Category: Match Recaps

Match Day 14 Report: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (17) Tochigi SC #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @bengala_viola

Intro

As the race for the top continues to tighten, Ryukyu walked away with all three points on Saturday night when they defeated Tochigi SC 4-2. Ryukyu fell behind early from a goal on a corner kick but responded with two quick goals from Shintaro Shimizu and Kazumasa Uesato to put Ryukyu in the lead. However, Ryukyu surrendered a second goal late in the first half and were in danger of dropping points at home until Shunsuke Motegi’s “hate-seeking’ missile broke the deadlock late in the second half. Then Yong Jick netted his first ever goal for Ryukyu on a set piece that put the match out of reach for Tochigi.

  1. Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Round 14 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Day Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu Mid Fielder Shunsuke Motegi: He scored what was ultimately the winner for Ryukyu, and it was a very nice goal at that, and was involved in the set piece that netted Yong Jick’s goal. Had Shintaro Shimizu got the header on target from Motegi’s dead ball cross, he could have had an even bigger day.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Bombs away. Likelihood 4. I’d say so.

2. Follow up the shots that are saved with more shots. Likelihood 3. Ryukyu’s opening goal by Shintaro Shimizu is a perfect example of this as was Yong Jick’s redirection from the Ren Ikeda shot at the end.

3. Play it safe when playing out from the back. Likelihood 3. Ryukyu had a difficult time breaking the high press from Tochigi but were able to slowly make their way up the pitch with passes among the two center backs and Uesato.

4. Don’t forget about the old Route 1. Likelihood 2. Ryukyu heavily favored attacking down the right side but the Shintaro goal stands out as the one that was most directly down the middle as it was Koki’s shot from just outside the box that rang the crossbar.

4. Prediction

Tipped Ryukyu to win 3-1 and seeing how they did win by two goals, I’ll take a draw this round. Season Record 6-3-5.

5. Talking points from Round 14

1. Don’t be fooled by all that possession. Ryukyu had an insane amount of possession on Saturday night but a majority of that was them inch worming out of their own end. Tochigi’s high press resulted in Okazaki, Chinen and Uesato registering 400 combined successful passes, or roughly half of the total passes by Ryukyu on the night. Still, outside of one turnover by Ryukyu that required a nice save by Taguchi, Ryukyu were composed and took their time to pick their spots.

2.  Tochigi looked dangerous in the opening half but then faded away. Obviously with such little possession, Tochigi did well with the little opportunities they were afforded. Their first goal was the result of Okazaki being involved in a pick play were the man he was marking cut across him to knock him off his spot thus leaving Daichi Inui wide open to bury the header. However, Tochigi’s second goal was a thing of beauty when Yuki Nishiya did well to control the cross and then strike an absolute cracking goal. But in the end, Tochigi had to resort to shots from distance to generate any pressure on net and none threatened the Ryukyu goal.

3. Yong Jick has become an asset as a late defensive sub for Ryukyu. While he is the most likely candidate to fill in for either center back, Yong Jick is much more useful as defensive midfielder late in games. He adds the element of height in both the defense, as well as in the attack, of set pieces.

4. Abe’s absence from the squad. Ryukyu announced earlier in the week that a top team player had tested positive for COVID-19. Then there was the sight of Abe leaving the Ehime match with a heavily wrapped leg with what looked to be an ice pack on his right hamstring. We do not know whether Abe was the player who tested positive, nor do we know if he is dealing with an injury that could see him miss the all-important Albirex Niigata match in two weeks, but his absence doesn’t bode well for the side. I think we all hope this was just a rest/maintenance day for the talisman and nothing more.

5. Shunsuke Motegi has played a total of 41′ this season but has a pair of goals and contributed to a third from the own goal at SC Sagamihara. I think his time is coming to take over the LM spot for Ryukyu but he’ll need to get more minutes under his belt. There is no doubt we are seeing the dangerous player that Motegi can be which makes his inclusion in the squad, but going unused in games when Ryukyu are trailing, all the more perplexing. If Abe misses any more time, Motegi could provide the spark the offense needs during games.

