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MATCH
Match Report
After earning a draw in their last match, away against Oita Trinita, Verdy had made it through the first four matches of the season without a loss. Now entering a period of consecutive home matches with three days of rest in between, the team began their quest for two straight wins by facing Avispa Fukuoka, an opponent who they had not only failed to defeat in the last campaign, but also failed to score a single goal against.
In their last match, Verdy changed systems at half time and on this occasion, they took the
pitch with a modified starting lineup. Hiroki Sugajima was brought into the fold at right wing back, while Shion Inoue slotted in at inside half, forming a partnership with fellow academy product Kota Watanabe. Lastly, Ryohei Hayashi began the match alongside Douglas as a front two.
Knowing that the Fukuoka players excel at getting back in defense, Verdy began the match by
moving the ball out wide and probing for gaps. However, they struggled to maintain possesion
on the front line and lost the initiative in attack, soon finding themselves pushed back into their own half. In the 19th minute, Fukuoka’s one-touch passing led to an opening on the right side and an unmarked shot off of a shallow cross, but the covering Akira Ibayashi was able to block the effort. In the 22nd minute, another passage of quick passing play led to a shot from the penalty area which Naoto Kamifukumoto kept out with a fine save. After this series of create clear cut chances, Fukuoka found themselves with firm control of the game. Though they tried to get forward on the counter, the Verdy back line had dropped deep and the team were unable to carry the ball to the front line, even when they did win possession. Though they were able to prevent any further chances for the opposition, Verdy could not keep control of the ball and ended the first half lacking the rhythm to push back.
With each player having received detailed individual instructions at half time, Verdy resumed the match after the break and gradually began to reclaim the pace. Shion Inoue occupied a higher position than in the first half and made himself the center of passing play, pointing the team forward and helping them carry the match inside the opposition half. Before long, the Verdy bench made early moves, inserting Shogo Hayashi for Sugajima in the 58th minute and Carlos for Ryohei Hayashi in the 61st. Both decisions would soon bear fruit. In the 69th minute, Shogo Hayashi intercepted an opposition clearance and found space for a shot. The ball took a deflection off a defender in front of goal and rolled into open space. Carlos made a run onto the loose ball and volleyed home, granting Verdy the lead. Though past experience has seen the team drop back after going up a goal, this time the lead pushed the Verdy attack up a gear. With the whole squad pressing high up the pitch, Verdy began to win the physical contest and were able to collect the second ball and regain possession quickly, even after losing it, leading to attacking play on the short counter. As Fukuoka began to push for the equalizer, Verdy took advantage of the increased space to create opportunities. Douglas spurned a clear chance in the 75th minute, while Carlos’s shot from the resulting corner kick was kept out after a desperate block by an opposition defender. In the 82nd minute, Carlos broke free on the counter down the left side, electing for a low shot from a diagonal angle that went agonizingly wide. While these chances didn’t lead to a second goal, the Verdy defense held firm, for the most part, against the opposition counter attack. As they say, however, shadow falls light. In the 88th minute, a grounder by Fukuoka’s Euller in front of the Verdy goal took an odd bounce on the slippery pitch surface and was deflected into the back of the net, off the hand of Kamifukumoto. Thus, Verdy conceded the equalizer with just minutes left. Alan entered the match as a substitute immediately afterward and the team showed strong attacking intent as they increased their pressure in front of goal. Though Carlos had a chance, after catching the goalkeeper by surprise with a long range effort, Verdy were unable to overcome the effects of their momentary lapse and were forced to settle for a single point.
Having seen two points slip away mere moments from the final whistle, the players could not hide their frustration as they faced the supporters. There is no telling how big the effects of the shock will be, but another home match awaits in just three days. The players must now forget their disappointment and prepare to face Montedio Yamagata. Though the frustration from today’s encounter exceeds that of a mere loss, the team must concentrate, in hopes of transforming their disappointment into joy on this same pitch, a mere four days later.
Read moreKnowing that the Fukuoka players excel at getting back in defense, Verdy began the match by
moving the ball out wide and probing for gaps. However, they struggled to maintain possesion
on the front line and lost the initiative in attack, soon finding themselves pushed back into their own half. In the 19th minute, Fukuoka’s one-touch passing led to an opening on the right side and an unmarked shot off of a shallow cross, but the covering Akira Ibayashi was able to block the effort. In the 22nd minute, another passage of quick passing play led to a shot from the penalty area which Naoto Kamifukumoto kept out with a fine save. After this series of create clear cut chances, Fukuoka found themselves with firm control of the game. Though they tried to get forward on the counter, the Verdy back line had dropped deep and the team were unable to carry the ball to the front line, even when they did win possession. Though they were able to prevent any further chances for the opposition, Verdy could not keep control of the ball and ended the first half lacking the rhythm to push back.
