MD 4: Veertien Mie 3-3 Okinawa SV

Intro

Okinawa SV fought back from both a two (2) goal and one (1) goal deficit on Sunday to maintain their unbeaten streak and second place standing in the JFL table. In what started out as pretty shaky opening quarter hour for OSV turned into one of their best performances of the early season.

MD4 Recap

I am not sure if it is a case where Okinawa SV just start matches slowly, or perhaps it is all part of Rei Onogi’s game plan to see what the opponents are wanting to do. In any case, Okinawa SV were on the back foot for about the first fifteen minutes of this match allowing Mie to dictate the terms of play in addition to scoring two goals inside of ten minutes.

Hyon-ju Ryang opened the scoring in the very first minute of the game with a 60-yard chip over the Okinawa GK Hanada (31:00) who must’ve drifted way to far off of his line. You can’t really tell from the highlights where Hanada was at as all you’ll see is the shot and Hanada picking himself up and picking the ball up out of the back of the net. This was the first time this season where Okinawa SV found themselves playing from behind.

Just about nine minutes later Shota Tamura doubled the Mie lead (39:20) when he turned in a rebound from a shot that was initially saved by Hanada but simply fell right at the feet of the on-rushing Tamura. Down two goals, and looking like they could hemorrhage more, Okinawa SV needed to quickly turn things around.

The breakthrough for OSV occurred at the 23′ minute mark when Kakeru Aoto’s back heel flick found its way past the Mie GK (52:20). It was the exact type of response that OSV needed and that really set them on a path to control the game and create chances. Shuri Arita, who assisted the earlier Aoto goal, leveled the match for OSV in the 58′ minute from a goal mouth scramble following an OSV set play (1:44:30).

Okinawa SV were unable to capitalize on their momentum and possession and once again found themselves down a goal when in the 82′ minute (2:08:00) Shota Tamura doubled his tally on the day with a lovely rounding of the OSV keeper and cool finish stemming from a fast break out of the Mie end. To be fair, I think they play should’ve probably never happened considering that Shuga Arai was absolutely cleaned out on a play which should’ve been blown dead for a foul but one in which the ref was just going to allow the players to play.

Despite finding themselves down again in this game, OSV responded in just 3 minutes when Yukihide Gibo chested down a long cross from Meguru Odagaki inside the Mie box and blasted home the volley to level the match (2:11:50). It was one of the nicest goals I’ve seen OSV score this season and certainly one of their biggest.

OSV nearly won the match at the very end but were just unable to push the ball across the line following another goal mouth scramble with the ball stuck somewhere in the middle of all that, and where the Mie GK was able to fish it out and kill off the play.

JFL Match Day Four

(1) Kochi United continues their strong push for a JFL championship by defeating (10) Tochigi City 3-2 on the road. I am not sure the game was that close as Kochi jumped out to a 3-0 lead before surrendering two very late, stoppage time, goals to Tochigi City. It was the third time this season that Kochi United have scored three goals in a match and only the first time all season that they surrendered a goal.

The only goalless game of this round happened between (9) Honda FC and (4) Reilac Shiga. Then there are the two bottom sides of (15) Criacao Shinjuku and (16) Briobecca Urayasu who have yet to score a goal this year. It must be serioulsy deflating to Briobecca to have lost all their games 1-0.

There are some games on the JFL Youtube channel but you’ll probably need to hunt down the other matches on each teams individual YouTube Channel. JFL YouTube: @JFLOfficialChannel

MD 5 Preview: (2) Okinawa SV vs (11) ReinMeer Aomori

Okinawa SV will play their second home match of the 2024 JLF season this Sunday, April 7th, at 13:00. Aiming to host as many games as they can at the same stadium FC Ryukyu uses, the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium in Okinawa City’s Comprehensive Park, in order to get as many fans as they can, hopefully more that 424 can show up for this match. Unfortunately I will not be one of them as I am returning from some vacation time.

Aomori currently sit eleventh in the standings and will play their fifth consecutive road match of the year. I guess the weather in Aomori this time of the year is not conducive to football. Aomori won their first game this past week when they defeated Briobecca Urayasu 1-0. Based on their results this year one could draw the conclusion that Aomori have a pretty stout defense since they’ve conceded only two (2) goals all season and have shut out their opponents in consecutive weeks. But OSV maybe a much tougher test for the Aomori back line.

For OSV the task is simple, grab the win and maintain the current position at, or near the top of the table. There are about none teams in the table that are only separated by a few points so one must suspect there will be some massive shifts in the standings as the season progresses. But that doesn’t mean that dropping points, especially at home, is something that OSV needs to contend with while heading into a favorable match against an opponent that has only scored two goals all season.

Conclusion

It was definitely an interesting set of two games for OSV these past few weeks. Both were away matches where OSV twice surrendered a lead (Maruyasu Okazaki) and this past one where they clawed their way back to level the match on two occasions. I think these are encouraging signs for a club that struggled mightily last season. Sure, you would’ve preferred to see OSV come out as victors in each match but these are still two valuable points against some tougher opponents that still keeps OSV near the top of the table.

MD 3: FC Maruyasu Okazaki 2-2 Okinawa SV

Intro

Okinawa SV were able to maintain their early-season unbeaten run when they drew 2-2 with FC Maruyasu Okazaki this past Saturday. The weather, and pitch for that matter, didn’t favor either side as the game was marred by turnovers from both clubs.

Recap

Maruyasu controlled the opening 15 minutes of this match with their high press on OSV that resulted in some early chances thanks in large part to OSV being unable to gain, or maintain possession. One player that stood out in all of this was central defender, Shota Fujisaki, who seemed to be clearing every ball that entered the OSV box.

OSV weathered the early Maruyasu attack, as well as the rain and pitch, and were able to generate a few attacks of their own resulting in the opening goal of the game at the 27′ minute mark. Shuga Arai scored his second goal this season following a lovely cross into the box from Nobuki Iketaka (43:15). Arai’s goal puts him level on goals scored with Iketaka this year but there is little doubt that Iketaka is one of the most important players for OSV this season. He currently sits on two (2) goals and one (1) assist which almost equals his highest ever point total in any season.