6. Where we stand at the 1/3 mark of the season. Ryukyu have one less shutout in their last seven games compared to the first seven; they have been shutout one more time these past seven than the first seven; they also have two games where they conceded multiple goals, but have one more game where they scored more than three goals in a game in games 8-14. At times it seems as if Ryukyu both play up, and down to some of their competition but that is typical for any side in a season. They’ve taken seven points off of sides inside the top six and are tied with Albirex Niigata for the second most points ever by a J2 side at this point in the season.

6. Round 14 in J2

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Albirex Niigata suffered their first loss of the season 2-1 to FC Machida Zelvia which puts them level on points with FC Ryukyu, and only one point above Kyoto Sanga. Kyoto defeated Mito Hollyhock without the services of Peter Utaka which sets up a massive game between these two teams next week. Jubilo Iwata and Ventforet Kofu both won 1-0 at home thus not changing any of the standings for teams three through five.

It is extremely tight at the top with three teams only separated by a point and who will play one another over the next two rounds. At the bottom, it is a five horse race with those sides all sitting on eleven points.

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7. Conclusion

As we witnessed this past round, the teams at the top cannot afford to drop any points as the race for promotions is so tight. To their credit, Ryukyu overcame an early deficit and finished the game strong which has put them level with the leaders. But before we can consider ourselves fortunate, and way before we can consider the job done, Ryukyu need to beat a Montedio Yamagata side that has a perfect record when facing Ryukyu. In fact, they have scored three or more goals against Ryukyu on three occasions since 2019. This will be no easy match for Ryukyu ahead of Niigata despite Yamagata’s current place in the table.

Match Day 13 Report: (18) Ehime FC vs (2) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @fcr_info

Intro

Well that hurt! Short on rest and visiting fans, FC Ryukyu made it out alive on MD 13 with a 1-1 draw at Ehime FC. The overarching theme for the night was tired legs. Higuchi opted for the same set of players that played 48 hours prior when he really should’ve rotated the squad a bit. This was a golden opportunity to gain some ground on leaders Albirex Niigata as well as keep Kyoto Sanga at bay but it be like this sometimes. On one hand, FC Ryukyu were lucky to have Niigata draw but on the other, Kyoto closed the gap between them and Ryukyu to just one point after their 1-0 win against Montedio Yamagata. It was also the first time this season that Ryukyu failed to win following either a loss or a draw.

  1. Match Day Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Round 13 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Day Highlights

2. Man of the Match

Ehime FC DF Taishi Nishioka. Why not? I thought for sure that Ryukyu were going to have their way with him but it was Taishi’s clearance on a ball headed right at Koya that prevented Ryukyu from scoring.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Exploit Taishi Nishioka at CB. Likelihood 5. It looked as if Ryukyu were going to have their way with Ehime early on but could only muster the single goal in the first half. Have to say no on this one.

2. Pile on the pressure. Likelihood 4. Early on yes, but it wasn’t sustained for the entire match so no. In fact, Ryukyu were out shot by Ehime.

4. Prediction

Tipped this one 2-0 in favor of Ryukyu. We’ll put that straight into the loss column. Season Record 6-2-5.

5. Talking Points from Round 13

1. Squad rotation, or better yet, the lack thereof. Higuchi admitted in his post-game comments that he should’ve rotated more players with such a quick turnaround between games. That doesn’t make it any better considering he was joking about how the players were attempting convince him to let them play in the days leading up to the match. You have to know your team, and the organization should’ve known what they could and could not get out of some of the veteran players on short rest.

For the most part, Ryukyu looked good as they were consistently penetrating the Ehime back line but were just off on the last pass to set guys loose. Maybe the plan was to grab a multiple goal lead and rotate players out starting at half time but that wasn’t the case. When Ryukyu did finally make a change, removing both Ikeda and Uesato, the attack stalled out. Furthermore, Higuchi dressed Yuya Torikai over the likes of Motegi and Nakagawa which is just baffling. Both of their fresh legs would have provided a huge boost to a side that was out shot and out possessed by Ehime. Speaking of legs, I hope the sight of Abe having a heavily shrink-wrapped right quad with an ice pack on his hamstring was more maintenance than injury related as he was the one player in the preview that I thought needed the rest the most.

