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MATCH
Match Report
Verdy came into this match having settled for three straight 1-1 draws. During that time, they were able to improve the quality of their play and create chances to win, only to fall short of capturing a second goal in each instance. With a new era of the Japanese calendar in swing and the nation celebrating Children’s Day, the occasion was a prime opportunity to earn a win and change the momentum of their season.
The core of the squad was unchanged from the previous week, except for the back line where Naoya Kondo returned to the lineup in place of Lee Yong Jick. Rookie Rihito Yamamoto also made his second appearance on the bench.
Although Verdy were pushed back after the opening whistle, they were soon able to win the ball and connect a series of passes to evade the opposition press, after which they began to push slowly up the pitch with short passing. Even when they did lose the ball, they were quick to switch gears and counter press, winning back possession and resuming their attacks from a high position. That same coordinated pressing and recycling of possession from a high position would soon result in the match’s first moment of joy. It was the fourth minute and Shion Inoue moved to close down the ball holder after losing possession. The opposition player took a heavy touch, allowing Masashi Wakasa to make a sliding tackle and win the ball, after which Inoue again exchanged short passes in midfield and spread the play to the right wing. Kota Watanabe received the ball on the touchline and instantly played a looping pass into the space behind the back line. Having made a run into the right corner of the penalty area, Kanya Fujimoto was able to reach the ball with a glancing header and send it to the far side where the charging Junki Koike met it with a first time volley that found the left corner of the net, giving Verdy the lead. After the goal, Verdy continued to dominate with teamwork on the front line, pressing to slow down the opposition attack and reclaim possession. Inoue served as the team’s backbone from his position at midfield anchor, allowing Yuhei Sato to be the playmaker and control the flow of the match. As the half drew to a close, the opposition were able to evade Verdy’s pressing and pose a threat on the counter attack. When the ball was played into the box in the 38th minute, Naoto Kamifukumoto left his line with impeccable timing to block what would have been a powerful effort on goal. The team then found themselves in another pinch just before the whistle. With the ball on the edge of the penalty area, a shot came in unmarked, bound for goal, but Kamifukumoto again showed sharp reflexes to bat it away.
With the team having their pressing bypassed and finding themselves pushed back into their own third from the midpoint of the first half, changes were made at half time and the players resumed the game by once again placing intense pressure on the opposition. As they passed the ball with positive tempo, they pinned the opposition back and several players combined to close them down each time the ball was lost. In the 50th minute, the Verdy front line failed to secure a long feed played by Kamifukumoto and Nagasaki took possession. Sato chased the ball with ferocious energy and Watanabe aided his teammate by covering the opponent’s retreat, getting a touch to the ball. Possession was then claimed by Hanato who immediately ran at the defense. As the forward cut back just outside the penalty area, his foot was caught by the outstretched leg of a defender and Verdy received a freekick from a promising position. The ball was placed in front of goal, only slightly to the right. Standing in front of it were Sato and Kanya Fujimoto. It was Sato who ran first and the resulting kick had plenty of speed but still dipped sharply and dropped into the left corner of the net. With Verdy having secured a two-goal lead, the momentum would shift to Nagasaki. In the 55th minute, the opposition made contact with the ball from a corner kick, after Kamifukumoto failed to get a touch, but the covering Tomohiro Taira was there to clear off the line. On the other end, another big chance fell Verdy’s way in the 59th minute. Inoue chased the ball in midfield, after a forward pass from the opposition back line, and was able to win it. Immediately starting the counter, he played a one-two with Hanato and penetrated into the left side of the penalty area. With markers closing down, the Verdy midfielder sent a lateral pass across the face of goal and found the unmarked Fujimoto for a first-time volley that flew high over the bar. From that point, the opposition began to turn the screw. In the 78th minute, a melee inside the box led to a clearance that deflected off a Nagasaki player and looped goalward. However, the retreating Kamifukumoto was able to stretch and make the save. On the subsequent corner kick in the 79th minute, Verdy were unable to clear and allowed Kagawa to tap home and reduce their lead to a single goal. However, the players were able to pack numbers deep in their own third and shut down any further attempts at an equalizer. A final powerful shot came in just at the start of additional time, but once again, Kamifukumoto responded to get a touch and deflect it onto the post, after which the rebound fell into his lap. When the four minutes of additional time were over, Verdy had defended their lead and claimed their first victory in six matches.
