Penalty flop Komano to receive medal
Reuters - Friday 02 July 2010, 05:26
TOKYO - Japan defender Yuichi Komano is
poised to get a medal after his missed penalty kick led to the
country's World Cup exit in the last 16.
The governor of Komano's native Wakayama prefecture told
Japanese media on Friday he wanted to present Komano with the
medal for his efforts in South Africa.
"We would like to present Komano with a medal for giving
people such dreams and emotions," said Yoshinobu Nisaka
Wakayama, who watched Japan's penalty shootout defeat by
Paraguay at a public viewing area with Komano's mother.
The medal is unlikely to offer much consolation to Komano
after he missed Japan's third kick in the shootout in Pretoria.
"I just kept looking at the floor but my team-mates helped
lift me," said the player. "(Defender) Tulio told me he
would've missed it too. At least I could come home with my head
up."
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