Despite having controlled the pace of the match, Manager Lotina stressed at half time that the game was not as simple as it first appeared. “They may look like they’ve given up, but they’re aiming for that one chance! We have to raise our intensity!” With that message, the team left the locker room and resumed the match more aware of the threat their opponents posed.

The manager’s wealth of experience quickly proved its worth, as his warnings came true. After looking like pushovers for much of the first half, Kyoto emerged from the break with greater pressure up top, hoping to upset Verdy’s passing rhythm with an intense high press. When they did win the ball, the Kyoto players moved it with simple passes out wide and put in crosses, aiming to take advantage of Lopez’s height. In the 7th minute, Lopez was able to make contact with a cross from the right but Naoto Kamifukumoto left his line well to suppress the shot. Moments later, in the 8th minute, the keeper again jumped into action to punch away a second cross in front of Lopez. The rebound from that save fell to Someya for a mid-range effort that took a difficult bounce, but Kamifukumoto was able to raise his right hand while falling to his side and deflect it away. After weathering the storm, the pendulum would once more swing Verdy’s way. The players improved their buildup, passing the ball carefully to evade the press until their opponents gradually began to tire. From there, the match would move in much the same direction as the first half. In the 71st minute, Douglas received a pass from substitute Ryota Kajikawa and played the ball past two defenders with his first touch, freeing himself to enter the penalty area and fire a shot with his left foot. However, the ball took a slight touch off the cross bar and failed to find the net. Finally, it was a Verdy rookie who would rise to the occasion and relieve the tension with the help of his left foot. It was the 80th minute. Substitute Izumisawa received the ball from Narawa and dribbled forward, pulling away three markers before playing a horizontal pass to the center. Douglas was nearest but found himself unable to connect, letting the ball run behind him to Fujimoto, who controlled the ball with his first touch to set up the shot. Though he was on outside left of the area, the youngster showed no hesitation and swung his left foot at the ball, resulting in a low diagonal drive that rocketed into the back of the net like a ballistic missile. Having taken the lead, the Verdy players would now force the attack, trying to kill the game off once and for all. In the 85th minute, Fujimoto dribbled at the defense from the right and played a pass to the center for the running Alan. Alan held up the ball in front of the defense and then played a heel pass to Fujimoto as he breached the back line. Unmarked, Fujimoto aimed for the top left corner but was denied by a super save from the goal keeper. Kyoto would then throw numbers forward in the final minutes, pushing Verdy back into their own area. However, Kamifukumoto was on hand to rescue the team with an important save in additional time, enabling them to hold out for the win. Overall, it was a match in which Verdy struggled, as they often have, against a team at the bottom of the table. However, the players somehow found enough to see it out and earn the three points.

Matches like this when the opponent is content to aim for a single opportunity always prove difficult. The team will control the pace but still cannot afford to lose concentration for even a second. Looking only at their standings in the table, one might think the game was a sure win. In fact, however, the pressure on top-table teams is all the greater in such circumstances and the players will often become overly tense, concede a goal, and allow their opponents to park the bus and protect their lead. Thus, for Verdy, a win earned in a situation where they easily could have succumbed to the pressure is of even greater value. Next week, the team have a high profile clash with Omiya Ardija, with only one point separating the two sides in the table. Being a home match, you can be sure that there will be plenty of excitement. The players will also not forget the tough loss inflicted on them by Omiya in the first half of the season. Now is the chance to shift into high gear as the second half of the season draws to a close. Armed with confidence from their victory today, the players must immediately shift focus to the next at hand.

Your thoughts on the match?
We controlled the play more than I expected in the first half. We moved the ball well and created chances. We took a lot of shots, but they were either off-target or kept out by the goal keeper, preventing us from scoring. The second half was different from the first. They put more pressure on us, controlled the play, and approached our goal. However, we were able to reclaim the momentum. Even so, they are a very dangerous team on the counter, so we had to remain alert to that as we attacked. Doing so, we got the goal we needed and earned a win under difficult circumstances.

I imagine you wanted the team to raise the tempo a bit in the first half?
“I think that’ s correct. The grass was long and irregular in patches, which made it difficult to raise our speed. I don’t know whether this was also because of the grass, but I noticed that we chose the safe pass a lot of the time. I think that was what slowed us down. In the second half, I think we played with a more forward approach and created clearer chances.

What is the status of Leandro? Did his absence today have an effect?
Leandro felt a little discomfort. He is a player with a lot of quality and as I said last match, his presence on the pitch will always make a big contribution.”