2. There were plenty of misses right on the door step by both sides. For Ryukyu, the ones of note were the Chinen shot from inside the 6-yard box that was skied over the bar in the 41st minute that would’ve provided some massive breathing room for Ryukyu. Then there was the Shintaro header in the 72nd minute that went past the post. Ehime also had a couple of cracks at scoring when Kawamura whiffed on a shot that fell nicely to an onside Ehime player that put the header just over the goal. Truth be told, Ehime should’ve won the game in the 90th minute when Kondo was all alone at the back post and somehow missed the entire goal from about 2 yards out.

3. The goals. First, the Ryukyu goal. Koya was having a nice game this day and his cross may have initially been intended for Abe, but Abe once again doing everything but scoring in this match, executed a perfect dummy that let the ball roll to wide open Kiyotake who had all day to pick his spot.

The Ehime goal. Some might say the player came from an offside position, but from the angle below I don’t think that was the case. The attacker rightly repositioned himself in the defensive line and none of the Ryukyu defenders responded to a new player being inserted into their ranks.

4. One missed call. Maybe we have no room to complain about the actual Ehime goal, but I think the referee missed a clear hand ball in the 22nd minute when a Uesato cross bounced up and hit Toyama in the arm inside the box. There were some slight appeals for hand ball by Ryukyu, but they were not enough to persuade the referee to give the foul. Perhaps that just sounds like a disappointed Ryukyu fan making that out to be more than it actually was.

5. Houston, we may have a problem. This was the second consecutive match that Ryukyu could only muster 4 shots on target. While I thought, albeit incorrectly, that Ryukyu would produce shots and goals in this match similar to Sagamihara, not to Kyoto, I think a concerning trend is emerging. Ryukyu have now been held to under 4 shots on target in 5 out of their 13 games this season. They are averaging roughly 12 shots, with 7 on target, for the season but those numbers could be propped up by the Verdy (reduced to 10 men) and Sagamihara matches where Ryukyu had 18 and 14 shots on target.

For the season Ryukyu are averaging a goal every 7 shots/4 shots on target and I have no idea where that ranks compared to the rest of the league. The worrying trend seems to be the low number of shots on net over the past 5 weeks compared to the start of the season. Granted, there were two games earlier in the year, Iwata and Omiya, where Ryukyu generated only 2 shots on net. Perhaps it is normal for teams to experience these types of results or perhaps it can be attributed to playing Zelvia, Kofu and Kyoto, all of which are teams sitting inside the top 6 of the table.

6. Round 13 in J2

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As mentioned earlier, Albirex Niigata drew 0-0 at home to Matsumoto Yamaga with Kyoto Sanga FC defeating Montedio Yamagata 1-0. Ryukyu also received a bit of luck when both Jubilo Iwata and FC Machida Zelvia drew, though it was a tough draw for Blaublitz Akita against Iwata as the goal came deep into stoppage time preventing the hosts from bagging all 3 points. Ventforet Kofu won 2-0 which allowed them to leap frog Zelvia.

Elsewhere, JEF United Chiba grabbed their second win in a row while V-Varen Nagasaki won for the first time in four matches under their new manager. The much ballyhooed bottom of the table tilt between Thespakusatsu Gunma and Omiya ended in a 1 all draw after Gunma snatched a late equalizer in stoppage time resulting in both teams staying entrenched at the foot of the table.

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7. Conclusion

Once more we’ll need to put a match in the rear view mirror and move on. 16th Tochigi SC come to Okinawa this Saturday and Ryukyu need to take out some aggression out on this side with the extra day to prepare. The race at the top is really tight and Ryukyu cannot afford to drop anymore points with the match between Niigata and Kyoto looming large as well the Niigata/Ryukyu match at the end of the month.

Match Day 12 Recap: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (3) Kyoto Sanga FC 5/05/21 #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @cafedecampnou

Intro

Despite the weather forecast calling for rain and thunderstorms, 2,500 people ventured out and were rewarded with rather calm weather. However, the most anticipated match of this round had few fireworks as both teams played to a 0-0 draw. There were a lot of positives that came out of this match for Ryukyu and though we’d like to see this side beat the stronger teams at home, there is a long way to go this season.

  1. Match Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Round 12 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu GK Junto Taguchi: Taguchi was right in the firing line last night as Kyoto registered 13 shots on target, and not a single one got past Taguchi. His save in the second half from a Miyayoshi shot was probably the biggest one he made all game.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Bend, don’t break on defense. Likelihood 3. Absolutely. Ryukyu stymied one of the best offenses in the league last night and made Utaka almost invisible.

