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Daizen Maeda, who joined Premier League side Ipswich Town from Celtic this summer, scored his first Premier League goal in the away match against league leaders Manchester City on Matchday 7, played locally on October 17. Trailing 1-0 in the 21st minute, he broke in behind the defense and drilled a left-footed shot to level the score. Since his move, Maeda had been getting playing time but struggling to find the net, so the thread was split between celebration and harsh verdicts like “he’s just not cutting it technically in the Premier League,” with the discussion spreading into comparisons with Ao Tanaka, who’s also adjusting to a new league this season at Leeds.

In Premier League Matchday 7, played locally on October 17, Ipswich Town — who signed Daizen Maeda from Celtic this summer — took on mighty Manchester City away at the Etihad.

Maeda, starting the match, scored his first ever Premier League goal.

Down 1-0 in the 21st minute, he ran onto a pass from behind the defense and struck a left-footed shot home to level the match.

Source: soccerdigestweb.com / Original article here

※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisoku Sokuho+) thread “[Soccer] Daizen Maeda scores long-awaited first Premier League goal against mighty Man City! Left-footed strike nets the equalizer“.

It’s been about three months since the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada, wrapped up this summer. According to US research firm Nielsen, the number of people identifying as soccer fans rose from 66.8 million last summer to 75.2 million as of this July — a 27% jump compared to 2022. Reaction on the 5ch Geinou/Sports News+ board split over the data, with some pointing to rising viewership for MLS and the Premier League, while others urged caution, citing how the buzz after the 1994 World Cup also proved temporary. The discussion also touched on soccer’s cultural fit (or lack thereof) alongside football and MLB, and the impact of MLS’s exclusive broadcast deal with Apple TV.

Both MLS and the Premier League reportedly seeing rising popularity

About three months have passed since the excitement of the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada this summer. So where does soccer’s popularity in America stand now?

US outlet Nielsen has released data showing a major surge in American interest in soccer following the World Cup. The number of self-identified soccer fans grew from 66.8 million last summer to 75.2 million as of this July — marking a 27% expansion in the fan base since 2022.

Source: theworldmagazine.jp / Read the original article here

*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “Will the 2026 World Cup Make Soccer Stick in America? Post-World Cup Popularity in Focus — ‘The World Cup Could Be the Spark for Soccer’s Explosive Growth in North America’.”

Former Japan national team manager Hajime Moriyasu attended an event in Shizuoka City on the 17th, and when asked about the gap between Japan and Brazil — who beat Japan at the North/Central America World Cup — he pointed to “the speed of decision-making.” He recalled a moment where Vinicius easily nutmegged Takehiro Tomiyasu, and another where Kaishu Sano was knocked off balance and fell on his backside, saying “I’d never seen anything like that before.” His successor has already been decided: Tsuyoshi Oiwa, manager of Japan’s U-21 national team. Commenters on the thread were split over whether the gap came down to individual player ability or to managerial decisions — epitomized by Carlo Ancelotti’s in-game adjustments.

Japan national team manager Hajime Moriyasu attended an event in Shizuoka City on the 17th themed “Looking Back on the World Cup.” Asked about the gap with Brazil, who beat Japan at the tournament co-hosted by three North/Central American nations, he said, “What I felt the difference in was the speed of decision-making.” He also brought up Vinicius’s dribbling, recalling, “There was a moment where Tomiyasu got nutmegged easily, and another where Sano (Kaishu) was knocked off balance and fell on his backside. I’d never seen anything like that before.”

On Tsuyoshi Oiwa, manager of the U-21 (under-21) national team who has already been named his successor, Moriyasu said, “I hope he’ll boldly take on the challenge of winning the game right in front of him, for the sake of Japanese football’s development.”

Source: 47news.jp / Original article here

※This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (Geisoku Sokuho+) thread “[Soccer] The Gap with Brazil Was ‘Decision-Making’ — Japan Manager Moriyasu.”