Unfortunately for OSV the lead didn’t last long as a deflected shot from Komei Kikuchi found its way past Chikara Hanada (57:28). OSV managed to grab the lead back after Daisuke Matsushita turned in a rebound following some hectic moments inside the Maruyasu 18-yard box (1:30:35). OSV nearly doubled their lead but a shot following a deflection was cleared off the the line by Maruyasu defender sitting on the goal line.

OSV once again surrendered the lead 17 minutes later when Jin Shioya put a lovely header past Hanada (1:47:25). It would be to harsh to say that Fujisaka, who was having a great game, could’ve done more to not let up on Shioya who got to the header. In the end it was a fine play and one you felt was coming after some sustained pressure from Maruyasu to close out the match.

MD 2: Okinawa SV 1-0 Briobecca Urayasu

I wasn’t able to see this game and the lone highlight comes at the 2:15:30 mark of the video when Shuri Arita slammed home a ball that fell to his feet inside the box at the 90′ mark of the match. Most concerning was the turnout of just 424 fans (transfermarkt) for OSV’s opening home game. That leaves a lot of ground for OSV to make up in their next 14 home fixtures and one in which we need to improve.

MD 1: Cricao Shinjuku 0-4 Okinawa SV

Full credit to Cricao Shinjuku YouTube channel as they actually had highlights, with commentary, for this match. I wasn’t expecting that and we may see a case where not all of the JFL matches each week will be broadcast on the JFL YouTube channel. Guess we’ll see.

Cricao seemed to have a single chance in this match before the OSV onslaught. OSV started the scoring after Shuga Arai scored from a stopped penalty shot. Then Nobuki Iketaka scored his first goal of the season just three minutes later. Iketaka doubled his tally in the 72′ minute before Rai Ijuin added the fourth OSV goal that day.

MD 4 Preview: (4) Veertien Mie vs (2) Okinawa SV

OSV will head back out on the road for their third away game this season. This one should be a much stiffer test for OSV as Mie sit just below OSV in the table on six (6) points; and have similar score-line wins to that of OSV against Cricao (4-0) and Briobecca (1-0). Mie’s lone loss this season came against Kochi United on Match Day 1 who currently sit atop the JFL table and who have yet to concede a goal. I hope this game is on the JFL broadcast as it should be a good one. It will actually be broadcast on veertien Mie YouTube channel. The link is below.

Conclusion

One may look at the early results for OSV this year and think, “well, they’ve played the two teams at the bottom of the table, that haven’t scored a single goal all season, and drew with a mid-table team.” While that is not wrong, you can only play the teams in front of you each week. The recent match versus Maruyasu was good for OSV as they faced some adversity, and while they didn’t win, they looked competitive throughout the game. Most importantly, Okinawa SV are scoring goals.

If you recall, it took Okinawa SV the opening nine (9) games of the 2023 season to equal the point total they sit at (7) currently. And even more shocking, it took Okinawa SV the first eighteen (18) games of 2023 to match the amount of goals they’ve already scored this season (7). OSV seem better suited for the JFL after a rough first campaign last year and all you hope for is for them to learn from any mistakes, and make the improvements where they can.

OSV Website: https://okinawasv.com

OSV X: https://twitter.com/okinawasv151225

JFL YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JFLOfficialChannel

Veertien Mie YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@VEERTIEN14/featured

FC Gifu vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Gifu extended their winning streak to five games in a row over FC Ryukyu with a resounding 3-1 victory at home this past weekend. It took Gifu just eight minutes to open the scoring before adding two more goals near the end in which two Gifu players reached multiple points on the day. FC Ryukyu added a consolation goal in stoppage time and while it was a very nice goal by Nakano, it was wasted in another lackluster performance by FC Ryukyu. This is the second loss in a row for FC Ryukyu this season but more concerning is that Ryukyu nearly made it five consecutive halves of football without scoring a goal before Nakano bailed them out when the game was already out of reach.

Match Highlights

Talking Points

The Lineup: We finally saw the change at GK that most were expecting with Dany Carvajal getting the nod over Junto Taguchi this match. However, Kuranuki opted – or had no choice due to injury – to drop the starting CB duo in Muta and Mori. Kuranuki gave the start to Yamauchi and Makito Uehara in the CB role instead. A move I had feared all offseason that finally came to fruition. I am not sure we can hide Makito in a different spot in the lineup and it seems apparent that he may need to be dropped to the bench altogether. Speaking of drops, Kagiyama was dropped to the bench for this game and Takahiro Yanagi made his debut for the club with a substitute appearance.

There was still no sign, or word, for Kelvin, Hitomi and Mu Kanazaki. When this lineup was released a few hours in front of the match I instantly had the feeling that we were going to witness something similar to what we saw last year at Oita, almost exactly 1 year to date and on the same match day. It was there that Kina finally made a switch at GK only to throw Dany to the wolves during that 1-4 pasting at Oita. It seems Kina’s understudy did the same exact thing this week with a makeshift backline in front of Dany. If you recall, after a similar outcome last year when a switch was made at GK, we didn’t see the resurgence of Dany until there was a change in the manager.

The Match: The opening twenty minutes of this game really speaks to where FC Ryukyu are as a team these days. Missed opportunities early on when passing went awry, a good save from Dany to keep the team in the match, and then punished for not converting their early chances when bad defending down the right side resulted in a wide open headed goal. Later on we saw some shots right at the Gifu goalie, most notably Fukumura’s wide open run where he didn’t bother to look up and see a slew of Ryukyu attackers in the box and instead opted to go for glory.

Things could’ve been a lot worse for Ryukyu had the referee awarded a PK for what looked like a clear foul on Kubota in the box but instead we were treated to a long stretch where FC Ryukyu needed a goal, and couldn’t find it, before the floodgates opened up on them. Gifu’s second goal was the result of yet another successfull press by our opponents, followed by a turnover with two Gifu players closing down the Ryukyu pass. Gifu were able to find space all day within the Ryukyu back line and though the second goal took a deflection off of Makito, the Gifu player had all day to pick his spot. Not much different for the the third Gifu goal as it was a nice run and finish by the attacker through the heart of the Ryukyu defense.