2. Win the individual battles within the game. Likelihood 3. To a large degree yes. Ren Ikeda, Tatsuya Chinen, Takuma Abe and Keita Tanaka were all in fine form. The only shame was that Ryukyu didn’t score.

3. We need a big performance out of Abe, Koya and Tanaka. Likelihood 4. Yes. Koya was playing really well and so to was Numata who was picking out players left and right inside the box.

4. Prediction

Went with a 1-1 draw and it ended 0-0. I think that is good enough to give myself a win this week. Season Record 6-2-4.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 12

1. Close but no cigar. Each side had some good opportunities to score last night but could not slip one past two of the better goal keepers in J2. Each side had one great chance to score that required nice saves on the part of the keepers; Shintaro Shimizu’s header in the first half was just simply the perfect height for the keeper to parry out of danger but it still required a diving save on the part of Wakahara; and there was the abovementioned save by Taguchi on Miyayoshi. Each side had plenty of misses with lots of shots also being blocked by defenders in the box. Koya laid one off for Abe to finish but I think Koya had enough time and space near the back to post to attempt a header on net vice the pass. Utaka had one clean look on net but sent his shot high over the bar in the first half. Then Abe and Shintaro both came close near the end but again, the shots went wide of the mark.

2. Ryukyu were lucky to escape unscathed from two costly turnovers. Both occurred in the second half with the most egregious one being by Yu Tomidokoro that turned Kyoto loose on net. It was only the save by Taguchi that bailed Ryukyu out of what could have been an absolute disaster. We knew coming into this game that Kyoto punishes sides on turnovers so one on hand you can look at it as luck, and the other as skill on the part of Taguchi. But Ryukyu cannot afford to make those costly mistakes in their own end against good sides.

3. Ryukyu played much better in the second half. There were more attacks from Ryukyu and they looked as if they would break the deadlock but were still out shot 2-1 by Kyoto in the second half. It was almost the exact opposite of the SC Sagamihara game as Ryukyu only registered 2 shots on target in the second half compared to 8 from Kyoto. It looked as if Ryukyu controlled most of the play in the second half but each side went into half time, and finished the match, with a 50/50 split in time of possession.  Furthermore, when Ryukyu introduced both Yong Jick and Shinya Uehara, they couldn’t produce enough dead ball kicks to bring the height of these players, and that of Chinen and Okazaki, to bear on the Kyoto goal. Uehara had one look that was sent high over the bar from what may have been the lone free kick in Kyoto territory.

4. So many games in such a short time span yet Ryukyu only used two substitutes last night. Yong Jick came on for Yu Tomidokoro in the central midfield which is becoming a trend. I think that substitution, along with Uehara, really provided Ryukyu with some coverage on the set pieces from Kyoto near the end but Ryukyu only managed to earn two corner kicks last night. However, I wish they had brought on Motegi, Akamine or Kiyotake to introduce some fresh legs to the fight.

5. There was a strange play were an injured (or acting as if injured) Kyoto player interfered with a pass from Ryukyu and the referee decided to award Kyoto the ball in their own end. Some thought it may result in a dropkick but I am not sure what went on with this play. The referee let these guys play all game and awarded no cards despite the several conversations he was having with multiple players yesterday.

6. I know we all wanted to see FC Ryukyu win, but the performance was good, and it was a vital point. Keep in mind that Kyoto entered this match having won their previous 6 games and were pretty much scoring at will. The fact that Ryukyu were able to shut down such a potent offense is really encouraging moving forward. They still maintain a 3 point lead over Kyoto, who is heading into a tough stretch of games, are 7 points clear of 4th placed Jubilo Iwata, and have conceded the fewest goals (7) in J2. Look how much better this side is at producing results this year compared to last year when defending was a problem despite all the firepower that Ryukyu possessed.

7. Strange statistic that means absolutely nothing but exists nonetheless. When the FC Ryukyu team bus arrives before their opponents when Ryukyu are at home, they are 5-0-0. When it arrives after, as it did yesterday and against Omiya, they are 0-2-0 with no goals scored.