With each player having received detailed individual instructions at half time, Verdy resumed the match after the break and gradually began to reclaim the pace. Shion Inoue occupied a higher position than in the first half and made himself the center of passing play, pointing the team forward and helping them carry the match inside the opposition half. Before long, the Verdy bench made early moves, inserting Shogo Hayashi for Sugajima in the 58th minute and Carlos for Ryohei Hayashi in the 61st. Both decisions would soon bear fruit. In the 69th minute, Shogo Hayashi intercepted an opposition clearance and found space for a shot. The ball took a deflection off a defender in front of goal and rolled into open space. Carlos made a run onto the loose ball and volleyed home, granting Verdy the lead. Though past experience has seen the team drop back after going up a goal, this time the lead pushed the Verdy attack up a gear. With the whole squad pressing high up the pitch, Verdy began to win the physical contest and were able to collect the second ball and regain possession quickly, even after losing it, leading to attacking play on the short counter. As Fukuoka began to push for the equalizer, Verdy took advantage of the increased space to create opportunities. Douglas spurned a clear chance in the 75th minute, while Carlos’s shot from the resulting corner kick was kept out after a desperate block by an opposition defender. In the 82nd minute, Carlos broke free on the counter down the left side, electing for a low shot from a diagonal angle that went agonizingly wide. While these chances didn’t lead to a second goal, the Verdy defense held firm, for the most part, against the opposition counter attack. As they say, however, shadow falls light. In the 88th minute, a grounder by Fukuoka’s Euller in front of the Verdy goal took an odd bounce on the slippery pitch surface and was deflected into the back of the net, off the hand of Kamifukumoto. Thus, Verdy conceded the equalizer with just minutes left. Alan entered the match as a substitute immediately afterward and the team showed strong attacking intent as they increased their pressure in front of goal. Though Carlos had a chance, after catching the goalkeeper by surprise with a long range effort, Verdy were unable to overcome the effects of their momentary lapse and were forced to settle for a single point.
Having seen two points slip away mere moments from the final whistle, the players could not hide their frustration as they faced the supporters. There is no telling how big the effects of the shock will be, but another home match awaits in just three days. The players must now forget their disappointment and prepare to face Montedio Yamagata. Though the frustration from today’s encounter exceeds that of a mere loss, the team must concentrate, in hopes of transforming their disappointment into joy on this same pitch, a mere four days later.
Post-match comments
Manager Miguel Ángel Lotina
Your thoughts on the match?
I did not have a good impression from our play in the first half. That goes for both attack and defense. I think Fukuoka were the better team at that point. By contrast, in the second half, I thought we were the better team. We had our share of the ball and were able to create chances. We even had clear opportunities to get a second goal. I’m not sure what happened there at the end -- I will need to have a look at the video – but we conceded the equalizer and to my eyes, we gave away two points today.
You chose to play three at the back, today, and gave Hiroki Sugajima his first start, at right wing back. Can you tell us what your thinking was there?
When I choose a wing back, I’m conscious of how high up the pitch they can get. Hiroki specializes in making runs behind the defense, so I started him with that in mind. I feel he gave a good performance today. It was his first time to play at wing back and I think it would be cruel to expect anything more from him at this point.
In the last match against Oita, too, you thought that your opponents performed better in the first half. Is there any specific factor contributing to that?
I don’t feel that we were being defensive in the first half. In both halves, we approached the match with an attacking mindset. But in terms of whether we were able to keep the ball or not, we had more possession in the second half and spent a lot more time in attack. I believe that was the only difference.
Carlos Martinez appeared as a substitute today and grabbed his first goal of the campaign. What was on your mind when you subbed him in and how do you rate his performance?
As we saw last week, Carlos is a player who adds continuity to our possession play and I was hoping he would do the same today. Not only did he do that, but he also created a number of decisive chances.
How do you feel about results so far, including starting the first five matches of the season without a loss?
Had we won today, I would have been more satisfied with where we are. With that said, we know that it is difficult, in this league, to win every match. We understand that the circumstances we’re in now will continue and we must be prepared to fight through difficult situations. For the most part, I am happy with how the team has performed. Of course, we always go into the match with the ambition to win, but it’s not going to be possible every time.
FW 22Carlos Martinez
How did you feel about your contributions to the attack?
“I got to play in my natural position today, which felt good. With that said, I always play with the same mentality, even when I’m in other positions. My thoughts are always to contribute to the team in whatever position or role I’m put in.
Tell us about your goal.
The pace of the play was very fast and the loose ball came right to my feet, so all I had to do was kick it in.
It was your first goal for some time.
It felt really great. Every forward wants to score whenever they can. I’m always looking for goals, but it’s not something that happens every time.
You also had an impressive volley that looked bound to be the second goal.
I had no doubts about taking a shot from there. After it left my foot, I thought it had gone in, but it hit the defender’s leg and went wide. I felt for sure that it was a goal and all I can think is that there was some kind of bad luck hanging over us at that moment.
What instructions did you receive when you took the pitch?
To try to attack through the middle. In terms of defense, too, I was told to sit in front of the midfielders and protect them.
MF 20Shion Inoue
The team began to see more of the ball partway through the second half.
