"I've blown it." That's what 21-year-old Japanese men's goalball player Kazuya Kaneko thought when he failed to score what seemed like an easy shot at the start of a game against Algeria at the Tokyo Paralympics on Wednesday.
Early in the game, Japan was awarded a penalty throw, similar to a penalty kick in soccer. Algeria had to defend with just one player when Kaneko fired the ball toward their net -- and missed.
But he quickly changed his thinking to "I'll get it back." After blocking an Algerian shot at Japan's net, he threw the ball again. This time he scored, as the ball went home in the right corner of the goal.
In the end, Japan beat Algeria by 13-4 to win its first Group A preliminary match.
The players did not ease up in their attacks. Junior high school students who watched the game through a field trip program clapped loudly each time Japan scored.
Kaneko scored seven of Japan's goals, playing a key role in the victory.
The Japanese players were anxious because they had long been unable to play against foreign teams due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. In a friendly match against Ukraine just before the tournament, Japan lost with problems in its defense.
After experiencing the power of foreign players firsthand, they concentrated on practicing with a mental picture of a powerfully thrown ball. The results of their efforts were evident.
Not only Kaneko, but each of the players showed their ability, with Koji Miyajiki scoring three goals. "Our style is to win by being aggressive rather than defending," coach Rikiya Kudo said.
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