2018 MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE 27th Sec - Tokyo Verdy vs Omiya Ardija

Match Report

After protecting a one-goal lead provided by rookie Kanya Fujimoto in the first half, Verdy returned home having gone four matches unbeaten. Their fixture this week against Omiya Ardija, a team separated from Verdy by only one point in the table, was a face off that could have a huge impact on the outcome of the team’s season.

The squad named for the match was unchanged from the previous game against Kyoto Sanga F.C. Shion Inoue and Ryota Kajikawa switched places at inside half, but there were no other alterations to the shape.

The opening moments of the match saw the opponents slightly on the front foot. In the 8th minute, Verdy were broken down on the left side and a cross in front of goal was met, unmarked, by Genki Omae. Although his shot was off target, the team were inches away from conceding the opener. Still, the Verdy players have shown throughout the Summer that they have the ability to fight back when pressured. In the 9th minute, Douglas held up the ball to allow the team to move forward, playing a pass to the running Fujimoto who met the ball with his first touch and fired a powerful shot that illustrated the team’s threat in attack. As the Verdy players gradually began to evade the opposition press with their patient build up, the momentum of the match would turn in their favor. In the 12th minute, Fujimoto and Watanabe combined on the right side, creating space for Watanabe to run past his markers and play a reverse cross in front of goal. Alan had made a run from the far post to the near side and calmly tapped the ball into the bottom left corner for a fortunate early lead. The players quickly settled in for what they thought would be an attempt to push back from the opposition, but by remaining patient in their ball movement, they were able to maintain control of the play and continued to attack. In the 35th minute, Alan complained of feeling sick and Jin Izumisawa was rushed on as a substitute. This change would have an impact right away. Having just entered the match in the 36th minute, Izumisawa reminded his former team of his secret weapon, bursting into speed with the ball at his feet and launching a shot that hit the side-netting. In the 43rd minute, Izumisawa latched onto a loose ball, after a mid-range shot from Douglas was deflected by a defender, and played a dangerous pass in front of goal. Kajikawa made the run, but his effort was kept out by an impressive save from the goalkeeper. After a period in which they continually attacked but could not find the goal, Verdy would make the breakthrough in the second minute of additional time. Shinnosuke Hatanaka played a ball for Izumisawa to hold up just over the halfway line and the player dribbled to draw away from the defenders before passing to Yuta Narawa on the outside left. Narawa ran at the defense and then played a reverse pass back to Izumisawa, who had continued his run. Izumisawa fired a shot first time and Douglas, who had taken position in front of the goal, managed to get his head to the ball to upset the keeper’s timing and provide the team with a hard-earned second goal, just on the edge of half time.

Despite their two-goal lead, Verdy would not let up in attack after the break. In the 6th minute, Fujimoto played a one-two with Watanabe on the right side and broke into the final third for a mid-range shot. The effort looked destined for the top right corner, but the goal keeper made a big save to bat it away. Moments later in the 7th minute, Watanabe was first to the loose ball after a corner kick and put in a mid-range shot. Douglas managed to get a touch, standing in front of goal, and the loose ball fell to the unmarked Hatanaka who swung away, only to see his shot deflected by a defender. Hatanaka once again attempted to pounce on the rebound, but this time the shot was blocked by the goal keeper. In the 62nd minute, Kajikawa dribbled into the center of the pitch from the left and had a try from mid-range, but his shot flew just left of the target. With Verdy unable to capitalize on their changes, the momentum gradually shifted toward their opponents. However, Verdy retained control of the match from a defensive standpoint. The players were firm in their marking of Mateus, the opposition’s key player, but refused to be drawn out of their shape in chasing him, making it difficult for him to operate. In the 71st minute, Mateus finally exploited a gap in Verdy’s pressing and evaded Naoto Kamifukumoto by playing a lateral pass to the unmarked Mikado, pulling a goal back for Omiya. The team now seemed in danger of giving the opposition new life, but they concentrated on closing down the ball holder and cutting off avenues for attack on the ball side. In front of goal, Kamifukumoto repeatedly emerged to deflect opposition crosses and even as Verdy were pushed back, they still managed to win the ball and play passes into space for Izumisawa and Douglas to run onto. In the final minutes, the team kept a high line and retained the ball, intelligently controlling the play to consume the remaining time and protect their lead.

