Andrew MCKIRDY - The Japan Times

September 09, 2025

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Andrew MCKIRDY

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Andrew MCKIRDY

Andrew McKirdy is a sports writer for The Japan Times. His main beat is soccer, but he has also covered rugby, tennis, volleyball, golf and even tug-of-war. A native of the Scottish Borders, he has written for The Scotsman newspaper and organized filming for a program on Japanese soccer for ITV television.

SOCCER / World cup

Dec 16, 2012

Corinthians face major challenge against Chelsea

Corinthians manager Tite is aiming to channel the passion of his club's fanatical supporters in Sunday's Club World Cup final, but warns that Chelsea will need no second invitation to exploit any lapse in his players' resolve.

Japan Times

SOCCER / World cup

Dec 15, 2012

Chelsea takes aim at Corinthians after reaching CWC final

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is determined to prove the superiority of European soccer in Sunday's Club World Cup final, but warns that Brazilian opponents Corinthians have the samba magic to jeopardize his side's plans for global domination.

SOCCER / World cup

Dec 14, 2012

Chelsea punches ticket to Club World Cup final

European champions Chelsea cruised into a Club World Cup final showdown against Corinthians after beating Mexico's Monterrey 3-1 in their semifinal on Thursday night.

Japan Times

SOCCER

Dec 13, 2012

Chelsea ready to rise to challenge at Club World Cup

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill admits he is only now beginning to realize how badly rival teams want to win the Club World Cup this week, and is taking nothing for granted in Thursday's semifinal against Monterrey.

Japan Times

SOCCER / World cup

Dec 11, 2012

Benitez plays down pressure as Chelsea arrives for Club World Cup

Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez insists his side is under no extra pressure to win the Club World Cup this week after making an early exit from the Champions League, shrugging off speculation he may lose his job less than three weeks after taking over on an interim basis.

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 7, 2012

Aoyama strike carries Sanfrecce into Club World Cup quarterfinals

J.League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima secured safe passage into the Club World Cup quarterfinals with a 1-0 win over New Zealand's Auckland City in the tournament opener on Thursday.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Dec 6, 2012

Rudderless Gamba pay heavy toll for strategic mistakes

Gamba Osaka's relegation to the second division feels no less shocking now that the dust has settled, but after spending only five weeks of the season outside the bottom three, perhaps the writing was on the wall all along.

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 2, 2012

Yokohama slips past Sagan in finale

Yokohama F. Marinos missed out on a place in next season's Asian Champions League despite beating Sagan Tosu 1-0 on Saturday, as Urawa Reds claimed the qualification spot by finishing third on the final day of the J. League season.

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 1, 2012

Leandro hopes Reysol can still claim Asian Champions League berth

Outgoing J. League title-holders Kashiwa Reysol may have seen their crown handed to a new champion last weekend, but midfielder Leandro Domingues is determined to salvage something from the season as it reaches its conclusion on Saturday.

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Nov 29, 2012

Debut title fitting reward for Sanfrecce's consistent campaign

Sanfrecce Hiroshima may have had to wait until the J. League's 20th season before winning their first piece of silverware, but after clinching the championship with a resounding win in front of a home crowd on Saturday, the achievement will taste all the sweeter.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 24, 2012

Trinita slip past JEF United to earn promotion to first division

Substitute Takenori Hayashi struck with four minutes left on the clock to send Oita Trinita back to the J. League first division with a 1-0 win over JEF United Chiba in the promotion playoffs final on Friday.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 18, 2012

Sanfrecce retain lead despite defeat

Sanfrecce Hiroshima maintained a wafer-thin advantage in the J. League title race despite losing 2-0 to Urawa Reds on Saturday, as Vegalta Sendai closed the gap at the top to one point with two games of the season left to play.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 17, 2012

Ardija striker Ljubijankic focused on avoiding relegation

Omiya Ardija striker Zlatan Ljubijankic sees no reason why his summer move to the J. League should call an end to his international career, but for the time being the Slovenian is more concerned with keeping his struggling club in the first division.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Nov 15, 2012

Sanfrecce, Vegalta prepare for final charge toward title

The 2012 title race has been one of the most open in J. League history, but with only three games of the season left to play, the championship contenders have finally been whittled down to two.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Nov 8, 2012

Oman qualifier brings Japan back to reality after European tour

Japan may have enjoyed dining at soccer's top table in prestige friendlies against France and Brazil last month, but with World Cup-qualifying points at stake in next Wednesday's away trip to Oman, Alberto Zaccheroni's side will have to quickly readjust to the realities of Asian competition.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 8, 2012

Gamba still in danger of relegation despite draw with Reysol

Former J. League champions Gamba Osaka remained deep in relegation trouble despite salvaging a late 2-2 draw with Kashiwa Reysol on Wednesday, while Sanfrecce Hiroshima edged closer to their first-ever title after opening up a two-point gap at the top of the table with three games left to play.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 4, 2012

Shibasaki scores twice as Antlers beat S-Pulse in Nabisco Cup final

Gaku Shibasaki struck twice to help defending champions Kashima Antlers capture the Nabisco Cup for a record fifth time with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Shimizu S-Pulse on Saturday afternoon.

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 28, 2012

Reds blow chance to close gap on leaders

Urawa Reds let a precious chance to make up ground in the J.League title race slip through their fingers after a frustrating 0-0 draw with Cerezo Osaka on Saturday.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Oct 25, 2012

Relegation fears cast long shadow over struggling sides

Another weekend of mixed results has left this year's J. League championship race as opaque as ever, but after further movement at the bottom of the table, the relegation battle is looking even harder to call.

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 21, 2012

Gamba improve survival chances

Gamba Osaka took decisive action in their bid to avoid J.League first-division relegation with a 3-2 win over Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.

The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight

By Mai Yoshikawa

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Maruhachi never sleeps in quest for better futons

Maruhachi never sleeps in quest for better futons

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