You played today despite being taken off with an injury in the last match.
It was a pulled muscle, but nothing was torn. I had thought that it was a serious injury at first, but thanks to the support of those around me, I was able to focus on recovery. I am grateful to everyone.

How do you look back on the match?
We did well to get the opening goal, but after that, I wanted us to claim a second before the end of the first half. We gave up an equalizer after an unfortunate penalty, but I think there was a determination to score throughout the squad and that was what enabled us to score the winning goal.

You seemed to contribute greatly to the team’s rhythm through your play in attack and defense.
I think I lost the ball at my position more often than usual, so I actually have some regrets about my play in that regard. However, when I did make mistakes, my teammates were there to help. On the other hand, when they made mistakes, I tried to chase the ball and win it back. I think that desire to cover for each other has been a big part of our recent winning streak.

You did a good job of drawing fouls from the opposition and preventing them from developing rhythm of their own.
When the ball was played to me, I felt like the supporting players were a bit farther away than usual. When I realized I couldn’t lay the feed off to a teammate, I started trying to draw fouls and buy some time.

Tell us about the opening goal.
We pressed back well and set up an opportunity on the short counter. Shion (Inoue) played a great pass into the one spot where they couldn’t get a touch to the ball and my focus was on keeping the shot on target.

Tell us about the winning goal.
I’ve already commented on this several times, today, but the second goal was really thanks to Koki (Morita). All I did was take a swing at the ball and try to keep it down.

How do you feel about getting two goals from the free man position?
As long as I play in that position, I’m going to be asked to get involved in scoring goals. However, that is not the only work I have to perform. As we discussed earlier, I also have to lead the press, win the ball, and act as a target man for the attack. My objective is to do all these things at a high level and to get involved in creating goals as part of that process.

Did you expect to receive that return pass from Morita during the buildup to the winning goal?
At first, I thought Waka(sa) had played the cross to me. I mean, he always seems to miss me anyway (laughs). I guess maybe he did see someone behind me? Either way, he always misses me (laughs). Anyway, Koki put himself at full stretch to meet the ball, so it was an easy one for me to attack.

After Sato was substituted, the teamed seemed to struggle with your build up play?
It didn’t necessarily feel that way on the pitch. I do know that from some point in the second half, we were unable to put pressure on goal and it was difficult for me to receive the ball up front. I think that’s an area where we can still improve. Today, their holding midfielders were man-marking our shadow strikers (front central midfielders), so I needed to receive more direct passes from Shohei (Takahashi) or Taira at center back and then try to make something happen.

You seem to be contributing more numbers lately, in the form of goals and assists.
There will be times when I score and times when I don’t. It’s something that I have to focus on, but it’s more important for me that I help with pressing and take part in the buildup so that the whole team can perform well. I wouldn’t say that I’ve been rewarded for those efforts lately, but it has helped me realize that if I keep doing what I have to do, chances will eventually come my way. For that reason, too, I want to keep working hard.

Do you feel the team as a whole is more focused on taking shots and have there been changes to your attack?
Lately, a lot of different players throughout the squad have been scoring and more than before, everyone is moving the ball with the intent to score. We don’t have to get a goal every time we move up the pitch and sometimes it’s important that we take shots from a distance, too. I think the players are all becoming more aware of those things.

How do you feel about getting your second three-match winning streak of the season?
We haven’t yet won four in a row this season and as soon as we recover, we have another match in just two days, so it’s important for us to switch our mindset to the next match. By winning the match against Kyoto in dramatic fashion, I think we have gained confidence. We all enjoy the style of football we play and when we enjoy ourselves and get wins on top of that, that allows to truly believe in ourselves.

What are your thoughts on how you can maintain the stamina to work hard in defense and still get goals?
I try not to think about it. When I chase the ball, there aren’t many times when I can actually win it, but it helps to keep the opposition under pressure and forces them to make mistakes, after which my teammates can often win the ball in a good fashion. I don’t think about how using my energy in those areas will affect my ability to play in front of goal. If I were to think in that way, the team’s rhythm would be hurt.

Your thoughts on the match?
The final score was 2-1, but we had even more chances than that and if we had converted them, we could have won by a greater margin. I hope we can raise our precision and I will try to set the mood in training once again so we can improve.

Does whether the left-side attacker is Fukumura or Narawa impact the way you play?
I’ve never really thought about it. I always try to concentrate in the moment and be flexible enough to take up the right positions.

Tell us about your cross that led to the winning goal.
Individually, I’ve played in a lot of positions, both on the inside and outside, but I don’t feel like I’ve created many chances from crosses this season and I recently started focusing more on that area. I was able to float one good cross in the match against Kyoto, so I tried to duplicate that feeling with my cross today.

Morita got the assist by playing your cross back in front of goal with his left foot. Did you consider the length of Morita’s legs when making the cross?
Hmm. I must say that Koki (Morita)’s legs were shorter than I thought (laughs). That’s a joke, but to be honest, I didn’t see Koki at all. Instead, I could see Jin (Hanato) and I could tell that he was being marked, so I thought that if he made a run forward, the defender would follow and there would be space behind him. I played the cross to where I thought that space might be.