Focusing only on the score, it might seem like Verdy had escaped this match with a narrow one-goal win, but it must also be noted that the team created a number of clear chances and controlled the flow of the match, even when they were on the defensive. In particular, the team’s ability to evade the opposition press showed that manager Lotina’s passing philosophy, now in its second year, has reached maturity. The victory means that Verdy have now won three matches in a row and gone five matches without a loss. In doing so, they have racked up ten goals, showing a marked improvement in attack. The summer is not yet over, but the league is already moving into the packed schedule that marks the final phase. The team’s attitude in this critical period can be summed up with the following words from Tatsuya Uchida: “we will win based on how we play, rather than how the opponent plays. If we don’t play well, we will lose to the lower table teams and if we do play well, we can win against the leaders”. However, there is still no guarantee of victory. The players must focus on one match at a time with full effort. They will return in their next match hoping to express the Verdy style once again.

Manager Miguel Ángel Lotina

Your thoughts on the match?
I think we got off to a good start. We had possession and we approached their goal with flowing pass work. I think we were the better team for most of the half. We got two goals, although we were a little lucky on the second one. With that said, we also created a lot of good chances, other than the goals we scored. In the second half, the opposition increased their pressure and tried to take control of the match. We kept our cool and continued to play at our pace, while dealing with their threat. Until we conceded the first goal, we were really seeing out the game with little worry. After they scored, they pressed us a bit more from the front and increased the amount of play time they had in our area of the pitch. In the end, I think we got a victory against a truly great team.

Tell us what your intentions were in bringing on Yong-jik Ri for Kouta Watanabe.
First off, I wanted to erase our height disadvantage. Another reason is that Kouta was playing on a yellow card. They were aiming at him after that and I thought that if he was forced to commit a foul, he was at risk of picking up a second. Those were the reasons I subbed him.

Tell us your reason for playing Jin Izumisawa at shadow striker, instead of wing, after he was brought on for Alan Pineiro.
Jin is a natural winger, but he can play in that position as well. His coming into the match for Alan was unexpected, but I think he did well to fit into the play.

It feels like defensive stability is a big part of the team’s good form, lately.
I don’t think that it is just our defense. One big reason is that we have begun to believe in our superiority. The mental element of playing with confidence has a big impact. Along the same lines, we have greater confidence when we are on the ball. By achieving the style of play that we have envisioned, I think our opposition have begun to view us a difficult matchup. Today, I think we defended well. We didn’t allow them many chances and their only goal came on the counter after our own corner kick. Even when they did approach our penalty area, Kami(Fukumoto) was composed and dealt with the threat. Every player on the pitch is playing with high concentration and contributing in defense. I think the attitude the players have shown to help their teammates and defend together is one of our side’s big merits.

MF 6Jin Izumisawa

You had some good mid-range shots, today.
This was my first time to play on the inside as a shadow-striker since joining Verdy. However, I think I was able to enter the game smoothly and get in some goods shots. I probably could have used a little more power, but they felt good when they left my foot.

How did it feel, otherwise, to be playing at shadow striker, rather than on the wing?
It’s a position I hadn’t played before and my entrance was rather sudden. I had seen other players in that position from game film, so I just tried to emulate what I remembered.

Were you and Narawa able to maintain the right amount space between you?
Narawa always takes excellent positions and is very easy to play with.

Tell us about your assist for Douglas’s goal.
It was more of a mis-hit shot that led to an assist, but I’m happy with the way that I was able to turn quickly after receiving the ball from the center back. That’s an area where I’ve needed to improve and the manager has also commented on that several times. I’m glad that it went well today and that it led to a goal.

The way you played today seemed to recall how you played at the university level.
Yes, it’s my first time to do so since graduating. I had fun and for a new position, I felt like I handled it well.

Did you receive a lot of instructions about where to play when you came on?
There wasn’t any time for that. I went straight onto the pitch with no instructions. With that said, I had seen the position played in our game film, so I knew what to do.

Do you feel like you’ve grown more accustomed to the team’s style of play as you’ve made more appearances?
In training, I’ve been given a lot of individual instruction on tactics. I’ve gotten better on the attacking side, but in terms of defense, it is still difficult. If I can gain a better understanding in that area, I think things will get better for both myself and the team.