6. Round 12 in J2

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Leaders Albirex Niigata retained the top slot after a thrilling come from behind victory at Omiya Ardija. Teams seeded 2 to 4 all drew, as well as Ventforet Kofu, thus not changing positions near the top. Though FC Machida Zelvia’s 2-1 win at Fagiano Okayama has bumped them above Kofu. Blaublitz Akita’s 2-1 road win at V-Varen Nagasaki further frustrates a Nagasaki side that had high hopes coming into this season.

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7. Conclusion

A vital point earned and now it is on to three teams in the bottom half of the table for FC Ryukyu before they travel to #1 Albirex Niigata at the end of the month. Ryukyu’s schedule for the remainder of May is much more friendlier than leaders Niigata, 3 games in a row against top 6 sides that includes a game with Kyoto, and Kyoto, 2 games in a row against teams in the top 6, which means Ryukyu stands a good chance at creating some distance between those teams below them and possibly catching/overtaking Niigata if the leaders stumble. But before we get to Niigata, it is on to Ehime FC in just two short days. Ryukyu cannot afford to drop points to a team in the relegation zone and must continue to hold serve as they make a push for promotion.

Match Day 11 Recap: (19) SC Sagamihara vs (2) FC Ryukyu 5/01/21 #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @koh17koh

Intro

FC Ryukyu didn’t fall into the trap of overlooking a weaker opponent with a massive match up on the horizon. In fact, this game ended up being more of a get right game for Ryukyu than anything else. Despite the length weather delay after 8 minutes, Ryukyu came out and put 5 past SC Sagamihara.

  1. Match Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Round 11 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Day Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu Midfielders Koki Kiyotake and Shunsuke Motegi. Both of these players accounted for 4 of the goals Ryukyu scored though Motegi’s first was scored as an own goal. Kiyotake opened the scoring for Ryukyu after the restart on a header set up by none other than Keita Tanaka. He then followed that up with a well taken shot from yet another Tanaka cross that Abe smartly dummied allowing it to fall to a wide open Kiyotake. I cannot tell if Motegi’s shot was already in the net before a SC Sagamihara player touched it. I also cannot tell from the highlights who from Sagamihara actually touched it but it was a spectacular shot none the less. Motegi was then rewarded after Ryukyu hustled to dispossess Sagamihara in their own end resulting in a turnover that saw Motegi alone at the top of the box to which he promptly sent a laser past the Sagamihara keeper.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. The razors edge. Likelihood 2. There were no changes to the lineup we see week in and week out for Ryukyu. Now we’ll see how they respond to an opponent who is much tougher than the last in a short week.

2. Contain Juri. Likelihood 3. Juri didn’t dress for the match so there was no real threat Ryukyu had to contend with.

3. Pile on the shots. Likelihood 4. Yes! Ryukyu needed a breakout game like this one to restore some confidence in players and look dominant. Granted, this wasn’t a top 6 side but it means a lot moving forward.

4. Prediction

2-0 to Ryukyu was obviously a little light so I’ll award myself a draw for at least predicting the win by Ryukyu. Season Record 5-2-4.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 11

1. Everything worked. Ryukyu enjoyed large spells of possession, looked good in that possession, and put a bunch of high-quality shots on net. We shouldn’t pat ourselves on the back too much based on the opponent, but the fact that we put in a dominant performance is very important. Ryukyu need to put in several of these performances this season and sometimes these types of games can jump start a side heading into a difficult match.

2. Tanaka might be the best RB in the league. He bagged two more assists yesterday and was all over the pitch creating chances. His ability to shield a defender, maintain possession, and then deliver a cross on Kiyotake’s goal was outstanding.

3. It was so good to see Motegi return to form. He looks fit and ready to make an impact. It may not be long before we see him take over the starting LM role for this club.

4. Shu Hiramatsu’s goal for SC Sagamihara is an early contender for goal of the year in J2. Yeah, we all would’ve loved to have seen FC Ryukyu bag another clean sheet, but even as a Ryukyu fan, you have to admire the quality of that goal. Taguchi parried the initial cross from danger, got tangled with a few Sagamihara players and the ball fell right near Shu, who then executed an absolute beauty of an overhead kick over Ikeda’s head. Ikeda would’ve never been able to get to the loose ball and finish was spectacular. Not even upset that it ruined our clean sheet. Well done son.