After three weeks of consecutive draws, one might have expected the overall mood of the team to grow stagnant. That pain was felt all the more for knowing that there were plenty of chances to gain a win. In particular, failing to protect their lead in the previous match, after having played a virtually perfect game with total dominance, surely left everyone with a bitter taste in their mouths. Despite that, none of the Verdy players hung their heads. They recognized the positive ways in which the team’s style had come into focus and worked hard to refine it further. There was only ever one objective. Everything was for the sake of presenting the thrill of victory to their patient supporters. The rambunctious circle formed by the players in celebration after Sato’s successful free kick is all the evidence needed to know that the team is headed in the right direction. Having earned a win today with strong play, they must now carry that energy forward and begin their comeback for the campaign.
Post-match comments
Manager Gary John WHITE
Your thoughts on the match?
I’m satisfied with the players’ performance and the result. On top of that, I think we showed the quality and character we possess, today. Of course, it was a tough match against fine opposition. I’m just satisfied that we were finally able to deliver a win to everyone involved with the club, given how we’d struggled to do so recently.
Including your substitutions, what plan did you have for the end of the match?
We have talked every week about finishing games off, so I’m satisfied that we were at least able to hang on to the win today. I’m well aware that the closing minutes of the match weren’t the prettiest sight. With that said, I think today’s result will have a positive impact on our future in many ways. To win in this league, I think we need a two-goal lead at all times. We can’t be satisfied with just a single point and since our opponents seek the same thing, there will always be periods when the momentum goes back and forth. If we had been able to get the third goal today, I think the rest of the match would have been easier. The nature of football is that when we fail to score from simple opportunities, we often hand the momentum to the other side. There are areas of our defense that need refining, particularly when we have to play with a more conservative approach or maintain our compact spacing. Since last week, we have trained with the objective of getting a two-goal lead and then shutting the game down. I am satisfied that we were able to do that. Sato getting us the second goal while the score was still 1-0 was very important, as in this league, you never know what will happen with just a one-goal lead.
The team struggled with their pressing from the midpoint of the first half. What changes did you make at half time that enabled you to improve your precision after the break?
I think it’s always going to be difficult for us to press for the full 90 minutes and as you said, there were moments where we weren’t effective. In terms of instructions at half time, I told the players to be more compact. I also warned them that the opposition would pressure us from the front now that they’d made it into the break at only 0-1. I emphasized that our pressing and ability to win the ball would be the key to controlling the rest of the match. That was especially true because we had been a bit too high up the pitch in the first half and that prevented us from tracking back, enabling them to break us down. There were times when Taira had to drift wide to cover for Narawa, so I made some changes there. Whenever Narawa couldn’t track back, Taira, Kondo, and Wakasa would shift to the left and that granted freedom to their number 2 (Kagawa), so I told them to watch out for that. Since I know that it’s difficult to press constantly, we have to keep an eye on balance and judge when it is appropriate or inappropriate to chase.
There were at least two instances, today, when Kamifukumoto left his line on set pieces and failed to get a touch.
We play with a zone defense on set pieces, so everyone, not just Kamifukumoto, has to do what they can to close the space. On the contrary, I think Kamifukumoto made several brilliant saves in today’s match. When you look at the match as a whole, I think the big saves he made gave energy to the team.
MF 9 Yuhei Sato
Tell us about your goal.
The flight of the ball was good. I took Kanya (Fujimoto)’s advice about what course to aim for so I have him to thank. He told me to kick it over the head of their number 27 (Niizato). I hadn’t scored yet this year, so I’m happy the first goal I got was the match winner. Number 27 was standing at the post, so Kanya said I should try to curl it to the outside, around and over him. I had originally thought about flighting it over a different player but for that, a left footed player would have a better chance. Kanya could have taken it himself, but I did as he advised and it worked. I don’t particularly care who takes the set piece, but I feel it’s important to listen to the opinions of my teammates. The same thing happened in the playoffs last year. Shion (Inoue) told me to kick it over a defender on the near side and when I did as he said, the ball found the net. I know Kanya is a talented player, so regardless of age, I am grateful for his advice.
This win was especially important given the team’s struggles, lately.
When we were preparing for this season, I never imagined it would be this difficult to earn a win. I hope we can use the victory as the impetus to move forward, one step at a time.
You were pinned back from the mid-point of the first half.
We wanted to move the ball as well, but they decided they had nothing to lose by taking risks in the first half and began putting numbers forward. It’s a positive that we were able to defend without being broken down and we were very clear, today, about when to sit back and when to press. We also took advantage of our opponents’ mistakes to earn goal kicks and generally did a good job of shutting the game down.
You jumpstarted the press in the second half.
That’s something the manager has told me to do and we’ve been watching a lot of video, which has made it easier to build a mental image. We’re defending with more aggression than in the past. Last year, we would drop back and try to prevent the final ball or finish, but this year, I think we’re defending in a way that makes it easier for us attack on the short counter.
Based on last year’s results, what are you concentrating on in your approach, this year?
