In order to advance to the next round of the World Cup in Russia, Japan played a match against Poland.
Out of the four teams playing in the league group, only two teams can advance to the next round of the tournament.
At this point, Japan had gained one victory and one draw, so would be able to advance even if they drew with Poland.
Scoring no victories and having been defeated twice, Poland had already lost its chance to advance.
However, as Poland’s FIFA ranking was 8th as opposed to Japan’s 61st, they felt they had to win so as not to lose face.
As the match drew to a close, Japan’s score stood at 0-1, but the Japanese players suddenly stopped advancing towards Poland’s goal, instead passing the ball amongst themselves.
Meanwhile, in the same group during a match that began at the same time as Japan’s, Columbia scored a goal against Senegal making the score 1-0.
Poland’s players, who were simply hoping to win the match, also didn’t move towards the opposing team’s goal.
This tedious situation continued for over 10 minutes till the end of the game, drawing boos from the spectators.
If both games ended this way, Japan and Senegal would be tied with the same scores.
However, Japan would be able to advance because they had fewer fouls.
However, if Senegal scored one goal, or if any Japanese players received two yellow cards, Senegal, rather than Japan would advance.
Afraid to lose a point by advancing towards the opponent’s goal, the team’s coach NISHINO Akira bet that both games would end with no change in the score. His plan was successful.
While Japan has been praised for putting a high value on fair play, it has also been criticized for its overly-cautious tactics.
ワールドカップ
wa-rudokappu
(the) World Cup
決勝ラウンド
kesshou raunndo
(the) next round
進出を
shinnshutsu wo
to advance to
ポーランド
po-ranndo
Poland
戦いました。
tatakai mashita.
played (a) match
グループリーグ
guru-pu ri-gu
(the) league group
4チームが
yonn chi-mu ga
(the) four teams
総当たりし、
souatari shi,
playing
2チームが
ni chi-mu ga
only two teams
決勝トーナメント
kesshou to-namennto
(the) next round of (the) tournament
進出できます。
shinnshutu dekimasu.
can advance
それまで
soremade
at this point
1勝1分け
isshou ichiwake
one victory (and) one draw
ポーランド
po-ranndo
Poland
引き分け
hikiwake
(they) drew
進出できます。
sinnshutsu dekimasu.
would be able to advance
ポーランドは、
po-ranndo ha
Poland
0勝
zero shou
scoring no victories
2敗で
ni hai de
(and) having been defeated twice
敗退が決定しています
haitai ga kettei shiteimasu
had lost (its) chance to advance
FIFAランキングでは
fifa rannkinngu deha
(as) Poland’s FIFA ranking
8位。
hachi i.
(was) eighth
61位の日本に、
rokujyuuiti i no nihonn ni,
(as opposed to) sixty-first Japan’s
メンツにかけて
menntsu ni kakete
so as not to lose face
負けるわけにはいきません。
makeru wakeni ha ikimasenn.
(they) felt (they) had to win
終盤で
shuubann de
(as the) match drew to a close
0-1でリードされていました
zero ichi de ri-do sarete imashita.
(the) score stood at zero to one
ポーランドのゴール
po-ranndo no go-ru
Poland’s goal
攻め込むのを
semekomu no wo
advancing
日本人選手
nihonnjinn sennshu
(the) Japanese players
同士で
doushi de
themselves amongst
回し始めました。
mawashi hajime mashita.
passing
同時刻
doujikoku
the same time (as Japan’s)
行われた
okonawareta
(that) began
同じグループ
onaji guru-pu
(the) same group
コロンビアが
koronnbia ga
Columbia
1―0と
ichi zero to
(the score) one to zero
なったからです。
nattakara desu.
making (meanwhile)
今大会で
konntaikai de
the match
初勝利をめざす
hatushouri wo mezasu
to win (who) were simply hoping
ポーランドの選手
po-ranndo no sennshu
Poland’s players
攻めようとはしません。
semeyou toha shimasenn.
didn’t move (towards the opposing team’s goal)
終了時間
shuuryou jikann
(the) end of (the) game
10分
jyuppunn
for ten minutes
動かないゲームに
ugokanai ge-mu ni
tedious situation
観客
kannkyaku
(the) spectators
ブーイングが
bu-inngu ga
boos
起こりました。
okori mashita.
drawing
セネガルは
senegaru ha
Senegal
終わります
owarimasu
would be tied
少ない
sukunai
(they) had fewer
進出できます。
shinnshutsu dekimasu.
would be able to advance (because)
セネガルが
senegaru ga
Senegal
日本選手が
nihonn sennshu ga
any Japanese players
イエローカードを
ier- ka-do wo
yellow card
もらえば、
moraeba,
received if
セネガルが
senegaru ga
Senegal
進出します。
shinnshutsu shimasu.
would advance
西野朗監督は
nishino akira kanntoku ha
Nishino Akira (the) team’s coach
攻めて
semete
by advancing towards (the) opponent’s goal
失点するのを
shittenn suruno wo
to lose (a) point
そのまま
sonomama
with no change in (the) score
試合が
shiai ga
(both) games
かけたのです。
kaketa no desu.
bet
戦術は
sennjyutsu ha
(his) plan
成功しました。
seikou shimashita.
was successful
フェアプレーを
feapure- wo
fair play
心がけ、
kokorogake,
putting a high value on
賞賛されてきました
shousann sarete kimashita
has been praised
慎重すぎる
shinnchousugiru
overly-cautious
戦術
sennjyutsu
tactics
批判もあります。
hihann mo arimasu.
(it) has also been criticized