Abe put in a good shift as it was his hard work that provided the assist on the Nakano goal and workman rate that nearly got Ryukyu on the board near the very end when a header hit the crossbar. It is just the same script for Ryukyu these days: missed opportunities, right idea but wrong execution, not really testing the opposing keeper, turnovers and breaking down in defense.

Repeating the same mistakes: One could make a very strong argument that the 2023 version of FC Ryukyu is a carbon copy of the 2022 version that never lived up to the talent it possessed on the roster. That was because the manager, Kina, was not up to task and the club waited a long time to make a change. How could anyone think any different after another internal appointment at manager by the leadership of the club has once again put this team on shaky ground as evidenced by the lack of offense/goals, poor defending, conceding late goals, and the list goes on and on. I also understand that Ryukyu are only five games into the season and perhaps Kuranuki should be afforded more time, but I cannot say that Ryukyu have been good so much as just lucky this season under his control.

It starts and ends with the manager as it is his system, his choices, that set this club up for success each week. How many successes compared to failures do you think Kuranuki has had this season? It is so easy for teams to press Ryukyu high up the pitch and force turnovers in the middle of the field. It is disappointing watching our defenders not mark their men or make runs into the wrong spots. It is painful watching Ryukyu go on the attack knowing not much will come of it. What is Kuranuki drilling into this team at training each week?

The exact same things that doomed this team last season are very visible at this point in the season. And no amount of encouragement from the front office in the coming weeks will change the reality of the situation. Fans were promised attacking football, it has been anything but that so far. The team vowed to make it back to J2 in one season, that is looking less and less likely at the moment. The fans have little patience following last season and simply want results. How will Ryukyu get those results?

Round 5 in J3

Truth be told I didn’t have the motivation to watch any fixtures this round following FC Ryukyu’s loss. Iwate moved into the pole position, Sanuki is still grinding out results and Y.S.C.C. is still winless. Yamaga and Tottori played to a spirited 0-0 draw while Kagoshima continue to struggle.

Conclusion

FC Ryukyu’s shot at promotion is slowly slipping away and now they will welcome in a confident Nara club who are undefeated in their last four games. A win by Ryukyu is required but in doing so it may just temporarily paper over the Grand Canyon size cracks that exist within the club.

(6) FC Ryukyu vs (18) Fukushima United FC #FC琉球

Intro

Apparently I didn’t see the full picture last week when I mistakenly thought that the half step back that Ryukyu took at Imabari was actually just the beginning of a full on slip into a fall backwards for the club. FC Ryukyu lost 0-1 at home on Sunday to Fukushima United FC after putting in a less than inspired performance in what was a very winnable game. We can clearly see that the battle for promotion in J3 will be a dogged fight all season where FC Ryukyu must take advantage of teams in poor runs of form or risk finding themselves on the outside looking in come the end of the season.

Match Highlights

Talking Points

1. The Lineup: We finally saw the return of Koki Kiyotake to the lineup but at the expense of Mu Kanazaki being dropped. As always, no idea if that was a tactical decision or due to injury since there is so little information regarding the health of any of our players. FC Ryukyu dressed five of our college recruits along with 18-year old Tsusha last night. That doesn’t feel like they’re putting out the strongest lineup rather just what is available. The missing in action list as it currently stands following Match Day 4 for FC Ryukyu: Sulley, Kelvin, Kanazaki, Hitomi, Shirai, Yanagi, and Nakano (5/8 forwards on the roster are out or missing).

2. The Match: FC Ryukyu looked lethargic and fresh out of ideas when trying to breakdown Fukushima. They really lost this game in the middle third of the pitch with the amount of turnovers and sloppy play, especially from our two central midfielders. Ryukyu dodged an early bullet on a Fukushima breakaway that Taguchi managed to save, and with the subsequent rebound shot going wide, but were not so lucky a bit later on. More on that subject later.

Ryukyu eventually came to life in the waning moments of the match after the introduction of Kiyotake who had an open header go right at the Fukushima GK and another shot hit the post. But to be honest there wasn’t any significant adjustments by Kuranuki at the half that contributed to anything positive for Ryukyu. One could argue that any adjustments that Kuranuki did make at halftime benefited Fukushima more than Ryukyu as our opponents nearly doubled their lead on several occasions after the break while looking dangerous and with their tails up. Points dropped at home to a team on the slide isn’t a ringing endorsement for Kuranuki and one that will put him under the microscope a little more than he had hoped this early on. But knowing the club’s track record for instituting change, this will need to be a regular occurrence that can no longer be brushed off before it is addressed.

FC Ryukyu are not generating any offense, nor anything close to quantity and quality shots on net. Ryukyu seem to rely solely on the idea of one of their fullbacks bombing a ball forward in the hopes a forward player can run onto the end of it. Is this how the offense is supposed to flow? Strictly through our fullbacks sending in “prayer balls?” Just look at the amount of passes that were intercepted, turned over, or went out of bounds this game when attempting to break Fukushima’s press. A tactic that many of our opponents can easily employ against us, and one that will continue for the foreseeable future until Ryukyu figure out a way to turn large amounts of possession into goals.

3. Ryunosuke Noda: Didn’t really have much of an impact on this match outside of his angling to get an early send off with some of his ill-timed challenges. The worst being the cross on net when Noda rose for a header but opted to send the Fukushima goalie into the post instead. Indeed a card worthy infraction and Noda’s last contribution to the match for Ryukyu. I can understand the frustration some of our forward players may feel having little support or involvement in games but clearer heads need to prevail when times are rough so as not to put Ryukyu up against it for unnecessary reasons. Have to back up one’s persona with results or else it just looks comical.

