Intro
Don’t look now but FC Ryukyu are on a 4-game unbeaten streak heading into the final match day of 2021. Granted, a majority of those results have been draws – three in a row to be exact – but you’d have to go all the way back to Match Days 10-14 to find a similar set of results for the club this season. On the other hand Tochigi SC are also on a streak of their own as they have won their last two un a row heading into what will be the final match in charge for Kazuaki Tasaka. Perhaps there is some extra motivation for Tochigi to send him off with a win which seems a bit troubling as a Ryukyu fan in an otherwise ‘dead rubber’ game.
- Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
- Round 41 Recap
- Highlights
- Team Previews
- Tochigi SC
- FC Ryukyu
- Keys to Victory
- Round 42 in J2
- Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Info from Tochigi SC
Some really nice conditions for the last game of the year.
Click>>> Match Day 42 Info
2. Round 41 Recap
Try as they might, FC Ryukyu couldn’t close out the home portion of the 2021 season with a win. Things started out promising for Ryukyu following a phenomenal first half goal from Shunsuke Motegi but Niigata found it way to easy to equalize in the second half when former Ryukyu talisman, Koji Suzuki, put one of his patented one touch shots past Taguchi. I am not even upset that it was Koji that scored against us.
3. Previous Match Highlights
4. Team Previews
Tochigi SC: Tochigi started the season with three straight losses followed by a 7-game unbeaten streak before the wheels really came off the car starting on Match Day 16 with Tochigi going 11 straight games without a win. Somehow their manager survived that barren patch and even managed to win three games in a row following that disaterous run. Tochigi also have this weird thing going where they seem to bunch (3) wins in a row. That has happened twice so far this season with the only other wins over Matsumoto sticking out like sore thumbs in the schedule. As mentioned in the intro, Tochigi enter MD42 on the back of two straight wins which is a bit of an ominous sign for Ryukyu if Tochigi continue this streak of bunching wins together.
Tochigi have earned 20% if their total wins in their last five games with wins over Giravanz and Zweigen which were preceded by losses to JEF and Nagasaki and a draw to Akita. A majority of their leading scorers are on loan and the fact that a CB has the most goals in the side might not be instilling a ton of confidence in the Tochigi fans heading into 2022. The last time these teams met on MD 14 FC Ryukyu were in the midst a four game unbeaten run and defeated Tochigi 4-2 to make it 5 games in a row. I would definitely like to see history repeat itself once more this week.
However, the home side in the last two fixtures has scored 4 goals so with all the streaks occurring for both of these clubs, something has to give on Sunday.
FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu have scored first in every one of their last four matches during this unbeaten run. However, they’ve also conceded first half goals in each of them. Ryukyu managed to regain the lead, or go level, with second half goals against Kanazawa and JEF, but that trend has swung the other direction with Ryukyu allowing their opposition to score in the second half while also failing to grab a potential winner. I am not really sure what to make of that and simply hope Ryukyu can turn things around in their last game to close out 2021 with a victory.
Ryukyu have gone 2-4-1 since the managerial change to Kina and that is certainly a better record than their previous 7-games that saw Higuchi released from his duties. It is still to early to tell how Kina will get on next season as most of Ryukyu’s competition during Kina’s final run in didn’t really have much to play for other than pride. We will need to see how Ryukyu reinforces the squad next season and how Kina sets up a side that was one of the strongest offensively and defensively to open the year.
I would expect that many of the notable players that have already been released to feature on Sunday. Fukui and Torikai for sure, with the smallest of chances for Ichimaru and Tavares. Kina could also go a different direction and give a run out to some of the players the club is considering resigning in the offseason. Maybe, just maybe, we even see Abe make a return to the squad.
5. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen
1. Don’t let Tochigi score from set pieces. Likelihood 3. The Tochigi game plan is clear and obvious to anyone that looks at who is their top goal scorer. They simply play for the set piece and hope to bang one home from the center back.
6. Round 42 in J2
Jubilo Iwata were crowned champions of J2 this past weekend and Kyoto Sanga FC will join them in J1 next season. Matsumoto Yamaga, Ehime and Giravanz Kitakyushu have all been relegated. Yokohama FC, Vegalta Sendai and Oita Trinita will be dropping down to J2, with one relegation spot still to be decided in J1. There is also one relegation spot up for grabs in J2 that potentially hinges on what shakes out in J3 this weekend.
There are four teams heading into this weekend that could be relegated to J3 as indicated by the table above: (16) Thespakusatsu Gunma, (17) Zweigen Kanazawa, (18) Omiya Ardija and (19) SC Sagamihara. Gunma only require a draw at Omiya to avoid the drop but the hosts will want all 3-points to ensure their own safety. Zweigen are hoping that a post-promotion hangover occurs at Kyoto (which we sometimes see from teams ala FC Ryukyu 2018) in order to cruise to an easy victory because a draw, coupled with an SC Sagamihara victory at Tokyo Verdy, will send them packing. Short of a win, and a couple of things breaking in their favor, SC Sagamihara look all but cooked heading north into Tokyo.
Ideally Sagamihara would need Gunma to win/draw, and Zweigen to do the same based on goal differential. But they also need to win on Sunday. However, they also have a small chance to escape relegation if Tegevajaro Miyazaki remain inside the top two promotion spots of J3. Miyazaki do not own a J2 license and therefore are not eligible for promotion. SC Sagamihara’s fate is in their own hands. Win and likely in. Lose and hope either Roasso Kumamoto or Iwate Grulla Morioka fail in their promotion bid.
Looks like the J-League chose a good one to broadcast to close out the season. Click>>> J.League Int’l YouTube channel
7. Conclusion
This will be the last time we see this team together as we know some players are set to move on with more to follow in the coming weeks. Ryukyu has given us so much to cheer about this season and though it has been one crazy rollercoaster ride of emotions for the fans, I have enjoyed every minute of it. It is always a strange feeling coming to the end of a season. Especially one in which you are neither being promoted or relegated. Sometimes you just want the season to end quickly in order to regroup for next year, I certainly felt this way after promotion was off the table, while at times dealing with the fact that there will be no football in Okinawa for another three months. What do you think?
In any event, thank you for taking the time to read this blog throughout the year as well as stick with me during my hiatus. I wish you all the best of health and continued success in the upcoming year. But I especially look forward to seeing you all next year for what should be another interesting, stressful, gut-wrenching, and exciting season in the hell that is J2!
Come on Ryukyu!
ryukyuarmy.com 