Sorimachi Gambles on Youngsters Blossoming in China

Japan's Olympic football team coach Yasuharu Sorimachi gambles on youth alone for his Olympic team. Having seen both his choices for overage players fall by the wayside, Japan will be going to the games with no overage players on the team. While this will mean there is no disruption with the addition of new players, it does leave the team light on experience and firepower.

Although the team has plenty of potential in defence and midfield, it looks like the team may struggle to score goals. None of the candidates up front have really convinced during qualification. In particular, former Grampus striker seems a bit of gamble, since he has scored only two goals in nine games for Montedio. His selection looks as though it is based on the hope that he can form a good partnership with former Grampus colleague Keisuke Honda.

Japan U-23 Squad for Beijing
GK: Kaito Yamamoto (Shimizu S-Pulse)
GK: Shusaku Nishikawa (Oita Trinita)
DF: Hiroki Mizumoto (Kyoto Sanga)
DF: Yuto Nagatmo (FC Tokyo)
DF: Masato Morishige (Oita Trinita)
DF: Michihiro Yasuda (Gamba Osaka)
DF: Atsuto Ushida (Kashima Antlers)
DF: Maya Yoshida (Nagoya Grampus)
MF: Takuya Honda (Shimizu S-Pulse)
MF: Hiroyuki Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale)
MF: Yohei Kajiyama (FC Tokyo)
MF: Hajime Hosogai (Urawa Reds)
MF: Keisuke Honda (VVV Venlo)
MF: Shinji Kagawa (Cerezo Osaka)
FW: Yohei Toyoda (Montedio Yamagata)
FW: Tadanari Lee (Kashiwa Reysol)
FW: Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse)
FW: Takayuki Morimoto (Calcio Catania)