4. The Taguchi Special: Junto getting his own section in this recap has become a regular occurrence, but for all the wrong reasons. For the third consecutive week Taguchi put FC Ryukyu in an early hole, one which they couldn’t recover from this time. Taguchi spilled a shot, having failed to corral it, right into a dangerous area that resulted in some panicky defending by Ryukyu, and of course during that fracas the ball found a Fukushima attacker. An ugly goal by every account but one that Fukushima desperately needed and one that Taguchi desperately couldn’t afford. With the indictments on Taguchi’s play increasing each week one has to wonder when, not if, Kuranuki will make the change at GK?

Round 4 in J3

Ryukyu missed a golden opportunity to move into sole position of first place as all the other fixtures had concluded at the time of their kickoff. Instead Ryukyu find themselves in 6th place trailing the teams above them by a single point. (3) Iwate Grulla Morioka required a late PK to muster a draw against (15) Azul Claro Numazu at home and (1) Matsumoto Yamaga FC surrendered a late goal to (16) Tegevajaro Miyazaki also resulting in a draw. (2) FC Imabari once again scored deep into a match but this time the goal resulted in a win over (14) Giravanz Kitakyushu. (8) Vanraure Hachinohe took the most direct route to goal from a single pass from their GK and deposited a blast from close range into the (12) FC Gifu net for their win.

Three of the more exciting fixtures this round all ended in a tie. (5) Kataller Toyama and (13) AC Nagano Parceiro finished 3-3 after Nagano jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second half and looked primed to push that lead to 4-1 when they lined up for a PK. But that is where things went sideways for Nagano as they missed the PK and then conceded two goals within four minutes near the end of the match. (4) Gainare Tottori scored two second half goals just 7 minutes apart and looked in total control of the game until (9) Kamatamare Sanuki scored twice inside five minutes at the very end. Finally, (20) Y.S.C.C. nearly notched their first win of 2023 before an own goal from a set piece ended their match with (11) Nara Club in a 2-2 draw.

Conclusion

No one was under the impression that FC Ryukyu were going to go undefeated all season, or even undefeated at home. But since the slider scale for how some view the club hasn’t moved all the way back to the side of ‘feeling good about the team,’ a performance like this will just engender more frustration from the fans. The only good news is the loss this week isn’t considered fatal at this point in the season and Ryukyu can recover from a minor setback with many other results in the league going in their favor this week. It is back to work for the club with an eye on grabbing some points at FC Gifu next Saturday.

MD3 Report: FC Imabari vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

The match between FC Imabari and FC Ryukyu ended in a draw for the third time in as many matches. Only there were no PKs to determine the winner in this one. Instead, Ryukyu battled back from an early Imabari goal with two second half goals of their own inside a minute, but were consigned to a draw on the very last kick of the game. Ryukyu fans will feel disappointed it wasn’t all three points while Imabari fans will feel vindicated having suffered a similar type of result last week against Kagoshima. Things be like that sometimes.

Highlights

Talking Points

1. The Lineup: Takuma Abe made his return to the bench for FC Ryukyu however Kiyotake and Kelvin were still absent from the roster. Ryukyu are dressing far more defenders than mid-fielders these days, and using all of them it seems, which only confirms everyone’s suspicions that players are hurt, there is no word on any timetable for their return, and we have to make due with who we have healthy right now. Mu Kanazaki returned after his suspension and was heavily involved in the second half with his hold up play as well as getting in on the Hitomi goal with an assist.

2. The Game: Ryukyu had bursts to open each half but offered could not consistently sustain momentum. And then when they decided to ‘park the bus,’ they were punished by Imabari. The 57% possession was nice, but Ryukyu were outshot and were under serious pressure when Imabari had the ball in Ryukyu’s end. Ryukyu were making the right decisions on where to go with the ball during the game, they just deployed the wrong passes when it mattered most. There will be a couple of plays near the end which many may criticize Ryukyu for not just booting it out of danger but that is a bit harsh. A couple of things that are clear is they need the offense to provide some relief to our besieged back line, and Ryukyu really need to be winning these types of games if they wish to be promoted.

3. Takuya Hitomi: Was having a nice game and was rewarded with a goal from a very nice finish. We’ve seen this from Hitomi before but what unfortunately suffered a non-contact injury just 15 minutes into the second half and had to be subbed off (stretchered). Hitomi may have taken a slight knock to his leg on an earlier challenge at the start of the play, but when he was attempting to slow his run you could see him briefly pull up limp, attempt to pass the ball and then collapse. The expression on his face and the pulling of his jersey over his head as he was carried off doesn’t bode well as Hitomi clearly knows something is bad. There is no telling what injury he suffered or how long he will be out of the lineup. Truly an injury we cannot afford with so many undisclosed injuries already plaguing the club.

4. Junto Taguchi: A tale of two halves for this player. Taguchi was once again a bit shaky to start which led directly to an Imabari goal within the opening 15 minutes. Granted, his defenders weren’t helping him out all that much as Imabari were finding plenty of space between our back line. Taguchi could’ve done better on the shot as he took a poor first step, conceded a rebound in the worst possible spot after failing to secure the shot, making the goal almost inevitable.

Taguchi recovered in the second half to make a pair of key saves for Ryukyu but wasn’t able, not that many would, to get to the final shot of the match that curled past him. I would say the jury is still out on whether or not Taguchi is the right man for the job. Ryukyu cannot afford, and probably cannot bail out, Taguchi making mistakes that puts the team into an early hole or breathes life back into opponents. He must get better and display some leadership that has earned him the vice captaincy and starting job.

5. In the end, the point was a fair result. It doesn’t feel great as 3-points was clearly in the cards for Ryukyu, but nevertheless, the point on the road against a tough team is a very good result for this club.

Round 3 in J2

Matsumoto Yamaga moves into the pole position after their 3-0 thumping of Y.S.C.C. combined with Tottori losing 3-2 at home to Ehime FC. Iwate responded from their loss last week to Ryukyu by defeating FC Osaka on the road in what looked to be poor weather conditions. Hachinohe bagged a victory after a ding-dong type of goal with multiple rebounds and deflections. Nara club hammered Nagano at home and as a Ryukyu fan, it was great seeing FC Gifu take down Kagoshima United 1-0 at home.