The club has reached its 50th anniversary, so we’re under pressure to make J1, but we’re also determined to come together as a team and achieve that goal.
Tell us what you hope to achieve in the future.
The direction of the team is finally becoming clear and we’re playing well in matches. Now, I think we need to develop friendly competition in the squad and continue improving.
MF 4Kanya Fujimoto
Your thoughts on the match?
I’m just glad we won. Last week, we were up 1-0 and couldn’t get the second goal, which led to our opponents equalizing and forcing us to settle for a draw. This time, we got the second goal early in the second half, so I’m glad we were able to learn from our mistakes.
Tell us about the chance you had to get a third goal.
I thought Shion (Inoue) was going to make a direct run down the right, but he played a one-two with me instead, so I had to watch the offside trap and make a late run in front of goal. I thought the ball would be played in the space in front of me, but it was a reverse ball, so I tried to swivel my hips and hit it low. It ended up being a difficult choice. With that said, I do think it was an opportunity I could have finished and if I had done so, it would have made the match a lot easier for us. I wanted a goal for myself, but I’ll work to improve my finishing for next time.
Still, you can be praised for being involved in chances.
I’m technically playing as a forward in this position, so I try to take up areas where I can create goals. For today’s chances, I knew the midfield players were working hard and I believed they would win the ball. I think that was what enabled me to be in those areas.
Since the team were constantly shifting to the left in defense, you were matched up with Kagawa several times. Tell us what was on your mind, then.
Yuki (Kagawa) had opportunities to receive the ball up the pitch and put in crosses, so in my mind, I felt that a last resort would be to play like we were five at the back and put myself in position to deal with his threat. Midway through the first half, I was able to prevent him from getting the ball, so I thought I would keep playing that way. It did mean that I was dropping back more, but I tried to be mindful of my stamina and get forward when we won the ball. In terms of building from defense first, I don’t think it was a bad decision.
MF 20 Rihito Yamamoto
How did it feel to make your J-League debut?
I didn’t have many chances to get involved, but I’m grateful to the manager for bringing me on despite the score being 2-1. I hope I have more chances to make a difference and show what I can do.
What instructions did you receive as you came on?
I was told to defend first. At the close of the match we had five at the back and defense was our first priority, so I was told to make sure we didn’t concede.
Given the team’s struggles to win lately, you made your debut at a very difficult moment in the game. Tell us what was on your mind.
I was mindful of the manager’s instructions not to concede. On top of that, I’m an attack minded player, so I was also focused on how I could get involved on that end. In that regard, it was tough because every time I faced forward with the ball, there was no one there for support. However, I do think I could have done more to draw markers away.
Do you think it’s difficult to bridge the gap between a fresh body like yourself and everyone else, who is tired?
I was in fresh condition, so I tried to run hard and cover for Yuhei (Sato) and Shion (Inoue), who were both tired. Since the match ended, I’ve been telling myself I needed to do more to win the ball.
What do you think about making your debut in the 12th match of the season?
Naturally, I was aiming to be ready for the opener, but I missed training camp and fell behind. I was involved with the national team as well, so when I came back, I put my head down and worked in training to show what I could do. I think that was what led to me making my debut.
You hadn’t been on the bench in a while. Did you expect to be given a chance to play?
We were up 2-0, so I thought in the back of my mind that I might get a chance.
You were only on the pitch for a short time, but what did you gain from today’s match?
I don’t know if I can judge about today’s match, but based on the way we play in training, and in test matches, I feel confident I can contribute.
How do you think you can utilize your skills in this system, including the positions you play?
If I play as an anchor or an inside half, I think my strength is my ability to play the ball with my left foot. I want to be a playmaker and help the team dominate the match. As an anchor, I’ll be asked to defend, so I try to be aware of my duties there. I also study the way Shion builds the play and distributes the ball in ways that lead to goals. I think I can do the same.
Although they’re also your rivals in midfield, it must be easy to combine with your old mentors from the youth team.
I played with Koki (Morita), Kota (Watanabe), Shion (Inoue), and Kanya (Fujimoto) on the youth team and I think we possess the same vision as we play. It really does make it easier in-game.
I’m sure that making your debut today will make you more eager to get match time.
Now that I’ve made my debut, my next goal is to make a start.
MF 19Junki Koike
Tell us about the opening goal.
It really was early in the match, so I was determined to have a swing if the chance came. I’m glad that mental preparation led to a goal.
For your goal, you made good use of the space that opened after Hanato ran to the near post.
When Hanato is playing up top, it’s almost like we’re playing without a striker. He makes a lot of movements to the ball side and I was aware that space would open up for players on the far end to make runs.
You were pinned back from the midpoint of the first half.
