeated China and Hong Kong in the four-team, round-robin event. South Korea first went close to scoring, with Na Sang Ho's shot hitting the far post in the seventh minute. The Koreans ramped up their attack in the second half, but Japan hung tough to defend dangerous situations en route to their third overall E-1 title. With the latest victory, Japan improved their win-loss record against South Korea to 16-40 with 23 draws. Both teams have qualified for the 2026 World Cup to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States. Earlier Tuesday, China edged Hong Kong 1-0 thanks to a 20th-minute goal from Huang Zhengyu.
Japan Forward
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Soccer: Japan Men Look to Maintain High-Scoring Output
Reporting on the East Asian men's soccer tourney final round, Masataka Yoshida's 2025 MLB debut, Naoya Inoue's next fight and a high-profile signing. Japan's Ryo Germain completes his hat trick in the 22nd minute against Hong Kong in an East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship match on July 8, 2025, in Yongin, South Korea. (©KYODO) The Japan men's national soccer squad began defense of its East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship with a 6-1 thrashing of Hong Kong on Tuesday, July 8. Also competing in the tournament's four-nation final round, which was most recently held in 2022, are host South Korea and China. In Yongin, South Korea, Sanfrecce Hiroshima forward Ryo Germain led Japan with four first-half goals in the rout. Germain, a 30-year-old player for the Sanfrecce Hiroshima, made his first appearance with the national team a memorable one. He scored in the fourth, 10th, 22nd and 26th minutes. In doing so, he matched a Japan record for most goals by a debutant. Takeo Wakabayashi had four goals in his national team debut in May 1930. Ryo Germain scores one of his four goals against Hong Kong. (KYODO) Sho Inagaki, a Nagoya Grampus midfielder, chipped in with a 20th-minute tally, and the Samurai Blue took a 5-0 lead into halftime. Hong Kong's Matt Orr made it 5-1 in the 59th minute, while Sota Nakamura, who also earned his first cap, completed the scoring for Japan in second-half injury time. Before getting ready for Japan's next match, manager Hajime Moriyasu highlighted the key takeaways from the team's convincing win over Hong Kong. "Germain delivered what we wanted most, which was goals," Moriyasu said, according to Kyodo News. "Many players got their first cap. The whole team gained experience." Up next: Japan faces China on Saturday night, July 12. Kickoff at 7:24 PM JST (China lost 3-0 to South Korea in the tourney opener.) After facing China, Japan awaits a July 15 match with South Korea to close out the tournament. Fans root for the Samurai Blue during Tuesday's match in Yongin, South Korea. (KYODO) Germain, who has four goals in the 2025 season, spoke after the match about his stellar performance and the vital support he received from his teammates. "I think I was able to demonstrate how explosive I can be," Germain said of his four-goal effort. "In previous matches, I lacked accuracy with my first shots but scoring that first goal today gave me momentum and confidence." Germain, who was born in Atsugi, Kanagawa Prefecture, to American and Japanese parents, said there was solid synergy for the Samurai Blue on offense. "I feel that I fulfilled my role as a striker, but Taisei [Miyashiro] was instrumental in setting up plays with great interplay alongside [Yuki] Soma," Germain told reporters. "[Yuki] Kakita also worked tirelessly to disrupt the defenders. "It just so happened that I was the one who put the ball in the net, but the quality of the build-up plays around me really made the difference." Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida hits a single in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies on July 9 at Fenway Park. (Brian Fluharty/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS) Masataka Yoshida returned to the Boston Red Sox lineup for the first time in the 2025 MLB season on Wednesday, July 9. Batting sixth as the designated hitter against the Colorado Rockies, Yoshida went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the Red Sox's 10-2 rout at Fenway Park. It was Boston's sixth win in a row. "It's been a long journey, but I was able to hit a fastball back on the count I was aiming for (a 2-0 pitch) in my first at-bat," Yoshida said, according to NHK. "I got off to a good start." The Red Sox activated Yoshida (right shoulder) from the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. He recently completed an injury rehab assignment for Boston's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates. Masataka Yoshida Set to Start Triple-A Rehab Assignment with Worcester Hanshin Tigers players exchange high-fives after their 6-3 road victory over the Hiroshima Carp on July 10 in Hiroshima. (KYODO) The title-chasing Hanshin Tigers won their 11th consecutive NPB game on Thursday, July 10, rallying for a 6-3 road victory over the Hiroshima Carp. Hanshin scored five runs in the seventh inning to secure a come-from-behind win at Mazda Zoom-Zoom Stadium. Shota Morishita delivered a two-run double to right-center with two outs, and three of his Tigers teammates also drove in runs in the big rally. Tigers leadoff hitter Koji Chikamoto and Takumu Nakano, Morishita and Teruaki Sato, the team's second, third and fourth hitters in the lineup, combined to go 6-for-18 and drove in five runs collectively. "The top of the [Hanshin] lineup is really great," radio commentator Sohachi Aniya said on Nippon Broadcasting System during the game, the website Baseball King reported. "We have a good balance of pitching and hitting," Aniya added. "It's wonderful. Especially the pitching. The starters are good, but the relievers are very good. Most of them can reach 150 kph [with their fastball]." With the win, Hanshin improved to 49-31-2 and extended its lead in the Central League to 9½ games over a trio of rivals ― the Yomiuri Giants (39-40-3), the Yokohama DeNA BayStars (37-38-4) and Hiroshima (37-38-4). Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles outfielder Daisuke Nakashima reacts at third base after hitting a sixth-inning triple against the Saitama Seibu Lions on July 9 at Belluna Dome. (©SANKEI) In other baseball news, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles outfielder Daisuke Nakashima matched an NPB record set by the late Yomiuri Giants legend Shigeo Nagashima on Wednesday, hitting a triple in his fourth consecutive game. Nakashima recorded the three-bagger in the sixth inning against the Saitama Seibu Lions at Belluna Dome. "I ran as hard as I could," Nakashima said of his hit to left-center, Sports Hochi reported. What does matching a record set by Nagashima in 1960 mean to Nakashima? "The fact that everyone still knows him means he was a true superstar," Nakashima said, according to Sports Hochi . "It's only the triples record, but I'm very honored to be able to say it (my name) together with [his]." The Eagles beat the Lions 2-0 in Nakashima's record-tying game. Nakashima, 24, made his NPB debut with Rakuten in 2024. Superstar boxer Naoya Inoue attends a news conference on July 10 in Tokyo. (©SANKEI) The date of undisputed super bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue's next title fight was officially announced on Thursday, July 10. Inoue (30-0, 27 knockouts) will put his four championship belts on the line against Uzbek challenger Murodjon Akhmadaliev (14-1, 11 KOs) on September 14 at Nagoya's IG Arena. "I think I will be fully prepared for the challenge," the 32-year-old Inoue said, according to Kyodo News. "I'm going to get a win." In his most recent bout, Inoue earned an eight-round technical knockout of Ramon Cardenas on May 4 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. After that fight, Inoue said he would hold his next bout in September. Akhmadaliev, 30, is coming off an eighth-round KO of Luis Castillo on May 30 in Guadalajara, Mexico. Former Philadelphia76ers center Jahlil Okafor in a January 2016 file photo. (Ian D'Andrea/CC BY-SA 2.0/via WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Center Jahlil Okafor, the No 3 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, has signed a contract to play for the Levanga Hokkaido. The Levanga announced the signing on Monday, July 7. Hokkaido won only 21 of 60 games in the 2024-25 season, and the team is rebuilding this offseason. Japanese guard Keisei Tominaga, who played sparingly in the NBA G League last season, recently finalized a contract with the team for the 2025-26 season. "Excited to begin my next chapter in Japan," Okafor said in a statement. "Basketball's booming there, and I'm grateful to join a culture known for its passion, discipline and class. Let's work!" The 211-cm Okafor brings extensive experience from his NBA career (2015-2021 and one game for the Indiana Pacers in the 2024-25 season) to the In 248 games (116 starts) for the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, New Orleans Pelicans, Detroit Pistons and Pacers, he averaged 10.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 0.9 assists and 0.8 blocks in 19.5 minutes per game. In the 2015-16 season, Okafor was an NBA All-Rookie Team selection, averaging 17.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He's also suited up for pro teams in China and Puerto Rico. The 29-year-old Chicago native played one season at Duke University before turning pro. In April 2015, in the NCAA championship game against the University of Wisconsin, he scored 10 points in the Blue Devils' 68-63 victory in Indianapolis. Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
The Mainichi
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Football: Ryo Germain nets 4 goals for Japan in 6-1 rout of Hong Kong
YONGIN, South Korea (Kyodo) -- Striker Ryo Germain bagged four goals in 26 first-half minutes as he spearheaded Japan to a 6-1 win against Hong Kong in their opening match of the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Sanfrecce Hiroshima attacker tied the record for most goals by a Japan debutant, after being capped in a Samurai Blue side selected entirely from the domestic J-League by manager Hajime Moriyasu. Germain opened the scoring for the E-1 title holders in the fourth minute at Yong-in Mireu Stadium, controlling Yuki Soma's pass on his chest before volleying past Hong Kong keeper Hung Fai-yapp. He doubled the lead six minutes later, heading home off Soma's cross. Sho Inagaki made it 3-0 before Germain added further goals in the 22nd and 26th minutes, giving Japan a 5-0 halftime lead. Matt Orr pulled one back for Hong Kong in the 59th minute and Sota Nakamura completed the scoring for Japan in injury time. Moriyasu capped several players for the first time, including Nagoya Grampus' Alexandre Pisano, who became the youngest goalkeeper to debut for Japan at 19 years and 179 days. "Germain delivered what we wanted most, which was goals," Moriyasu said. "Many players got their first cap. The whole team gained experience." The Samurai Blue will face China in their next match of the four-team round-robin tournament on Saturday before battling hosts South Korea on Tuesday.
Kyodo News
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Kyodo News
Football: Germain nets 4 goals for Japan in 6-1 rout of Hong Kong
YONGIN, South Korea - Striker Ryo Germain bagged four goals in 26 first-half minutes as he spearheaded Japan to a 6-1 win against Hong Kong in their opening match of the East Asian Football Federation E-1 Championship on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Sanfrecce Hiroshima attacker tied the record for most goals by a Japan debutant, after being capped in a Samurai Blue side selected entirely from the domestic J-League by manager Hajime Moriyasu. Germain opened the scoring for the E-1 title holders in the fourth minute at Yong-in Mireu Stadium, controlling Yuki Soma's pass on his chest before volleying past Hong Kong keeper Hung Fai-yapp. He doubled the lead six minutes later, heading home off Soma's cross. Sho Inagaki made it 3-0 before Germain added further goals in the 22nd and 26th minutes, giving Japan a 5-0 halftime lead. Matt Orr pulled one back for Hong Kong in the 59th minute and Sota Nakamura completed the scoring for Japan in injury time. Moriyasu capped several players for the first time, including Nagoya Grampus' Alexandre Pisano, who became the youngest goalkeeper to debut for Japan at 19 years and 179 days. "Germain delivered what we wanted most, which was goals," Moriyasu said. "Many players got their first cap. The whole team gained experience." The Samurai Blue will face China in their next match of the four-team round-robin tournament on Saturday before battling hosts South Korea on Tuesday.