Conclusion

It is kind of strange where a result like this so early last year felt like a loss whereas this year it sort of feels like a win. So we march forward into next week against Fukushima United and if Ryukyu are feeling a little disappointed about the result that slipped through their fingers on Sunday, that is a good thing, and Fukushima needs to be the recipient of that frustration on Sunday.

MD 2 Report: FC Ryukyu vs Iwate Grulla Morioka #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu moved into second place in the standings following a come from behind 2-1 victory over Iwate on Saturday night. It was a complete reversal from the last time these two teams played in Okinawa, almost exactly one year ago, with Iwate drawing first blood in the 25th minute followed by two second half goals from Ryukyu. Both Takezawa (48th minute) and Noda (81st minute) attempted to rip the stitching out of the net with both shots from close range finding their way into the top of the goal. This was a good, if not important, win for Ryukyu despite the season having just started as it marks the first time this season that Ryukyu have won back to back games, a feat they only managed to achieve once last year.

Highlights

Talking Points

1. Another plot twist for the Ryukyu lineup. We knew we were going to be without Mu Kaznazki due to suspension but Kelvin was surprisingly dropped from the team altogether. Noda returned from injury to make the bench and possibly due to the lack of forwards, Kuranuki shifted from a 4-4-2 to a 4-2-3-1. That seemed to work well for Ryukyu as there were not as many wayward passes and turnovers that plagued their first match with Hachinohe with the central defensive midfield pairing of Morita and Kagiyama really standing out. Two of our collegiate signings also made their debuts with Ryota Araki taking over for Nakano at Right Midfield and Shusei Yamauchi coming on for a brief substitute appearance. Araki also notched his first point of the season with an assist on the Takezawa goal.

2. Ryukyu dressed a lot of defensive players this match and is that because Kuranuki had a certain game plan in mind to blunt the Iwate attack or are we dealing with more injuries than we previously thought? I do not know but if Kuranuki wasn’t forced into shifting the lineup due to injury and more of a concerted effort, that is the type of progress you love to see. It is still to early to tell about Kuranuki, and since we’ll probably not get many injury updates anytime soon, let’s just assume it is a mix of both.

3. Are Ryukyu that good? Is Hachinohe better than expected? Is Ehime really that bad? I have no idea. Iwate looked like a different side in this game compared to their performance at Ehime. Same goes for Ryukyu after their opening match. Iwate didn’t dictate the run of play as they did against Ehime, Ryukyu did, and though my fear of Iwate pounding us on set pieces – which was confirmed while watching Iwate train the day prior in Okinawa – that never really came to fruition. Iwate had four corner kicks and a few free kicks but Ryukyu were able to snuff those out. The lone goal from Iwate came from open play and it looked like Taguchi was sitting a little to far back to deal with the shot. A shot that Dany saves every time.

Round 2 in J3

The much anticipated match between Kagoshima and Imabari ended in a draw following a flurry activity late that also included an own goal by Imabari on the very last play of the game. Continuing the trend of some late game drama was the match between Ehime and Nagano with Ehime equalizing late on after a series of rebounds and deflections. Tottori dispatched Y.S.C.C. after falling behind early and have moved into the pole position in the table while Toyama drops out of the top having lost to Numazu. Nara club notched their first point of the season while FC Osaka took all three points from Miyazaki on the road.

Conclusion

It felt really good to see Ryukyu win back to back home games for the first time since match days 18 and 20 of 2021. We are only two games into the season with a massive test next week at Imabari, but another fast start by this club (in an odd number year) would really set Ryukyu up for success. Especially considering the amount of players that haven’t featured this year, and who we think, will have an even greater impact in this league.

Match Day 1 Report #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu started their 2023 season with a 1-0 win over Vanraure Hachinohe on Saturday. The lone goal this game came from Kelvin after a series of nice touches to round a few Hachinohe defenders before depositing the shot in the lower corner of the goal. And that was really all the excitement in this match as neither side seemed capable of completing passes in the oppositions’ end or generating much offense.

Highlights

Talking Points

1. Some questions that I posed in the last entry were answered. Most notably as far as who would start in goal: Higuchi; formation, 4-4-2; our CB pairing and who wasn’t healthy to make the squad. Higuchi appearing in net to start the first game wasn’t really a shock in that you felt that was coming. Not sure why he got the run out for the first game after the strong end to the season Dany provided the club. But that is where we are and you can assume what you like, I know I will, as to why that decision was made by Kuranuki. In the end Taguchi earned a clean sheet but that was based more on the inability of Hachinohe to break our lines or put quality shots on net.

Hitomi started up top, which was surprising, as we all figured it would be the 2023 captain, Noda, leading the line. However, it was revealed in an interview with fans pre-match that Noda is dealing with an unknown, undisclosed, knee injury that will keep him out for who an undetermined time. In what was some of the best questioning, albeit accidentally, by any reporter/MC for a club, Noda disclosed he was dealing with an injury and working his way back to health. We really need more of these type of questions both pre and post match from any reporters to gain some insight into this club.

Another shock exclusion was Kiyotake from the lineup. While I was not able to hear if he too is dealing with an injury, one can only assume he is as why would we be excluded from the lineup? I get that sometimes you need to strike a balance between the best players and the best lineup, but I think Ryukyu are dealing with a minor injury crisis at the moment.

2. Kelvin looks like the real deal and well on his way of notching twenty goals, or at least twenty points this year. Kelvin was all over the pitch making plays and creating chances and of course was rewarded with one of the best goals we’ve ever seen here at FC Ryukyu. Unfortunately he was really the only one doing anything on offense for the club on Saturday. Seeing how FC Ryukyu were reduced to starting so few of what some would consider “regulars” of the club, if teams can isolate, and eliminate, Kelvin from games, our offense will likely grind to a halt.

