In one of the most anticipated Round of 16 matches at the World Cup, Brazil came from behind to eliminate Japan in added time. Japanese head coach Hajime Moriyasu admitted that after Casemiro’s equalizer, he had planned to prepare substitutions for extra time, hoping the match would reach that point, but Martinelli’s goal in the 96th minute ended those hopes.
Following the match, Moriyasu took full responsibility for the tactical misstep, admitting he gambled on a plan that could have worked, but luck was not on their side.
“Winning the title was our dream and our goal, and we failed to achieve it. As the head coach, I told them that I was truly sorry for not being good enough to lead them to this level and achieve this objective.”
Footage of Moriyasu publicly apologizing to his players on the field went viral.
Hajime Moriyasu, a former player and a standout for Sanfrecce Hiroshima before becoming Japan’s manager in 2018, believes the gap between Japan and other top teams is narrowing. He stated, “The gap between us is narrowing at the moment. Brazil is a top-class team, and we are clearly getting closer to that level.”
While he may not face consequences for his decisions in the match against Brazil, he is expected to remain in charge of the team. Moriyasu is a highly respected figure in Japan, known for his willingness to drop popular players if he believes they don’t fit well into the team’s collective play. He concluded, “We didn’t manage to achieve our goal this time, but we can aim for the next World Cup, or even the one after that.”