Akira Matsunaga (footballer, born 1914) explained

Akira Matsunaga 松永行
Fullname:	Akira Matsunaga
Birth Date:	21 September 1914
Birth Place:	Yaizu, Shizuoka, Empire of Japan
Death Place:	Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands
Position:	Forward
Youthclubs1:	Shida High School
Collegeyears1:	1935–1937
College1:	Tokyo Liberal Arts and Science University
Nationalyears1:	1936
Nationalteam1:	Japan
Nationalcaps1:	2
Nationalgoals1:	1

was a Japanese footballer. He played for the Japan national team. His brother Nobuo Matsunaga and Seki Matsunaga also played for the Japan national team.

National team career

In 1936, when he was a Tokyo Liberal Arts and Science University student, he was selected Japan national team for 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.^[1] At this competition, on 4 August, he debuted and scored a goal against Sweden. Japan completed a come-from-behind victory against Sweden. The first victory in Olympics for the Japan and the historic victory over one of the powerhouses became later known as "Miracle of Berlin" (ベルリンの奇跡) in Japan. In 2016, this team was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame. On 7 August, he also played against Italy. He played 2 games and scored 1 goal for Japan in 1936.^[2]

Death

In 1937, Matsunaga entered the Imperial Japanese Army and served in World War II with the 230th Infantry Regiment as a lieutenant.^[3] ^[4] On 20 January 1943, he was killed in action during the Guadalcanal Campaign at the age of 28.^[5]

National team statistics

^[2]

Japan national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1936	2	1
Total	2	1

External links

- - Japan National Football Team Database
Japan Football Hall of Fame (Japan team at 1936 Olympics) at Japan Football Association
Sports-Reference

Notes and References

Web site: Akira Matsunaga . Olympedia . 23 September 2021.
http://www.jfootball-db.com/en/players/matsunaga_akira_19140921.html Japan National Football Team Database
https://web.archive.org/web/20200417073130/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ma/akira-matsunaga-1.html Akira Matsunaga
Web site: ガダルカナル奪回作戦・陸軍の部隊編成表 . 19 June 2021 . geocities.jp . https://web.archive.org/web/20190101043903/http://www.geocities.jp/a_sbjfg395/8_butai_haichi/g_haken_b.htm . 1 January 2019 . Japanese.
Web site: Olympians Who Were Killed or Missing in Action or Died as a Result of War . https://web.archive.org/web/20200417055433/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/friv/lists.cgi?id=65 . dead . 17 April 2020 . 24 July 2018 . Sports Reference.