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Monday March 16, 2009

Miura stretches his record as oldest goal scorer

TOKYO: Timeless Japanese football star Kazuyoshi Miura, the 1993 Asian Player of the Year and known as “King Kazu” to his fans, has stretched his own record of the oldest scorer in J-League.

The midfielder scored from a penalty kick in the 12th minute in his club Yokohama FC’s 2-1 defeat to Kumamoto in a J-League Second Division match at home on Saturday.

He was 42 years and 16 days.

“I only had to concentrate on kicking,” he told reporters. “I didn’t think about failing or any other unnecessary things. But it was really scary as the ball hit the (goalkeeper’s) hand.”

Miura, who started his professional career at a youth club in Brazil at 15 and returned to Japan in 1990, scored his first J-League goal in 1993.

Saturday’s was his 151st goal in J-League, closing on Masashi Nakayama’s record of 157 goals.

“I do remember my first goal. I was really feeling strongly about scoring a goal at that time,” Miura said. “Now I have to do different things — defending, crossing and dribbling. They are all as valuable as scoring a goal.” — AFP

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