Japan striker Okubo rejoins Kobe from Wolfsburg

June 16, 2009

TOKYO (AFP) – Japan striker Yoshito Okubo has rejoined J-League club Vissel Kobe from Bundesliga champions VfL Wolfsburg, where he spent the past sixth months without much playing time.

Vissel Kobe said Tuesday that 27-year-old Okubo would start training with the team the following day ahead of their next J-League match at the weekend.

Okubo, who spent a disappointing 18 months with Spain’s Real Mallorca until July 2006 in his first European stint, joined the German side last January on a contract through June 2011.

But he has been limited to nine Bundesliga appearances and scored no goal for Wolfsburg.

“I have come back, hoping to restore my intuition for playing matches,” he said, adding that he felt out of form when he recently played for Japan before they qualified for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

Okubo has scored 64 goals in 149 J-League matches since his debut with Cerezo Osaka in 2001 and five goals in 35 international matches for Japan.

After moving to Spain in January 2005, he scored scored only five goals in 39 La Liga appearances.

He returned to Osaka and then moved to Kobe in early 2007.

Okubo said he would try to help Kobe, perennial J-League strugglers, find their way into title contention and, eventually, the AFC Champions League. The club finished 10th in the J-League last year.

“I will give my all as I strongly hope to play in the ACL and win the title with this club.”

Tags: acl, AFC, afc champions league, Bundesliga, Cerezo, cerezo osaka, club japan, german side, intuition, j league, Japan, Kobe, match, moving to spain, Osaka, playing time, real mallorca, South Africa, Spain, stint, striker, title contention, tokyo, VfL, vissel kobe, Wolfsburg, world cup finals, yoshito okubo

Hoarau late-show puts PSG in the driving seat

February 19, 2009

PARIS, Feb 18, 2009 (AFP) – Two late headers by striker Guillaume Hoarau earned Paris Saint-Germain a 2-0 victory over German side Wolfsburg in the first leg of their UEFA Cup round of 32 tie here on Wednesday evening.

Having toiled for long periods of the match, the Parisians seemed to be heading for a disappointing stalemate until Hoarau’s intervention put them firmly in control ahead of the return leg on February 26.

"It’s a while since I was into my true rhythm, so it gives me great pleasure to grab a double this evening," said Hoarau.

"To be fair my team-mates were the providers and I was just the executioner."

In front of a less than capacity Parc des Princes crowd of around 25,000 – which included French president Nicolas Sarkozy – PSG and their opponents played out a cagey first half in which both sides struggled to create chances.

PSG top-scorer Hoarau sidefooted over just after the half hour, while Fabrice Pancrate should have done better than scuff his shot straight at visiting goalkeeper Diego Benaglio when Clement Chantome’s low centre from the left landed at his feet shortly before half-time.

The home side dominated the second period, but on 65 minutes they were given a real scare when goalkeeper Edel flapped at a cross and Yoshito Okubo flashed a close-range half-volley narrowly over the bar.

Wolfsburg, though, became increasingly penned inside their own half as Paul Le Guen’s side poured forward in search of a goal, and with just over 10 minutes remaining Hoarau rose above a flailing Benaglio to head home Jerome Rothen’s inswinging free-kick and give his side the lead.

Benaglio then had to repel a fierce strike from substitute Sebastien Sessegnon, but he was once again culpable of hesitancy when Hoarau leapt unchallenged to power a header into the net from Chantome’s left-wing corner.

Hoarau then spurned two chances to complete his hat-trick, first sending a deft lob against the base of the right-hand post before spooning a right-footed effort over the bar from Sammy Traore’s pass.

Written by: AFP

Tags: Bundesliga, Clement Chantome, diego benaglio, executioner, Fabrice Pancrate, french president nicolas, french president nicolas sarkozy, Germain, german side, Guillaume Hoarau, half volley, hesitancy, jerome rothen, Ligue 1, long periods, nicolas sarkozy, Nicolas Sarkozy - PSG, PARIS, paris saint germain, parisians, Paul Le, paul le guen, president nicolas sarkozy, return leg, Sammy Traore, Sebastien Sessegnon, team mates, top scorer, true rhythm, UEFA Cup, yoshito okubo

Wolfsburg sign Japanese forward

January 3, 2009

WOLFSBURG (SW) – German Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg have signed Japanese forward Yoshito Okubo of Vissel Kobe. This was announced by the player’s current club on Saturday.

The 26-year-old does have some European experience, having played at Real Mallorca in the 2005-06 season when he scored 5 goals in 39 games.

In 2006, Okubo returned to Japan to rejoin his old side Cerezo Osaka but a year later he went on to try his luck at Vissel Kobe. With 25 goals in 62 games, the player attracted Wolfsburg’s interest.

In Germany, the Asian is to strengthen the attack currently formed by Dzeko, Grafite, Saglik and Caiuby.

Written by: Jonathan Roorda