Match report: Argentina VS Korea

Hi, this is Ken!

It’s been just one week since the World Cup started.

I’m having so much fun here. I do feel time flies.

The other day, we had a chance to have dinner with Toshiya Miura, the coach of J-League club Vissel Kobe. 

He was so generous as to let us take a picture together and give us a permission to upload the picture on this website. 

We are so happy about it!

Taking with him, I could feel his intelligence. I think such a coach will lead Japanese football in the future.

He came to South America as a NHK commentator on World Cup.

And he will commentate on the game of Korea against Argentina.

It is not exaggeration to say that Korea is the number one team in Asia.

We went to Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, where the opening game was held.

It was the afternoon game, which started at 13:30 local time.

For a few days, it’s been unusually cold in Johannesburg and its vicinity.

 But we took seats in the sun, so we could watch the game in T-shirts, taking off long-sleeved clothes as well as down jackets. 

On the contrary, it was very cold in the main stand which was in the shade.

 A guy who watched the game there told me he needed his gloves. 

So, in going to see the game here, we need to consider these temperature differences and prepare clothes for both hot and cold weather.

On taking a seat, I was very surprised to find that a man sitting next to me was the one who had also sat next to me in the game of Brazil against North Korea!!

He talked to me, “I know you. You were sitting next to me the day before yesterday, weren’t you?”

Sure I was. It was the game at Ellis Park Stadium. I clearly remembered him because he was cheering for North Korea loudly. And we had a chat a little bit at that time.

What a coincidence!! 

We bought a ticket individually, and there were as many as 80,000 people in the stadium!!

After a while, I found that he also works as a freelance consultant. We were getting to know each other well, and he treated me to a coke!!

He is cheering for Korea today. Why on earth is he doing this?

He asked me, “Which team are you cheering for?”

I answered, “Well, I’ll go Korea as the same Asian.

He said, “You must be kidding! The English never cheer for Scotland!!”

But actually, I wouldn’t be really happy if Korea should win the game. This is because beating Argentina means Japan’s eternal rival would make a breakthrough to surprise the whole world.     

I had an ambivalent feeling: don’t lose, but don’t win… Maybe, a draw sounded fair enough.

By the way, Atsushi cheered for Korea, as he had many Korean friends.

In the stadium, there were many Korean supporters who wore striking “red devils”. Korean supporters showed their presence, though they were outnumbered by Argentina supporters. 

A huge Korean national flag.

I don’t know why, but they were cheering for Korea.

I saw many Korean beautiful women. Take a look at “Miss World Cup －Korea－” here.

During the game, Argentina supporters were being really excited. The final result was 4-1. After the game, they looked calm and composed in such an overwhelming victory.   

Even though I didn’t feel like cheering for Korea from the bottom of my heart, I did feel disappointed at their loss as the same Asian. It’s complicated.

By the way, as you can see a picture above, we got limited-version T-shirts from “Tokyo Airlines” Project, which I agree with their ideas.

They work under the concept of “Travel more!!” and “Travel cool!!”.

They’ve made “cool Japan T-shirts” for South Africa World Cup.

Back side of the T-shirt.

They put their hope into this T-shirt that supporters who have no choice but to give up coming to South Africa as well as those who can make it to see the game in South Africa could enjoy the World Cup.

In the front side, they put the letters of “Tokyo” and “Hinomaru Japan”; in the back side, a puma with the same color as the national flag in South Africa. Wearing this T-shirt, let’s get along with South Africans.

Personally, this is not a product with classical image of “Samurai” or “Geisya”, but a cool and fashionable Japanese product.

Please check out the website below. You can buy this T-shirt on this website.

（http://www.tokyoairlines.jp/）

Front

Back: A puma is the one of the five biggest animals in South Africa. (Big5)

Argentina’s striker Higuaín, who hadn’t played well in the previous game, scored a hat trick today. Maradona’s tactics might have worked very well.

Well, I am relaxing in Johannesburg today, and tomorrow I will move to Durban, where the game of Samurai Japan against Netherlands is to be held.