プレミアリーグで同じ日に2つのHat-trick・・そこにThe Japan international

2013年3月3日

イングランド　サッカー・プレミアリーグ（Premire league)でマンチェスターユナイテッド（Manchester United）の香川が、ノーリッチ（Norwich）戦で３得点（ハットトリックHat-trick)！というニュースが日本で大きく報じられたけど、あちらではどういう報道なのかとググってみた。で、アイリッシュ・タイムズ（Irishi Times)の報道を見つけた。この日は香川に加えて、ウルグアイ代表でリバプール（Liverpool FC）のルイス・スアレス（Luis Suarez）もハットトリックという報道。で、当たり前だが、”プレミア・リーグでアジア人初のハットトリック”などとという報道ではなく、ただ”マンUの香川がハットトリック”という事実が古くからのサッカーファンとしては嬉しい限りだ。で、”The Japan international” という表現がまたなんとも言えない・・・

Hat-tricks for Suarez and Kagawa

Manchester United's Shinji Kagawa scores his third goal past Norwich City's Mark Bunn at Old Trafford. Photograph: Darren Staples/Reuters

Sat, Mar 02, 2013 Premier League review: Shinji Kagawa scored a hat-trick as Manchester United went 15 points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 4-0 win over Norwich at Old Trafford. The Japan international gave United a 1-0 the lead on the stroke of half-time after Robin van Persie played him in following a first half with few chances. Kagawa then added his second in the 76th minute before he linked up with Wayne Rooney for his third, running on to the striker’s pass to clip into the roof of the net in style. Rooney sealed the comprehensive win with United’s fourth goal in the 90thminute as Alex Ferguson’s side pulled even further clear of rivals Manchester City in the title race In the late kick-off, Luis Suarez scored a hat-trick for Liverpool as they stayed in touch with neighbours Everton and put the pressure on Totenham and Arsenal ahead of tomorrows' north London derby. Stewart Downing opened the scoring for the Reds after just two minutes when he headed home Phillippe Coutinho's cross and the Brazilian then set up the Uruguayan for the first of his three. A fortunate free-kick doubled his tally before the break and immediately after the restart he nutmegged Ali Al-Habsi when scoring his third to move two ahead of United's Robin van Persie in the league scoring charts with 21. Demba Ba gave Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez something to smile about as he fired the Blues to a 1-0 win over West Brom at Stamford Bridge. Benitez faced flak from Chelsea’s own supporters before kick-off and during the first half after his outburst criticising a section of them following the midweek cup win at Middlesbrough. Chelsea went ahead after 26 minutes and held on to move above Tottenham and into third place ahead of Spurs’ derby clash with Arsenal tomorrow. West Brom conceded a corner following a brilliant save by goalkeeper Ben Foster, who tipped David Luiz’s 25-yard free-kick around the post. However, Frank Lampard delivered a testing corner which picked out Luiz, and the defender headed the ball into the path of Ba, allowing the striker to slot home from close range. Lampard almost scored his 200th goal for Chelsea when he put Juan Mata’s pass into the net only for the offside flag to be raised. Marouane Fellaini inspired Everton to a 3-1 win over Reading at Goodison Park. The Belgium international climbed to reach Seamus Coleman’s cross from the right wing to head past Royals goalkeeper Jan Mucha in the 42nd minute before he saw another chance blocked by Ian Harte. Steven Pienaar doubled the Toffees’ advantage in the second half when he was played in by Fellaini and fired home from 20 yards just before the hour mark before Kevin Mirallas added the third. Hal Robson-Kanu pulled one back for Reading but it was scant consolation. Elsewhere, Fulham drew 2-2 with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light after the home side fought back from a two-goal deficit. Dimitar Berbatov put Fulham ahead with a penalty after Craig Gardner fouled Ashkan Dejagah before Sascha Riether made it 2-0 to the Cottagers 10 minutes before the break. Sunderland hit back two minutes later, though, with Gardner atoning for his earlier mistake when he scored from the spot at the other end of the pitch after Danny Graham was pulled back by Philippe Senderos . Stephane Sessegnon then levelled the score when he pounced on Adam Johnson’s deflected cross in the 70th minute. QPR claimed a much-needed 2-1 win over Southampton at St Mary’s on manager Harry Redknapp’s birthday but it was not enough to lift them from the foot of the table. Loic Remy gave QPR the advantage when Junior Hoilett played a ball over the top and found the Frenchman, who lifted the ball over goalkeeper Artur Boruc Gaston Ramirez levelled the score up at 1-1 with a close-range shot on the stroke of half-time but Jay Bothroyd put QPR back in front after the break, moments after goalkeeper Julio Cesar limped off at the other end. Swansea claimed a 1-0 win over Newcastle in their first match since their historic Capital One Cup win over Bradford last weekend. Luke Moore scored in the 85th minute after Newcastle looked to have held the upper hand for much of the game with strikers Papiss Cisse and Yoan Gouffran missing two good scoring chances. West Ham also triumphed 1-0 against Stoke thanks to substitute Jack Collison. Collinson, on for the injured Matt Taylor, put the Hammers ahead in first-half in injury time when he fired past Asmir Begovic after a good run by Ricardo Vaz Te. © 2013 The Irish Times