6. Round 11 in J2

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No change at the top as the top 5 sides all won this round. Kyoto Sanga FC saw out a 3-2 win but were in cruise control up 3-1 before Ehime FC added a late goal to make it seem like the game was close. Jubilo Iwata needed a 76th minute winner after Tochigi SC leveled the game in the second half. Ventforet Kofu won the battle over Zweigen Kanazawa in what was probably the toughest draw this round while Blaublitz Akita and Fagiano Okayama swapped positions in the table following Okayama’s 1-0 win at Akita.

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7. Conclusion

The win for Ryukyu sees them maintain their 3 point lead over Kyoto Sanga FC setting up a massive 6 point top of the table tilt this Wednesday night in Okinawa. A loss would drop Ryukyu down to 3rd but a draw or win would further strengthen Ryukyu’s position in the table. At the quarter mark of the 2021 season Ryukyu have a 10 point lead over 5th placed Kofu; 7 point lead over 4th place Jubilo Iwata in what is shaping up to be a 4 horse race for promotion.

Match Day 10 Recap: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (7) Ventforet Kofu 4/25/21 #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @cafedecampnou

Intro

Ryukyu shook off their first loss of the season by defeating Ventforet Kofu for the first time in the team’s history 2-0 on Sunday evening. A late, some might say controversial, goal by Ren Ikeda in the 90th minute was all that Ryukyu needed to see out the three points. The win keeps FC Ryukyu three points above Kyoto in the automatic promotion slot while also restoring some of the confidence that may have been lost at Machida.

  1. Match Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Round 10 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Day Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu Mid Fielder Kazumasa Uesato: Kaz was one of Ryukyu’s better passing players and it was his initiative to try a long distance chip over the Kofu goal keeper that led to the Ikeda goal on the ensuing corner kick.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Defend the left, but watch the right on quick counters. Likelihood 3. Yes. Ryukyu seemed aware of how Kofu prefers to break down their opponents, and though Kofu had many cracks at the Ryukyu goal from the left, Ryukyu held firm.

2. Take the attack of life support and give it a jolt with a defibrillator. Likelihood 2. Sort of. It was much better than the last effort but still lacks punch.

3. Play like you’re the second-best team in the league, because you are. Likelihood 3. Indeed. Ryukyu put in a much better shift this weekend compared to the midweek at Machida. The defense was back in fine form and they secured their 6th clean sheet of the season.

4. Prediction

I tipped Kofu to take this game 2-1 and I am happy to take the L this round. Season Record 5-1-4.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 10

1. Dodging some bullets. Kofu had 3 clear cut chances to take the lead in the first half and Ryukyu were a bit lucky to escape that half level. Kofu’s first shot from a corner kick just happened to be directly at Koya Kazama who was in the right place at the right time to prevent a goal. I don’t think Taguchi would’ve been able to get down to that low hard shot headed for the corner. Ryukyu then got pulled apart on some quick passes by Kofu which allowed a free look on net for the Kofu attacker who luckily sent it right towards Taguchi. The third chance was a corner kick where the Kofu attacker either missed timed his jump, or was just slightly out of position, for which he had a free header at the Ryukyu back post.

2. Limited shots on net. Ryukyu have been getting by with limited shots on target while playing some stout defense. It didn’t work out at Zelvia and when they run into tougher competition that can light up the scoreboard, they will need to do more. Ryukyu had 1 shot on target in the first half, and it was a good one from Shintaro Shimizu, but only managed 3 total shots in the second half, all of which occurred in a span of 30 seconds. The Uesato long distance chip, the initial header from the corner kick from the chip and the rebound shot from Ikeda for the goal. Otherwise, there was roughly 51 minutes of zero shots on goal by Ryukyu in the second half.

3. Ryukyu responded well to their first loss. It was a much better performance as a whole as the passing was better and Ikeda played a much better game compared to the one at Zelvia. It won’t always be pretty when Ryukyu need to exorcise some ghosts of years past and the win was hugely significant for their promotion hopes. At lease we have seen how Ryukyu can respond in the face of adversity to avoid some of those long losing streaks we’ve become accustomed to here in Okinawa.

