In the opening minutes, Verdy struggled to retain possession as they were pushed back by Yamaguchi’s long balls to the front line and high pressing. While Verdy also pressed from the front, Yamaguchi were able to escape by avoiding the midfield with their long passing and the Verdy line gradually dropped back, forced to play mid-range passes when they won the ball. From there, Yamaguchi were able to mark the Verdy target men and disrupt any attacking rhythm the team hoped to build. While Yamaguchi’s attack also posed little threat to the Verdy defense, a ball slipped through the cracks in the 13^th minute, after play out wide, and Daisuke Takagi met it with a volley that deflected off a Verdy defender and left Naoto Kamifukumoto helpless as it found the back of the net. Having conceded the early lead, the Verdy players would now awaken. Junki Koike and Kawano switched sides, allowing Kawano to play near fellow academy graduates Kota Watanabe and Shion Inoue. The change led to an immediate improvement in the team’s attacking rhythm. The Verdy players maintained compact spacing and passed the ball short with quick touches, putting on an excellent display of the club’s unique style. The players also found the weak points in the opposition’s formation and probed them with sharp through passes, pushing Yamaguchi back into their own half. In the 26^th minute, Watanabe and Kawano combined from a deep position on the right wing to break down the defense. With all eyes on that area of the pitch, the ball was sent to the middle where the charging Shion Inoue hit a placed mid-range shot with the inside of his foot. The ball arched gracefully toward the goal but ultimately repelled off the cross bar to end the threat. In the 31^st minute, Kawano intercepted a Yamaguchi back pass and ran at the opposition before playing a heel pass that went through the legs of his marker and rolled free into space behind the back line. Kojic responded first, but after creating a 1 v 1 with the goal-keeper, the latter was able to get a touch to the ball and make the save. With the players constantly improving their spacing, Verdy continued to break down the opposition with short passing, while also pressing hard when the ball was lost and maintaining a strong, compact defensive stance. More and more, the aggressive style which had proved so effective lately began to emerge and though they still found themselves down a goal at half time, there were plenty of indications that a come-back was on the horizon.

 

As the second half began, the players picked up where they left off and their aggression would soon produce results. In the 49^th minute, Yuta Narawa took a throw-in on the left after penetrating deep into opposition territory. Sato made the approach and received the ball, playing a return pass back to Narawa, who then found Koike making a darting run behind. Koike left his defender at sea with a sharp turn and charged into the box, finding space for a final pass across the face of goal. Waiting to receive the ball was Kojic and the Verdy forward had plenty of time to set himself and pass the ball into the back of the net with a precise touch of his inside boot. Verdy had thus obtained an equalizer with plenty of time left to play. As Yamaguchi poured forward in response, Verdy would next produce effective play on the counter. By tightening up in the middle of the pitch and cutting off the opposition passing lanes, Verdy created opportunities for the center backs and holding midfielders to make physical challenges and win the ball before starting the break. In the 61^st minute, Kojic broke free on the left side and carried the ball in for a shot on goal, only to see his effort go just wide of the post. Following this play, Kojic indicated a problem with his leg and was taken off for Leandro. By now, the match was an open affair and in the 71^st minute, the score would change once again. It happened when Verdy earned a corner kick from the left. As Tomohiro Taira made a run for the near post, Sato set him up with a perfect ball. Taira had completely escaped his markers and leaped into the air, standing two heads above anyone else on the pitch. He met the ball at the top of its arc and sent it cannoning into the back of the net to give Verdy the lead. That lead, however, would not last long. In the 75^th minute, a low cross was played with slightly early timing and passed across the face of goal to the far side, where Kishida equalized with a diving header Even then, the Verdy players did not lose their cool. With belief in the style they had played since the first half, they combined passing and movement in attack to trouble the opposition, while in defense the midfielders continued pressing hard and allowed the back line to retrieve possession and initiate counter attacks. The big chance Verdy earned in the 83^rd minute came from one of those counter attacks. After breaking up an opposition move, Koike was able to win the ball and continue his run directly into the final third. Leandro and Sato made supporting runs in front of goal to create a 3 v 3, but Koike elected to dribble, putting the defense on its heels. As he cut inside the box, Koike was brought down by the nearest defender and earned the team a penalty kick. In their two previous opportunities to win from the penalty spot this season, Verdy had faltered, but the third time was the charm as Leandro calmly found the bottom left corner to put the team ahead once more.

 

With the match winding down, manager WHITE’s choice for the final substitution was recent university graduate Anzai, a player appearing on the bench for the first time in his career. Anzai took the place of Watanabe on the right side and showed good intensity in defense while also making explosive runs forward when the team had the ball. This enabled Verdy to keep the opposition from approaching their goal. The strategy paid off and Verdy were not broken down again, earning their first away win of the season.

 

Since finding balance between attack and defense, Verdy have continued to face adversity, with key players such as Hanato and Fujimoto unavailable for selection, but the reserve members have made the most of their abilities on the pitch and the other starters have adjusted in kind, allowing the team to maintain its preferred style. For weeks now, Verdy’s aggressive stance in attack and defense, along with their mesmerizing pass work and stylish moves, has entertained viewers everywhere. There is no trace of the hesitancy with which they approached their new style in the early matches. While the defense continues to leak goals, the players have shown the will to claim two goals for every one they concede and have been able to put matches away when it counts. For these past three matches, the opposition were likely lacking in material for scouting reports. That is exactly why the team must now double down as they return home for a show down between founding J League teams vs. JEF United. The match is a golden opportunity to show that Verdy’s strength can survive, even in the face of opposition preparation. JEF are also a squad showing improvement in recent weeks. The time has never been better for a battle between these two clubs with great tradition and we hope to see the stands painted green as the players take the pitch.

Your thoughts on the match?
We made a slow start for the first 10 or 15 minutes, but overall, I think we played well. I think we were able to play at our tempo after Kawano and Koike switched sides. At half time, I told the players to believe in themselves and maintain poise. I think from that point to the end of the match, we were in control. All the players showed their individual skills and character, today.

You selected Kawano to start, despite having a lot of options. Can you tell us your reasons for that?
I believe Hiroki is a special player. He has the ability to create something from nothing. Even watching him in training, I am often stunned by what he can do. As such, I thought he would be best suited for the match today.

You had Koike and Kawano switch sides. You’ve done that in other matches as well. What was your intention for having them switch, today?
I wanted us to pick it up a gear and I knew they were both capable of playing on either side. I had told them in training that they could be positioned on either end and that I would monitor the play to see which one suited them better. (So, you aren’t concerned with where they start the match?) I think the fact that our wide players, including our wing backs, can play on either side gives us flexibility and is one of our strengths. Their play doesn’t really change depending on which side they’re on. Each player can demonstrate his strengths within the framework of the team and in modern football, it’s difficult for a player who can only play one position. Our players have that flexibility, including Tatsuya (Anzai) who entered the match late, and it is my job to put each player in the position that works best for them during the course of the match.