Vissel Kobe 1 Bolton Wanderers 1
By Mark Heys
July 26 2005
El-Hadji Diouf struck on the hour to earn Bolton Wanderers a point in the opening game of their Japan tour against Vissel Kobe earlier today.
By Mark Heys
July 26 2005
El-Hadji Diouf struck on the hour to earn Bolton Wanderers a point in the opening game of their Japan tour against Vissel Kobe earlier today.
The often conteraversial striker netted on 61 minutes to cancel out an earlier header by defender Kunie Kitamoto, in an effort which had given Kobe a shock lead against the Premiership side shortly after half time.
Last season's J-league strugglers nearly took the lead on seven minutes when Kitamoto saw his powerful header rebound back off the post and into the arms of Bolton's debutant goalkeeper Ian Walker following a dangerous free kick from Pavel Horvy.
Walker made a couple of notable saves early on in the game to keep the scoreline goalless, firstly, the former Spurs man stopped Kamoto from close range and then saved a good low effort from Kazuyoshi Mirua following an excellent team move.
Powerful defender Radhi Jaidi then thought he had headed Bolton into the lead, but the referee's assistant blew for an offside decision against the Tunisian international following Ivan Campo's free kick.
Vissel keeper Kota Ogi then had to be at his very best to keep out a long range piledriver from the Wanderers captain Jay-Jay Okocha, who was showing signs of getting back to his best with a competent display.
Kitamoto then gave the hosts the lead just after the interval on 51 minutes, with a header past Wanderers goalkeeper Walker to delight the strong number of home supporters who had turned out to see their local club.
The celebrations proved to be shortlived though, as Diouf took advantage of some indecisive Kobe defending to head home Ivan Campo's set-piece past the despairing Ogi on 61 minutes.
Substitutes Gary Speed and Kevin Nolan both had chances to win the game for Sam Allardyce's Bolton team late in the day, but where unable to get enough accuracy on their attempts to beat the impressive Kobe goalkeeper.
Bolton Wanderers: Ian Walker, Nicky Hunt, Jarostaw Fojut, Radhi Jaidi (Gary Speed), Bruno N'Gotty, Ivan Campo, Ricardo Vaz Te, Jay-Jay Okocha (Kevin Nolan), Khalilou Fadiga (Joey O'Brien), Johann Smith (James Sinclair), El-Hadji Diouf (Kevin Davies)
Vissel Kobe: Kota Ogi, Kunie Kitamoto, Naoya Saeki, Hiroyuki Komoto, Kang Jo Park, Tatsuya Tanaka (Tomo Sugawara), Pavel Horvy, Roger Machado Marques, Diego Souza, Tomoyuki Hirase, Kazuyoshi Mirua
Last season's J-league strugglers nearly took the lead on seven minutes when Kitamoto saw his powerful header rebound back off the post and into the arms of Bolton's debutant goalkeeper Ian Walker following a dangerous free kick from Pavel Horvy.
Walker made a couple of notable saves early on in the game to keep the scoreline goalless, firstly, the former Spurs man stopped Kamoto from close range and then saved a good low effort from Kazuyoshi Mirua following an excellent team move.
Powerful defender Radhi Jaidi then thought he had headed Bolton into the lead, but the referee's assistant blew for an offside decision against the Tunisian international following Ivan Campo's free kick.
Vissel keeper Kota Ogi then had to be at his very best to keep out a long range piledriver from the Wanderers captain Jay-Jay Okocha, who was showing signs of getting back to his best with a competent display.
Kitamoto then gave the hosts the lead just after the interval on 51 minutes, with a header past Wanderers goalkeeper Walker to delight the strong number of home supporters who had turned out to see their local club.
The celebrations proved to be shortlived though, as Diouf took advantage of some indecisive Kobe defending to head home Ivan Campo's set-piece past the despairing Ogi on 61 minutes.
Substitutes Gary Speed and Kevin Nolan both had chances to win the game for Sam Allardyce's Bolton team late in the day, but where unable to get enough accuracy on their attempts to beat the impressive Kobe goalkeeper.
Bolton Wanderers: Ian Walker, Nicky Hunt, Jarostaw Fojut, Radhi Jaidi (Gary Speed), Bruno N'Gotty, Ivan Campo, Ricardo Vaz Te, Jay-Jay Okocha (Kevin Nolan), Khalilou Fadiga (Joey O'Brien), Johann Smith (James Sinclair), El-Hadji Diouf (Kevin Davies)
Vissel Kobe: Kota Ogi, Kunie Kitamoto, Naoya Saeki, Hiroyuki Komoto, Kang Jo Park, Tatsuya Tanaka (Tomo Sugawara), Pavel Horvy, Roger Machado Marques, Diego Souza, Tomoyuki Hirase, Kazuyoshi Mirua
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