3. Our defense held, but Ryukyu still faded late in the match. While the first statement is a welcome sign with the defense dealing with crosses/chances the fact that Ryukyu, as a whole, seemed to disappear late in the match is concerning. Ryukyu were notorious for this last season, and luckily escaped with all 3 points on Saturday despite Hachinohe’s late charge. Fukumura, unlike his predecessor at LB Numazu, was able to display some speed when closing down attackers that broke loose. Ryukyu dodged a bullet when Yu was called for a handball just outside the box in the 84th minute and once more near the end on a dangerous header. This team needed a confidence boosting match – in which they don’t surrender a late goal – and got it. But the team was under to much pressure at the end and better teams in this league will find a way to crack our net if Ryukyu are not careful.

4. Perhaps Ryukyu wouldn’t have been in that tight spot if not for Mu Kanazaki earning two yellow cards, and subsequent red card, inside one half of football. It seemed Mu wanted to get on the refs “shit list” early and often with his fouls and extra curricular discussions with said referee. Mu had one, maybe two, chances to put this game out of reach but it seemed frustration set in and in turn some ill advised challenges followed. Mu may have been fouled in the box earlier on what could’ve lead to a PK but all the aforementioned extra curriculars probably attributed to the refs decision to having seen enough of Mu on the day. Again, Ryukyu escaped with a bit of luck, but for a team that struggled with conceding late goals last season, as well as fading in matches, Ryukyu cannot afford to invite any extra pressure while attempting to instill some confidence in the defense. This also means Ryukyu will have one healthy forward, Hitomi, next week against Iwate.

5 This was a sloppy game from both sides. It seemed neither side could string together consecutive, mainly three, passes in a row to sustain some sort of offensive thrust. There were multiple, drive killing, turnovers from both teams. Both sides were able to have a few successful movements strung together but as a whole it was a tough watch for any fan. In the case of Ryukyu they need to cut down on the wasteful passing that put them up against the break but that may have more to do with who is healthy than who is starting. Ryukyu would do well to get Hitomi more involved as the lone ball into the box by Ryukyu that was asking to be buried only found its way to Takezawa.

Round 1 in J3

A single draw from all the matches might stand out a bit but it was Iwate’s destruction of one of the dark horses for promotion in Ehime that really jumps off the page. Kagoshima waffled a bit to start but had a strong comeback win against new joins FC Osaka with pretty much every early season favorite earning a victory this weekend. And so we begin.

Conclusion

Getting the first win of the season was an important first step in the right direction for FC Ryukyu. They still leave a lot to be desired when it comes generating some offense but that may come in time when players get back to fitness. It is not always about how you start, it is how you finish. We are sure to get that litmus test next week against Iwate Grulla Morioka who are the hottest team in J3 at the moment.

FC Ryukyu vs Yokohama FC #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu fell 0-1 to Yokohama FC on Saturday night putting them on the brink of relegation. Ryukyu didn’t play bad on Saturday considering they did not conceded a goal from open play, but Ryukyu were really short on attacking players to push anything on net with Sadam Sulley, Yuki Kusano and pretty much every other striker we roster absent this weekend. The goal Ryukyu did conceded came from a PK following a ‘rather soft’ PK call from the referee and there was really only a couple of chances from Ryukyu (Ren Ikeda) to possibly level the match.

Match Highlights

Review of the 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. A fast start with multiple goals. Likelihood 0. Not sure anything needs to be said.

Match Day 39 Takeaways

1. It seems there is no real point in doing this portion of the blog as things really don’t matter knowing that many of the players, and possibly coaches, will not be returning next season and outside of a few strong performances by individual players, there isn’t anything positive to carry over into next year. Ryukyu could be officially relegated before they kickoff next Sunday if Omiya Ardija win this Wednesday and Gunma wins on Saturday. Even if Omiya were to lose in the midweek they still get another crack at it on Sunday when they host Renofa Yamaguchi. The only chance for Ryukyu is to win every remaining match (hard to do when you ain’t scoring goals), and hope to finish higher than Iwate while having Iwaki win the J3 but denied a J2 license. In other words, it is over.

2. Kaz Uesato returned to the lineup for the first time in three months and made what could be his final appearance in a Ryukyu uniform. The fact that many of the players who would normally feature for Ryukyu were not on the lineup card, for whatever reasons, sends a signal to me at least; that it is over, and we might as well get a look at some of the players who rarely featured this season heading into the offseason.

3. Dany Carvajal and Ren Ikeda both had strong performances. Not sure there was much Dany could do on a PK where it looked as if Ogawa stopped his momentum and wrong footed Dany but if the referee was going to award a PK in the first place, it was unlikely he’d call something like that on Ogawa. Outside of that Dany was making save after save to keep Ryukyu in the match. Ren was doing well to unlock parts of the YFC defense and his run in the 71st minute to get into a position to score was quality. A chip instead of a low shot probably would’ve been the preferred method but there is always a chance that a YFC player could’ve cleared the chip if it was moving to slow.

4. Seven games in a row without scoring a goal. Ryukyu do that in their remaining three fixtures and that would almost have to be some sort of record for consecutive goal-less games in the J2. 10-games without a goal would equate to nearly 1/4 of the season and while that may not be so bad across the span of 42 games, it is something totally different when it is in consecutive games to close out a season while in a battle to avoid relegation. If Ryukyu do not score in the last three games it would bring their season total to 18 games in which they failed to score which would be nearly 50% of the season. A far cry form the ‘attacking style of football’ that was Ryukyu the past few years.

Round 39 in J2

Up Top: (1) Albirex Niigata’s 1-1 draw with (7) Montedio Yamagata has all but assured Niigata automatic promotion barring a 14 goal swing between them and Okayama over the last three games. (2) Yokohama FC just needs one more point to guarantee their promotion.

Promotion Playoff Zone: (3) Fagiano Okayama has booked their ticket to the playoffs with (4) Roasso Kumamoto and (5) Oita Trinita each needing just a couple of points the next round(s) to book theirs. (6) Vegalta Sendai have to fend off (7) Yamagata, (8) Vortis, (9) JEF, and (10) Nagasaki for at least another two weeks before they can be assured of a slot in the playoffs.

