According to Sports Nippon, Japanese goalkeeper Zion Suzuki saved the third penalty in a shootout during the Kirin Cup, helping Japan defeat Ecuador 5-4 and advance to the final.

Suzuki commented on the save, saying: "I focused on the ball and felt that if the opponent didn't place the shot perfectly, I might be able to save it. During that save, I intentionally moved early and also observed the opponent's characteristics." He added: "It would have been better if I had saved one more to make the game more comfortable, but getting an early advantage was still good."

The Japanese team was practicing penalties for the World Cup, and goalkeepers also trained how to react after being deceived by opponents. Suzuki said: "We have been practicing these things during our World Cup preparations, and I think this time it really showed the results of that training." He believes penalties will also be crucial in the Asian Cup and stated that he needs to be ready not only for penalty shootouts but also for defending penalties during regular time.

Suzuki's long and medium-range passes frequently initiated Japan's attacks, and some spectators were impressed with his long-range distribution. He said with a wry smile: "Even on a mistake, the stands erupted. I was thinking to myself: 'That was clearly an error.'" He explained that the opponent's man-marking was tight, and he created several direct opportunities; when opponents concentrated in the central area, space opened up elsewhere, and he looked for those gaps and the positioning of the attackers before passing.

Traduzido por IA.

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