Amidst the joyous atmosphere of Japan's 1-0 victory over Mali in the second round of the Olympic men's soccer tournament, which saw them advance out of the group, midfielder Satoshi Kawasaki, however, expressed his deep remorse for his own mistakes in the post-match interview. He expressed great regret and remorse for the penalty kick given to the opponent in the extra time of the match.
Satoru Kawasaki candidly stated, "I don't really remember much about that penalty kick, but I can feel the tension and remorse at that moment. I was going to avoid any action that could have triggered the penalty, but from the video replay, my hand did go up when it shouldn't have." He admitted that his action was reckless at that crucial moment and with the score on the line, and as an attacking player, he found it hard to accept.
"I gave the other team a penalty kick that could have been avoided, and it was a mistake I couldn't forgive myself for on the field." Sata Kawasaki continued, "Although I didn't lose focus on the game, I am deeply ashamed of my negligence in that moment. I said sorry to my entire teammates because every effort they made deserves to be cherished together, whereas my mistake could have spoiled the outcome of the entire match."
He emphasized that today's victory was a result of the team's joint efforts and that his teammates' outstanding performance provided him with an opportunity for redemption. "Everyone saved me today, they covered up my mistakes with their performances and gave me a chance to make amends in the next game." Sata Kawasaki said that he will turn this self-doubt into motivation and try to be the player who can save the team in the upcoming matches.