4. A matter of opinion on whether or not you feel Okazaki interfered with Okanishi on the Ikeda goal. I think we’ve all see similar plays called as a foul, and while it may sound a bit bias, I didn’t think there was much there from Okazaki to warrant a call. It almost seemed as if the Kofu keeper was playing for the foul instead of the ball. The ugly scenes that unfolded after the goal were not good as the entire Kofu bench surrounded the linesman in a last ditch effort to reverse the goal and the referee was always going to issue a yellow card to the Kofu keeper who was probably posturing to add more time inside of extra time.

6. Round 10 in J2

Albirex Niigata maintained their grip on the top slot by beating Ehime FC 2-0 in the lone Saturday game. Kyoto Sanga FC continues to put some distance between themselves and 4th placed Iwata with a 2-0 win at Renofa. Iwata, Nagasaki and Kofu all suffered some set backs this round while Zelvia and Akita bagged some nice wins.

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7. Conclusion

Ryukyu move on to face SC Sagamihara this weekend before a massive 6-point tilt with Kyoto the following Wednesday. Often times teams may overlook their next opponent knowing that the following opponent is much tougher with match having more at stake. Ryukyu cannot afford to overlook SC Sagamihara this week as a wobble there will pile on even more pressure for Ryukyu against Kyoto. It was great to see Ryukyu get back to the brand of football that has given them the most success this season, but there is still room for improvement as they near the quarter mark of the season.

Match Day 9 Recap: (7) FC Machida Zelvia vs (2) FC Ryukyu 4/21/21 #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @kumamasha04

Intro

FC Ryukyu tasted defeat for the first time this season when FC Machida Zelvia blew apart FC Ryukyu 3-0 this past Wednesday evening. Though losses are inevitable in any season, the one yesterday was particularly hard for some FC Ryukyu fans as the team’s performance in that match was the worst they’ve seen out of this side all year.

  1. Match Day Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Round 9 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Day Highlights (or lowlights depending on your perspective)

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2. Man of the Match

Source: Machida Zelvia Club Profile

FC Machida Zelvia GK Koki Fukui. Fukui earned his second clean sheet during Zelvia’s second consecutive 3-0 victory. Granted, he wasn’t asked to do much but a clean sheet is a clean sheet nonetheless.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Short passes in the Zelvia box. Likelihood 2. Absolutely not. In fact, Ryukyu hard a time connecting on any of their passes anywhere on the pitch.

2. Play to your strengths. Likelihood 4. Most certainly not. Ryukyu allowed the same amount of goals they’ve conceded all season in just a single game last night.

3. Finding the right mix in the squad rotation. Likelihood 2. There was no rotation in the squad outside of Kazaki Nakagawa getting his first run out of the season. We may see some changes the next match.

4. Prediction

Went with a 2-1 victory for FC Ryukyu and it wasn’t even that close. Season Record 5-1-3.

5. Talking Points for Match Day 9

1. Just a bad day at the office. FC Ryukyu were sloppy in possession, looked lethargic at times, and lacked communication yesterday. Takahashi was able to slip past Kiyotake for Machida’s first goal; Ren’s inexcusable back pass that led directly to Machida’s second goal; and then the breakdown at the back that led to Machida’s final goal. I am not sure what happened to FC Ryukyu in the first half as it looked like they were just standing still, or flat, for a better part of it. Then there was the passing by Ryukyu. They could never find that third pass to set the attacks loose. Either because no one was making any runs, or no one wanted to risk a turnover, but it wasn’t good. When Ryukyu did finally decide to pass, it was usually a lateral or back pass.

2. Ryukyu can no longer assume they can paper over the cracks in the attack with a stout defense. When Ryukyu were forced to go hunting for a goal, there was nothing there. They lacked creativity and vision when players did make runs and instead they opted for the aforementioned back pass instead. Ryukyu managed four shots on net in the first half with Kiyotake’s the most dangerous. But mustered only 3 shots in total the second half. Watching Numata just send crosses into the box that were either at the perfect height for the keeper to collect, or there was no one there attempting to get on the end felt a little bit like crossing for the sake of crossing. Now that Nakagawa has some game time under his belt, perhaps it is time for a switch at CAM. When Nakagawa was in that spot two years ago, the entire offense opens up as now they are a threat to score in all three lanes. They really need some central thrust moving forward.