Down Below: (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka, who I have said the past few weeks still has a lot of fight in them, earned a last second draw with (15) Renofa Yamaguchi and are at least in a position to possibly catch (20) Omiya Ardija and (19) Thespakusatsu Gunma. Iwate’s game against Gunma is likely the relegation decider for both of those teams. Omiya could be dragged back in as they probably have the hardest remaining fixtures of either of these three sides.

Conclusion

Just three games remaining for Ryukyu before we drop the curtain on the 2022 season. At this point I am just hoping to see Ryukyu break this ridiculous goal-less streak, grab one more win, hopefully at home on the final gameday of the year, and then head off into the offseason. It certainly won’t be easy with their next three opponents but hopefully by Match Day 42 Oita has locked themselves into a playoff spot and will rest a few players that could potentially lead to a Ryukyu win. See you in a few days.

Tochigi SC vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu were shutout once again drawing with Tochigi SC 0-0 on Sunday evening and have now earned just four (4) points from a possible twenty-one (21) in their last seven (7) matches. This collapse at the end has almost certainly sealed their fate as one of the two (2) clubs to be relegated back to the J3 for 2023. FC Ryukyu were on a nice run of form heading into Match Day 34 with Blaublitz Akita as Ryukyu had only lost once in their previous nine (9) games and were scoring multiple goals. I have no idea what has caused this unfortunate turn of events that has seen Ryukyu revert to their earlier form that plagued this club to begin the season. Despite some heroic efforts by Dany Carvajal to keep Ryukyu in matches, Ryukyu have been uninspiring in the attack this last quarter of the season.

Match Highlights

Review of the 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. Score a goal? Likelihood 1. Obviously I set the likelihood of this occurring to high for this game. That is now six (6) games in a row that FC Ryukyu have failed to score a goal. That is two more games than their previous streak of four (4) games without a goal which occurred back in 2014.

Match Day 38 Takeaways

1. I thought FC Ryukyu were aiming for a strong second half to possibly overpower what could’ve been a tired Tochigi team that played in the midweek with their initial lineup selection. Tanaka, Sulley, Hitomi, and Kelvin were all in the reserves but it was only Sulley who didn’t see a single minute of action last night. That is perplexing as it is vexing for one of the better players we currently roster. It made little difference as Ryukyu failed to do much in the attack and it seemed the side reached a point in the match where they figured it was better to get a point instead of all three points when Yong Jick was brought on as one of the last substitutes.

2. Tochigi wasn’t much better in the attack compared to Ryukyu if you just look at the stat sheet. But they created the more dangerous types of chances that could’ve led to goals where Ryukyu offered 1-2.

3. There was an interesting side note following the match when it appeared Lee Yong Jick had a bit of an outburst at some of the traveling supporters who voiced their frustrations at the team. First, I do not condone attacking the members of the team and calling them out. Sure, we are all frustrated and at times the team may need to hear that their efforts were not good enough on any given day but not knowing what was said, and having never witnessed something like this during my time as a supporter, it shouldn’t have come to the team and supporters turning on each other.

Second, this game was emotionally charged for everyone involved. The players certainly realized what was at stake, and realized what was lost when they failed to achieve the outcome that we everyone was hoping for. The fact that something like this happened only shows that both the fan(s) and Yong Jick were looking for a reason to voice their frustrations, and both showed their lack of emotional intelligence. If you are upset at how things have transpired and feel strongly enough to voice your concerns, do it in a healthy, productive manner. Granted, we as J-League fans may be quite limited in the ways in which we can send a message to clubs, but that shouldn’t prevent any of us from trying. If anyone is guilty of letting their emotions getting the best of them, it is the management who made an ’emotional decision’ to retain Kina in what should have been a clear ‘business decision’ to terminate him much earlier.

Finally, Yong Jick has been seen throughout this season voicing, and displaying a demeanor that really shows his displeasure at how Ryukyu were playing and earning results. That is great to an extent. The team definitely required some emotional leadership at times but at the end of the day we know it isn’t the fans out there achieving those results, it is the coaches and players. And if you’re upset, great, take it on the pitch and show us with your actions. All the posturing and harsh language means nothing if it cannot be backed up with results. And it hasn’t been backed up. I appreciate that everyone is out there trying and giving their best, perhaps it just isn’t good enough, and perhaps the best thing that can happen now is a total break and a complete rebuild at the club. I hope this stain on the club doesn’t distract the fans, or the leadership of this club, in fixing what was broken following the 2022 season.

Round 38 in J2

Up Top: (1) Albirex Niigata and (2) Yokohama FC both won this round to continue their push for automatic promotion. There was a scary moment during the YFC match when the YFC goalie, Sven Brodersen, was struck in the head from a diving Niigata player that eventually led to him being transported to a local hospital. The good news is he sustained no serious injuries but did receive a concussion.

Promotion Playoff Zone: (3) Fagiano Okayama had a ‘statement’ win over (6) Vegalta Sendai which should pretty much guarantee the side a slot in the playoffs as well as the top overall seed. (5) Roasso Kumamoto won again on the road to push themselves four (4) points clear of (5) Oita Trinita and nine (9) points clear from (7) Montedio Yamagata and (8) V-Varen Nagasaki. Oita scored a last second goal at home to defeat (17) Ventforet Kofu which sees them leap frogging Vegalta Sendai in the standings.

Down Below: (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma were demolished 1-6 at home to (14) Renofa Yamaguchi in a game which could’ve ended 1-8 had Renofa not struck the post and crossbar. (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka were defeated 1-3 by (16) Zweigen Kanazawa but the real story is that with so many things breaking (22) FC Ryukyu’s way this week, like it has at certain times this season, it was Ryukyu’s inability to garner a result that pretty much has sealed their fate for this year.

Conclusion

There are four (4) games remaining this season so those of you that haven’t had a chance to see Ryukyu in person, while they are in the J2, better get out there and do so before the curtain drops on what has become a bitterly disappointing campaign. When the dust settles after this season I just wonder what we will hear from club officials regarding the collapse, and who once asked us to remain patient as the season is long, and has many twits and turns. The season has been a long for us fans and we are not happy with the results, definitely not angry at the coaches and players, but do want answers and action from the management.