You matched up against a former Verdy player in Anzai, today. Did you receive any specific advice from the coaching staff?
I didn’t receive any specific instructions about Anzai and it was more Eiko (Koike) who was matched up with him. I was matched up with Kazuma (Takai) more often than not and I had actually played with him for Verdy, so I knew what to expect. As far as Anzai is concerned, I had played against him for other teams, so I knew his skill set as well. He has a very precise left foot and I remained aware of his strengths as the match went on.

As far as Takai was concerned, did you choose to allow him to cut inside?
It wasn’t that, it was more that he does a lot of feints and as you saw when he won the penalty, when he runs with the ball, he likes to put his legs in front of the defender. I was somewhat aware of that danger.

Your thoughts on the match?
We had the ball for certain lengths of time, but in the end, we were pushed back pretty deep. I think the fact that we were able to defend the lead and played with a real determination to win throughout the squad was positive.

Up until the goal you conceded, it looked like the team had accomplished what you wanted.
I think we played at our pace up until the early minutes of the second half. In the midst of that, we allowed the opposition to score from a single chance, but I also think that we needed to score while we had the advantage. Even after we conceded, however, we didn’t lose composure and finally got the goal we needed. I think that was a plus.

You came on as a substitute, but was there anything you were particularly focused on?
Before I came on, I was told to make myself available for passes and then thread the ball to Junki (Koike) on the opposite side. Individually, I was focused on receiving the ball while facing the goal.

You contributed a lot in defense by tracking back and otherwise working hard. How do you rate your performance?
During the pre-match meetings, we talked about demonstrating Verdy pride by winning our ball-side battles. We possessed that focus throughout the squad and I think I demonstrated that with my own play.

You took shots from just outside the box and were involved in good attacking moves, as well.
When we get forward on the counter, I think the most important thing is to take a swing at the ball and it’s only when we demonstrate that we’re willing to take shots that space opens up for through passes or for other players. That’s why I first wanted to take a shot when I had the chance.

As in the match against Kyoto, you’ve won a lot of games with late goals recently.
I think the strong desire to win possessed throughout the squad is what has led to the good results. With the strength of our attack, we are confident that we can take the lead, even if we give up an equalizer. I think that we’ve done a good job of not rushing things.

You recently participated in the training camp for the U-19 Japan National Team. Did that provide you some extra inspiration?
Both the national team and Verdy have their own tactical approach, so I keep them separate in my mind. However, I was able to win duels with sliding tackles a number of times and that’s something I ‘ve focused on while working with Japan. It’s a plus that I’ve brought that back with me from that experience.

You have an important match against Fukuoka with only two days rest in between.
It’s a match we have to win. It may be a long shot, but our chances at promotion haven’t completely disappeared. To keep them alive, we need the three points.

Your thoughts on the match?
I was certain that I would get a chance today, so when I came on at 1-1, I was determined to change the momentum and earn a second goal. Before I entered the game, I knew the team was playing the kind of football we strive for, but we gave up a penalty. Watching from outside the pitch, my hope was that I could add an accent to the play by trying to get behind the defense more.

You played at left wide striker. What was your focus there?
Shion (Inoue) often receives the ball at his feet or drifts inside when he plays there. On the other hand, I tend to stick to the wide areas or aim to get behind the defense. My strength is my ability to carry the ball at my feet and I think I showed that to some degree.

Of the four matches in which you’ve appeared so far, this was the most aggressive we’ve seen you play.
I’d been getting more appearances as a sub lately, but I felt like I wasn’t really enjoying myself. Football is supposed to be fun, so I wanted to express that more and I think that was reflected in my aggressive stance.

On the other hand, there was one moment when you passed up the opportunity to play the ball to an unmarked Koike and instead tried to force the finish.
Junki (Koike) really gave me an earful after the match (laughs). To be honest, though, I didn’t actually see him in that moment. I was too focused on trying to do something myself. I had been playing well up to that point, but if I had seen Junki on the right and found him with a pass, I think he would have scored. That’s my biggest regret from today.

Was Koike pretty harsh?
No, he kind of joked around and told me I’d be fined. He was affectionate about it. Now it’s my job to pay him back with an assist. I received a good cross from him today that I should have scored from, as well.

Overall, do you think you were able to impact the game with your individual play?
It’s something I was focused on. My approach was to take on the defense myself and if that was impossible, I would try to lay the ball off to the middle and create an opportunity to break forward. Now I just need to improve the precision of my crosses.

Identifying areas for improvement is a lot less stressful when you win, isn’t it?
The fact that we have gained consecutive wins means a lot for the team and as long as I’m being given a chance to play, I have to pay heed to things like what Junki pointed out. There are many areas where I’m lacking. Next, I want to contribute directly to the result.

As in the match against Kyoto, you earned the victory with a late winner. It seems like you are doing what you need to win more.
There’s a good atmosphere within the squad and in the locker room after games. Compared to before, we’re doing a better job after we concede and everyone has a positive attitude. I think that’s brought everyone together as a team and it’s what has contributed to these dramatic late goals.

With a number of consecutive matches coming up, you must want be wanting to break into the starting lineup. What do you think you can do to appeal for a chance?
To get a start, I first have to achieve results while playing as a substitute. In that sense, while it was only a little, I think that I demonstrated my qualities today. I’m also aware of my shortcomings. I know that I will get another chance with so many matches coming up, so I will train hard and be ready to make an impact.