MF 33Kota Watanabe

Your thoughts on the match?
There were periods where we conceded possession, but throughout the 90 minutes, it never felt like we were under threat.

Tell us about what led to your assist on the first goal.
Lately, when I get the ball in those areas, I am able to run at the defense with confidence. I’m happy that I was able to run at them in that moment, today.

You were heavily involved, in both attack and defense, before being subbed.
If possible, I wanted to play the full 90 minutes. However, we had lost to them in our last match and I knew they were a strong team. I’m glad we won.

Your performance seemed to improve after the most recent two matches.
I think I’ve been more involved in the play, but I still have a tendency to disappear for certain periods. I want to rid myself of that habit.

You combined well with Fujimoto again, today.
Our positioning has been good every match we’ve played together and I think it’s a weapon for us. We don’t necessarily communicate a lot during the match, but we share the same feel for the game. We’ve been playing that way for a long time.

Are you conscious of the team’s place in the table, right now?
I don’t think about it at all. I can’t speak for the others, but personally, I try to prepare for each match as it comes. I try not to think beyond that.

You were selected to Japan’s U-21 squad for the upcoming Asian Tournament.
It hasn’t set in, yet. With that said, I want to do more than just travel with the team. I hope to play and contribute to results, so that I can return to Verdy as a better player.

DF 3Akira Ibayashi

Your thoughts on the match?
We had more opportunities to score and I feel like we have to take those. Once the other team pulls a goal back, like they did today, it makes the match that much more difficult for us and I think everyone understands that. On the other hand, if we can get a third or fourth goal, it allows us some breathing room to control the game and we don’t have to change our approach, even if they pull one back. I think that is something we need to focus on as we prepare for the next match and hopefully improve.

The team showed the growth of their build-up play today.
They were marking us man-to-man in midfield, so our task was to use whatever space emerged and I think we did that well. It was a match where our team concept proved effective.

You kept the ball and were able to control the game.
They weren’t coordinating their movements when they pressed us on the front line and it looked like their midfielders were feeling the effects, physically. They definitely showed the will to chase us from the front, but because their teamwork was lacking, it wasn’t that hard for us to evade the pressure. However, I also think it was because we were able to dominate the ball in the first half that they grew so tired.

You did well at winning the second ball, as well.
I think that’s something our midfield players are always conscious of. I’m glad that we didn’t lose that focus throughout the match.

Simović and Mateus hurt the team last time, but started on the bench today. Did that affect your approach?
In general, we don’t change the way we defend, no matter who we’re up against. I think we maintained our normal positioning relative to the ball.

The team seemed stable in defense, even after giving up the goal.
They weren’t all that threatening in the way they attacked. I felt that if we could avoid making mistakes, we wouldn’t concede. In that sense, I think we accomplished that.

After three straight wins against difficult opposition, you now find yourselves in a better position within the table.
We still have a lot of matches to play and we have to continue to defeat the teams that are above us. It’s important that we not focus too much on the results and just try to prepare for each match as it comes.

MF 23Naoya Tamura

Your thoughts on the match?
From the first half, we evaded their pressure with our buildup and developed the game in a positive way. I think our buildup play was quite strong and the goal also came at a good time. If we hadn’t conceded that one goal, it would have been a perfect game. I still think it was an excellent one for us.

In terms of controlling the game by maintaining possession, it was probably one of the team’s best performances this season.
I think the first half went particularly well. If we could have gotten some goals on the counter, when they started coming forward in the second half, it could have gone even better. With that said, I’m glad we won. That’s especially true given that the last time we lost to them, it sent us on a streak of poor momentum, so it’s good that we avoided that today. On top of that, I think we gained confidence in our buildup play.

You were never broken down in a big way after conceding the first goal.
They were already pretty tired and they didn’t send many players forward on the overlap. I think it helped us that the way they attacked wasn’t likely to generate a lot of chances. Right now, players like Kouta (Watanabe) and Kanya (Fujimoto) are building their confidence with each match they appear in and are playing with a lot of vitality. They contributed assists again today and throughout our entire team, I think each individual is fulfilling their responsibilities.