FC Ryukyu vs Montedio Yamagata #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu nearly pulled off a stunning win against Montedio Yamagata at home this past Saturday but came up just short as Yamagata erased Ryukyu’s leads twice to end the match in a 2-2 draw. There were plenty of fireworks both during the match, and afterwards (literally fireworks), that also included another Dany Carvajal PK save to secure some points. I wouldn’t argue against you if you felt that Ryukyu didn’t really earn a point so much as they lost out on two (2) points, but they are still earning points to put them into a position to quickly escape the relegation zone when others falter later this season.

Match Highlights

Takeaways from Match Day 32

1. The Ryukyu Lineup. We all knew Sulley was going to sit this one out following his red card in the match against Nagasaki but it came as a bit of a shock to see Kelvin completely removed from the squad on Saturday with Yu Tomidokoro filling that role. Perhaps Kelvin is dealing with an injury or was the player who tested positive for CV-19 earlier in the week. Hopefully it is nothing serious and he gets back out there sooner rather than later. Returning to the bench was both Lee Yong Jick and Junto Taguchi while Kohei Kato was dropped for Kazuto Takezawa. Not sure if there is anything going on with our recent signing, or it was a case of rest and maintenance after featuring in both the top team and reserve fixtures at Nagasaki last week.

2. Old man yelling at the clouds, again. This game was completely disjointed by all the starts and stops, and not just from the goals and substitutions. There were nearly thirty (30) fouls committed in this game, though it was completely lopsided in favor of Ryukyu who picked up twenty-one (21) of those fouls on Saturday. Peter Cklamovski, Yamagata’s manager, said it best in his post game presser where he stated that the amount of restarts made this a very difficult game to play since it was hard to build any momentum. You could tell he was visibly frustrated that his side didn’t win (even said as much) but Ryukyu have been frustrating many teams in recent weeks. From the Ryukyu supporter section point of view, we thought there were some very soft fouls (maybe outright wrong) called on Ryukyu but we’ve seen this before so nothing new.

3. Ryukyu jumped out to an early lead from a typical, as cool as you like, sending the shot back across the keeper, goal from Takuma Abe. Ryukyu maintained that lead for roughly 45′ minutes before conceding the equalizer after Dealltorre found space in the central Ryukyu defense when Makito was dusted by a run down the left hand side by an attacking Yamagata player who then sent in the cross to Dellatorre. What came as a bit of a shock was the Yamagata goal wasn’t even posted to the scoreboard when Ryukyu responded with their second (2) of the match, a tremendous low and hard header, from Takuya Hitomi, his third (3) goal in two games, only one (1) minute after the restart. For a moment I though the Yamagata goal had been called off as the scoreboard read 2-0 Ryukyu but that wasn’t the case. The lead was lost for good in the 81st minute following a repeat of events leading up to Yamagata’s first goal. Makito got turned around, couldn’t mark the run, a cross was sent in, and Dellatorre was able to get past Okazaki for the tap in equalizer.

4. Ryukyu are struggling to defend and clear their lines lately. Makito had another up and down game where he, along with Okazaki, were involved in both of Yamagata’s goals. There were several occasions where Ryukyu failed to clear their lines that led to quick strikes requiring Dany to be called into action to bail out the defense. I said in the preview that Ryukyu needed to stop conceding so many PKs in matches but they somehow found a way to conceded their fourth (4) PK in three (3) consecutive games. The very epitome of, ” shooting yourself in the foot.”

One thing that hasn’t really changed at all in the nine (9) years that I’ve watched this club is the fact that Ryukyu seem to rely (hope) on trying to outscore your opponents with multiple goals in order to paper over the cracks in defense. That can work at times but is not a sound strategy and it is not realistic to think Ryukyu can score 3 or 4 goals each week to see out victories. Ryukyu will need to win some of those “squeaky bum” games they were doing just a few weeks ago, but against tougher opponents. Though Sulley, Hitomi and Abe might make it possible to blow away our competition the way they are playing right now. It is what it is for the remainder of the season but Ryukyu needs to strengthen that back line in the offseason.

5. Dany Carvajal. Perhaps I do not need to say anything more than his name as it should garner a certain thought in your heads if I am putting his name in his own section in any match day report. Great reactionary save in the first half to keep the score level. Great save in the second half to maintain a fragile one (1) goal lead for Ryukyu. Nearly got to the Yamagata equalizer, and of course, saved another stoppage time PK to allow Ryukyu to walk away with any points on the night. He is now the best PK stopper in J2, and while you love to see him in action on all these PK stops (9 games played and has faced 5 PKs), let’s give the man a break! And our collective blood pressure too.

Round 32 in J2

Up Top: The two top of the table clashes this round saw (1) Yokohama FC maintain their one (1) point lead over (2) Albirex Niigata as both teams each won 1-0 at home over (4) Fagiano Okayama and (6) Roasso Kumamoto.

Promotion Zone: In yet another shocking upset from a team facing relegation against one of the top three (3) sides, (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma defeated (3) Vegalta Sendai at home 1-0. (5) FC Machida Zelvia moved into the fifth (5) spot thanks to their 2-0 road win at (19) Omiya Ardija in addition to (7) V-Varen Nagasaki and (18) Zweigen Kanazawa having their match postponed.

Down Below: (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka lost 0-3 on the road at (9) Oita Trinita with (17) Renofa Yamaguchi moving five (5) points clear of the drop zone, maybe more importantly, moving four (4) points ahead of the bottom four teams, with a 1-0 victory at home over (13) FC Mito Hollyhock. Strange that Ryukyu’s match was the only one not to end in a shutout for someone this round.

Conclusion

Ten games left and there is still plenty to play for in all three areas of the table. Though I am not overly concerned with what is going on at the top, except when they cede points to teams around Ryukyu in the standings. Ryukyu just need a little bit of luck to grab a victory when all the others lose to springboard out of the relegation zone and possibly send three teams that are just above them to just below them for a brief period. For now it is on to FC Mito Hollyhock.