I had a decent amount of space, but in terms of the final ball, we needed to rely less on crosses from wide and try to play some one-twos or come up with other ideas to get a goal.
You had an opportunity to dribble at the defense and get off a shot too.
The only thing I had in mind, then, was getting a shot on goal. I saw that Carlos and the others were making runs around me, but I was trying to use the space they created to put in an effort of my own. I didn’t really meet it well and it reminded me of how difficult it can be to carry the ball and finish from a solo run.
It seemed like the team was able to move the ball better after Carlos entered the match.
Overall, we passed the ball well, but in terms of our play in the vital area or zone three, I think both the inside halves and the forwards were lacking in precision.
In terms of adding depth to the attack, it seems like it will be important for the team to work on involving the inside halves in setting up the finish.
When we get the ball, rather than just playing it out wide for the cross, we also needed to try putting in crosses or a shot ourselves. We definitely feel that it will be difficult for the team to reach J1 unless those of us who play in those positions can leave behind visible results.
When the side backs and wing backs are unable to get deep positions, it seems like the inside halves have a tendency to drift wide and cross, which makes the attack less effective down the middle.
We need to keep in mind the idea of combination play in the middle, in addition to playing the ball out wide. In order to make something happen, I think the inside halves need to be more compact in our positioning.
In the first half, it also felt like there weren’t enough numbers in the box when one of the two forwards went out wide.
We made adjustments to that aspect in the second half. We did have instructions to be simple and put in crosses from wide, but to make a difference in the middle, the players in my position need to play differently. I would like to play in a way that will contribute more to goals.
In that sense, was it effective having a player like Carlos in the middle?
Carlos occupies positions a bit closer to us and his qualities emerge the more we involve him in the build-up. He has a different skillset from Douglas or Alan and I hope that we can learn to use him in a different way.
The team’s struggles in defense stood out as well. Are there improvements needed?
In terms of the goal we conceded, I think we could have closed them down more before they put in the cross. Given that we gave up the goal, I feel like we could have been better.
The team has now given up goals in their last three matches at home. What are your thoughts on how to carry the game after taking the lead?
There will be moments in every match where we need to take our chances or where we need to need endure the opposition attack. We know it’s not going to be easy to earn all three points unless we make it through those periods. We have to become a team that does what it needs to do to win.
FW 28Hiroki Sugajima
This was your first appearance since returning to Verdy. How did it feel?
There were aspects of my play that did not go well and more than anything, I’m disappointed that we didn’t win.
You played at right wing back today, which is not your usual position. Did you feel prepared?
I knew that I would be playing there. I just tried to d0 as the manager has instructed and as we’ve done in training.
ow did you imagine showing your skill set in attack from there?
I wanted to run at them a bit more when I got the ball, but I never really had the chance. Right now, the team is going through a lot of changes on a match by match basis. I hope to add my play to the mix and also adjust to the occasional changes to the team concept.
You showed some physicality and fight in defense as well.
At the very least, I was focused on fulfilling my defense duties. I think there were times when I defended well and others where I struggled a bit.
Did you have an image in mind for how you would combine with Watanabe at inside half, or with the front two?
I wanted to be a bit narrower and help the front players, but today, we weren’t compact enough and I wasn’t able to. That aspect was disappointing.
In the first half, your opponents had a tendency to drop into five at the back. How did you approach breaking them down from the side?
On my side of the pitch, their wing back had a tendency to drop deep, so there wasn’t any space. It was difficult for me to receive the ball. We were lacking in our combination play and in our precision.
How did it feel to be back at Ajinomoto Stadium?
I would feel better if we had won. Not getting the win today is really hard to take.
Although the team still hasn’t lost yet, you face Yamagata next. What do you hope to accomplish in that match?
“The only thing that matters is winning. I will prepare myself to contribute to a win if I am given the opportunity to play.
DF 15Shogo Hayashi
You made your first appearance of the campaign today. What are your thoughts on the match?
We were being pushed back, so I wanted to do what I could to change the momentum.
You played at right wing back. Did you have an image in mind for how you would perform there?
I had been playing on the right in training this week, so I knew that was a possibility.
In attack, you had a hand in the opening goal and many other highlights.
My intention, when I took the shot, was to score myself, but since it was on target, it ended up leading to a goal anyway. I also had a cross go off the defender’s hand. On another day, the referee might have given a penalty there. I feel like I did my part to contribute to goals.
Your opponents changed to a back four partway through the match. Did that cause you any concerns in defense?
There was nothing that I was particularly conscious of. I just tried to continue performing the role I had been assigned. Most of the opponents we face play with a back four, so in terms of pressing, it was a style that we are well accustomed to.
Do you have any regrets about how the team defended today?
In situations like that, at the end of a match, I know that it’s important to huff the ball clear or kick it out of play, but personally, I wanted to carry the ball forward a bit more.
This was your first appearance of the season. What do you take away from the match, in terms of your own play?
I can’t say it was a good performance, but I feel like I did the bare minimum of what was expected of me.