Did this match give you a sense that the team has matured?
After arriving last year, the manager had us first playing with a back three, then a back four, and we did a lot of experimentation. Thanks to those efforts, we’ve now reached a point where there are a lot of different patterns for us to be effective. It took some time, but the results are showing and we now believe that if we perform what the manager asks of us, to the best of our abilities, we will always have a chance to win. The only other task is for each person to fulfill their responsibilities. Coach Ivan and his team have also put a lot of time into researching our opponents and that motivates us to reward their efforts with a win. I think the things we have been working on for the past year and a half are all bearing fruit.

Are the new players fitting in well, too?
Last year, it was Koki Anzai and Kazuki Anzai. This year, it’s players like Izumisawa and Kanya (Fujimoto) who take advantage of their natural ability to perform clear roles within the team. I think we are all very grateful for that. We can’t dwell on the past forever and if the new players can contribute, we should be thankful. Today, Izumisawa played as a shadow striker, rather than on the wing, but he still performed very well and I think he is someone we can rely on.

You’ve now earned three straight wins against difficult opposition, under difficult conditions.
We have a chance to narrow the gap with the top teams during the summer and I hope we can continue to win in this opportune period. The manager didn’t provide us any clear objectives for today, but if we remain where we should be, I think our chance will come. In the end, I hope that we continue to play like we did today and that the fans will view Verdy as a team that plays an attractive brand of football.

Are the players conscious of where they are in the table, right now?
We don’t have a fixed group of regulars in our squad right now, so everyone is desperate to show what they can do. In the positive sense, we have a lot of players and the manager is using all of us effectively. I think the fact that the squad never seems to settle has helped each player maintain a high level of motivation. Our position in the table is important to how we’re playing now, but more important is the competition within the team, as it ensures that if someone gets out of hand, they might not get a chance in the next match. With the new signings, even someone like Yuhei (Sato), who has been playing well, finds themselves unable to get game time and that has led to a healthy sense of competition.

The manager has stated that it is the team’s confidence that is the reason for your positive play, lately.
There are certain things that we will do, or certain positions we will find ourselves in, every match, so each player knows that we have to continue doing those things while also finding opportunities to make a difference. I think that has put us in good shape. For today’s match against Omiya, I felt like there was some uncertainty among their players in defense. That uncertainty doesn’t exist for us and I think our organization gives us an advantage.

DF 4Shinnosuke Hatanaka

Tell us about the play that eventually led to the second goal.
I knew their wing on that side was keeping a close eye on Narawa, so I decided to play it through the middle. Jin (Izumisawa) got himself in a good position there, which was very important. I think I owe that play to him.

Up until the first goal you conceded, the team was noticeably stable in defense.
I didn’t feel like they were putting the ball in threatening areas and it always felt like we would be able to hold out. With that said, giving up an easy goal like that one will give our opponents a second wind, so I felt like that was wasteful.

Other than that moment, it felt like you were able to contain Mateus today.
Our entire defense responds to the way our opponents play and we remain in communication with one another. I think that’s the reason for our success.

This 3-match winning streak has proved very important.
We’re aiming for automatic promotion, so I think the only thing we can do is keep winning. I want us to keep pushing and not let up.

The team won n a lot of the second balls today. Did that encourage you to be more aggressive and take more risks with your passing?
The forward players were working hard and winning the ball, so that allowed me to play the ball forward with less worry. I’m grateful to the front line for their effort, today. Especially in the second half, our opponents didn’t press us much from the front, so we were able to be patient, move the ball, and pin them back. I think that was the key to our good play.

This match went particularly well, in terms of the team’s ability to retain possession and control the play.
We talked amongst ourselves about extending the amount of time that we are on the front foot. We did make some sloppy mistakes here and there, but in general, I’m happy that we were in control for most of the match. Some of this has to do with team mood, but I think we showed a greater will not to lose today and that was important.

What were you conscious of when they began to put more numbers forward at the close of the match?
We had endured up until that point, so we just wanted to hold out until the end. In the away match against Yamaguchi, we fell apart after giving up the first goal and we had talked about not wanting to go through something like that again. The only thing on our mind was not conceding.”

You had an opportunity after a set piece at the start of the second half.
Their defenders and goal keeper kept that out. I regret that I couldn’t score, there. If I had just a bit more composure, I think I could have kept it on the ground and got a goal.

Share The Match!

SCHEDULE