Tokyo Olympics – Preview: Saudi Arabia determined to impress on long awaited return

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tokyo Olympics – Preview: Saudi Arabia determined to impress on long awaited return

Tokyo: A quarter of a century since their first and only appearance in men’s football at the Olympic Games, Saudi Arabia are hopeful of leaving their mark in the Japanese capital.

The Green Falcons were the first Group D side to arrive in Japan following a week-long training camp in the Romanian capital Bucharest.

www.the-afc.com/en/national/afc_u23_asian_cup/video/afcu23_-_final_korea_republic_1-0_saudi_arabia_aet.html

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Tokyo Olympics – Preview: AFC U23 Champions Korea Republic aiming for more glory in Japan

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tokyo Olympics – Preview: AFC U23 Champions Korea Republic aiming for more glory in Japan

Tokyo: 2020 AFC U-23 Championship winners Korea Republic are set to appear in their ninth consecutive Summer Olympics and could be on course to repeat their medal-winning heroics from 2012.

Korea Republic have always put a major focus on the football competition at the Olympic Games and with this year's tournament being so close to home, there is no doubt that Kim Hak-bum's men will be highly motivated to shine at Tokyo 2020.

Tokyo Olympics – Preview: Japan primed to end long wait for podium finish

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tokyo Olympics – Preview: Japan primed to end long wait for podium finish

Tokyo: Japan aim to put an end to their medal drought with an ensemble of youth and experience for their highest finish at their home Olympics in Tokyo.

Hajime Moriyasu is confident of glory on home soil ahead of Tokyo 2020, with the 53-year-old tactician having chosen the players who will give Japan the best chance of achieving success that has eluded them since the heights of 1968.

Tokyo Olympics – Preview: Australia's Olyroos out to shock the world

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tokyo Olympics – Preview: Australia's Olyroos out to shock the world

Tokyo: After a 13-year absence Australia are back on the men’s Olympics football stage, now they’re out to become the Tokyo Games’ greatest surprise package.

Having battled travel restrictions, squad upheaval and a dearth of chances to get on to the same pitch, the Olyroos find themselves in arguably the toughest group in the competition, but Graham Arnold’s men have no shortage of belief.

Tokyo Olympics - Preview: China PR's Steel Roses aim to lay early marker against Brazil

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tokyo Olympics - Preview: China PR's Steel Roses aim to lay early marker against Brazil

Tokyo: Jia Xiuquan’s China PR are determined to shine when they go head to head against South American powerhouse Brazil in Group F of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Women's football tournament at the Miyagi Stadium in Rifu on Wednesday.

There will be a sense of familiarity as the two also squared off in the 2016 Rio Olympics, with Brazil coming out 3-0 victors to finish as group winners ahead of second-placed China PR.

Tokyo Olympics - Preview: Japan’s Nadeshiko fully focused ahead of opener against Canada

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tokyo Olympics - Preview: Japan’s Nadeshiko fully focused ahead of opener against Canada

Hokkaido: Japan will be aiming to replicate the victory achieved the last time they played Canada in the Women’s Olympics football tournament when they face off in their opening Tokyo 2020 Group E match on Wednesday. 

The two teams met in the 2012 edition, where the Nadeshiko secured a 2-1 win over the Canadians in their group opener. It proved to be a vital victory as goalless draws with Sweden and South Africa followed, with Japan - then the reigning FIFA Women’s World Cup champions - advancing to the quarter-finals with Canada also ultimately going through.

Japan then beat Brazil and France to reach the final, losing 2-1 to the United States to secure their best-ever finish in the Olympics.

Tokyo Olympics - Preview: Australia's Matildas out to hit ground running in curtain-raiser against New Zealand

Thu, 28 Oct, 2021

Tokyo Olympics - Preview: Australia's Matildas out to hit ground running in curtain-raiser against New Zealand

Tokyo: It may be the opening match of the competition, but Australia will likely see Wednesday’s Tokyo Olympics clash against New Zealand as a must win proposition.

Winless in five matches under new head coach Tony Gustavsson, and with global heavyweights Sweden and USA still to come in a high-quality Group G, the match at Tokyo Stadium has taken on far greater importance than a usual tournament curtain-raiser.

So far, the Gustavsson era has been both experimental and made more difficult by various factors brought to the fore by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the time for tinkering is over, with the result of utmost importance for the Matildas.