Hosts off to winning start in sold-out arena

30 Nov. 2019

Hosts off to winning start in sold-out arena

After an impressive and inspiring opening ceremony, a nervous Japan got off to a slow start against their South American opponents Argentina before eventually settling and taking a four-goal victory (24:20).

Going into the game both teams knew it could already be a decisive step on the way to a main round place with Japan coach Ulrik Kirkely admitting before that “DR Congo, Argentina, China and ourselves will have tough matches against each other for the last ticket to the main round.”

GROUP D
Japan vs Argentina 24:20 (14:10)

A dream which started back in October 2013 when Japan were awarded the hosting rights to the 2019 IHF Women’s World Championship, was finally realised as the host nation threw-off the 96-game event with a win, sending home nearly 10,000 fans inside the sold-out Park Dome Kumamoto happy.

But it was the visitors who opened the scoring as Luciana Mendoza sunk home as her side looked to overturn the odds of winning, having lost clearly (27:18) against Japan in Norway back in late September at the Intersport Cup in Norway.

The Argentina 1:0 lead was to prove to be the only one for the South American side though as Japan went in front through eventual best player of the match Mana Ohyama (2:1) in the fourth minute. Yuki Tanabe had opened the scoring for Japan a minute earlier to an ecstatic response.

However, the strike-rate for Japan was woefully low as nerves played their part with six attempts either saved or missed in the first 10 minutes, although Argentina goalkeeper Marisol Carratu broke little sweat in stopping the ball which, at times, was struck straight at her.

After 12 minutes, just six goals had been scored in the match in total as Japan opened a two-goal lead (4:2) and then, as Argentina threatened to come back at 6:5 down, Kirkely asked reserve goalkeeper Yumi Miyakawa to warm-up with Sakura Kametani below her usual performances levels in goal.

At 8:5 a first team time out came on the 18 minute mark with goalkeeping coach Antoni Parecki deep in conversation with Kametani and this seemed to work wonders as Japan opened their lead to five (10:5) in the 22nd minute and kept the distance until just before the half-time break, scoring freely, despite being down to five players at one point thanks to two two-minute suspensions.

The second half opened with Kametani slotting home full length into an empty net as Argentina, suffering a two-minute suspension from the first half, took off their goalkeeper to maximise their attack. The lead Asian side continued at around the three or four goal lead for most of the second half, which even rose to six with under a quarter of the game left. 

Kirkely experimented with 7 v 6 a number of times in the last 10 minutes as a tired Argentina knew the game was up (21:15), and when the final whistle sounded a loud round of applause greeted ‘Orihime Japan’.

They had got their campaign off to a winning start and walked a lap of honour around the court in appreciation of the support received on a successful day at the office.

But Kirkely and his players will know tougher tests lay ahead and with nine two-minute suspensions, a 56% shot-to-goal ratio and two out of five seven-metres missed, they know that tomorrow’s rest day will be no time to relax.

hummel Player of the Match: Mana Ohyama, Japan

Photo: Yukihito Taguchi/Japan 2019