When we had the ball, we were able to sustain possession, so I hope we can increase the amount of time we do that in the future. When the other team has the ball for long periods, we end up getting pinned back and can’t play with a high line. I’m glad we finished the second half without conceding, but it remains something that we need to work on.
After taking the lead, you retained possession but still didn’t create more shots. What do you think is the reason for that?
We were able to keep the ball and play in the opposition half for longer periods, but they were set in their defense and it felt difficult to make runs at them. The next thing we need to work on is not only taking care of the ball, but also playing with dynamism. Up to now, we weren’t accomplishing the first part, so I’m glad we now have new areas to work on.
Did you feel that the opposition weren’t willing to come forward in search of the ball in the first half, despite being behind a goal?
I was surprised by how much they elected to stay back or at least that they didn’t try to press for the ball. Of course, there were times when they did push from the front and if we had bypassed that, I think we could have created more chances.
After Leandro came on, you changed your formation and approach. As a result, you were pushed back again.
There were moments where we could have conceded today and it was a tough game. However, it helped a lot that we got the second goal quickly. Of course, we wanted to end with a clean sheet, but I’m still glad we made some progress. When we play with five at the back, we always have numbers behind us, but we also have more moments where we can’t afford to commit numbers to close-down the ball holder. That’s another thing we have to work on.
The team’s play has demonstrated a lot of improvement lately. Today, you also got a positive result. Will this match give you more confidence?
Last week, and against Niigata, we played well in the first half and badly in the second. There were also times when it was the opposite, but either way, we’ve wanted to increase the amount of time we’re in control of the match, so I’m glad that led to a victory today. A win was what we wanted most of all, so I’m happy that we got it.
In the team’s present state, it’s difficult for you to dominate the match for the full 90 minutes and it’s important that you withstand the pressure when it comes. You seemed to do that, today.
It would be great if we could play our game for the full 90 minutes, but that’s hard to do. The opposition is always going to have opportunities to control the play. However, if we can’t finish chances when it’s our turn, we’ll run into trouble later. I think we have to do our best in that back and forth.
FW 18Jin Hanato
Your thoughts on the match?
In terms of my individual play, I think I performed better in the last match, but today the team won, so I’m ten times as happy. The team really has been in a difficult spot lately and while we still have to work on how we approach the game when we have the lead, it’s great that we got the full three points.
Both goals resulted from teamwork on the front line in defense.
The first goal was perfect. I drifted wide and Junki (Koike) filled the space with a run that led to a goal. For the second, the defender only got the slightest of touches to my foot, but the referee whistled for the foul and Yuhei (Sato) scored a super goal that really made things easier for us. However, once we were up 2-0, the opposition had more of the ball and we conceded from a set piece for the third straight match, so we urgently need to make improvements there. It’s going to be really tough for us if every match, we have the lead and are playing on the back foot in the final minutes. I want us to work on that in training over the next week and demonstrate improvement during the next match.
In both the first and second halves, there were periods where your pressing was effective and also long periods where it wasn’t.
instances where they exploit gaps in our formation. In terms of today’s match, Yohei Otake from the opposition is skilled at that sort of play and if we allowed him to face forward with the ball, he would do something decisive. If the three players in central midfield, along with myself, Junki (Koike), and Kanya (Fujimoto) can shut down the middle and force those players wide with our pressing, we won’t have that exploited as much. I think that’s something we can improve on during match play. The worst thing we can do is get heavy in the back and allow ourselves to drop deep and form a defensive shell, as that prevents us from getting forward in attack. It’s important to push up with our back line when we clear the ball and I myself need to get on the ball as much as possible, so that my teammates have the time to push up in that way.
Your pressing from the front was effective at the start of the second half.
Yuhei (Sato) does a good job of jumpstarting the press and it’s important that the rest of us don’t make him do that work on his own and instead combine in doing so as a team. I, myself, have often told those around me to join Yuhei when he chases the ball. When we combine in that way, we can create clear opportunities. If the opportunity is there, I think we should do it, even if they end up passing it around us.
After taking the lead, you maintained possession but still couldn’t increase the number of shots on goal. What do you think is the reason?
Because we haven’t been winning lately, our tendency is to drop back in defense once we have the lead. The same thing happened against Reysol. It’s very important that we get used to winning. If we can get used to winning and play with poise and confidence, that will enable us to put the match away or receive the ball between the lines in a way that enables us to stretch them and carry the ball forward slowly. For that reason, I think the next match will be especially important.
After three straight draws, the win today means a lot.
Last week, my failure to convert from the penalty spot led to the draw, so it means a lot that we got the three points today. The J2 table really is packed this year and a single win or loss will have a huge effect on our position. It’s important that we build a winning streak.