3. Dropped points. Machida didn’t even field their strongest team yesterday and still managed to demolish Ryukyu. Machida were without their two best strikers and it made no difference. Ryukyu have now failed to beat Machida in their last 9 matches and have lost 3 in a row to them. Though, when Ryukyu did lose to Zelvia last year, they were able to rebound with a win in the following match.

4. Streaks ended. FC Ryukyu’s undefeated streak of 2021 comes to an end at 8. Ryukyu also lost for the first time ever on the J-League International YouTube broadcast. Oh well, means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

6. Round 9 in J2

A 92′ minute goal by Kazuhiko Chiba prevented Albirex Niigata from suffering a similar fate to FC Ryukyu and earned Niigata a vital draw on the road to Tochigi. Elsewhere, everyone under Ryukyu: Kyoto, Jubilo, Kanazawa, Nagasaki, and Kofu won, which means Ryukyu’s lead over Kyoto is down to just 3 points.

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7. Conclusion

There is no time to dwell on the past as Ryukyu now face another team they have failed to beat during their time in J2 this weekend. The team, and the fans, need to regroup and prepare for what is surely another stiff test for FC Ryukyu at home this Sunday to Ventforet Kofu.

Match Day 8 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs Tokyo Verdy 4/17/21 #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @yuichiatta

Intro

As advertised, it was an eventful evening yesterday. FC Ryukyu held serve with Albirex Niigata by winning 2-0 at home over Tokyo Verdy. Ryukyu and Verdy were once again involved in some sort of fracas in their opening match of the season against each other, where Yuhei Sato was red carded in the first half providing a massive advantage to Ryukyu the remainder of the match. It is the second red card in three games for Verdy when playing Ryukyu and this is turning into a rivalry on par with one might see in the bigger leagues where two teams just detest each other. I like it!

  1. Match Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Round 8 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu CMF Yu Tomidokoro: Yu drew both fouls that led to the Verdy Red Card and Penalty Kick. He then converted the PK for his first goal in 23 months.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Exploit the chaos and ensuing confusion. Likelihood 4. Early on Ryukyu were able to create some chances for themselves but once Verdy had a man sent off in the first half, Verdy resorted to all out defending which limited Ryukyu’s ability to take advantage of the disarray that might otherwise have been present.

2. Cut out the Verdy short passes around the box. Likelihood 3. Verdy really weren’t doing much prior to their sending off and therefore weren’t able to play to their strength after.

4. Prediction

Tipped this one to end 3-1 in favor of Ryukyu and they did end up winning by a 2 goal margin. Season Record 5-1-2.

5. Match Day 8 Talking Points

1. Misses by both sides. There were plenty of opportunities for both Ryukyu and Verdy to jump out to an early lead but all the shots seemed to sail high and wide. With the exception of one Kiyotake shot that called the Verdy keeper into action. Abe had a couple of chances throughout the game but either miss timed his jump or was in the wrong spot to get onto the end of the ball.

2. Forget the spectacular if you cannot do the practical correctly. Up to the Verdy Red Card, Ryukyu were struggling a little bit to get the offense going. Kiyotake’s back heel to nowhere nearly set Ryukyu back and though it may have been a way to jump start the momentum, no one was expecting it leading to a turnover and counter by Verdy.

3. The Tanaka goal shows us just how good Ryukyu are at quickly changing the sides of the attack. It should also be noted, like many of the boys over at the @JTalkET state weekly, how important Abe is to this side even when he doesn’t get on the score sheet. Abe maintained possession in the Verdy end, found Numata, who picked out Kiyotake, who then laid it off to the wide-open Tanaka for Ryukyu’s first goal.

4. Maybe it’s time we try the old “Route 1” attack on net. I understand that is trendy to be hypercritical of your side, even when they are producing results, so excuse me on this one. Ryukyu are very good at sending in crosses these days. Most of their goals result from these passes, but yesterday Verdy was able to snuff out a lot of these out and Ryukyu didn’t bother to switch to the frontal assault right up the middle. As more and more tape on Ryukyu becomes available, teams will begin to figure out how to stop Ryukyu, and though they are quite adept at changing directions quickly, it would help to have the middle of the pitch attack in the locker when required.

5. Verdy’s Red Card was just dumb. I have no idea what Yuhei Sato was thinking when he went in for Yu’s family jewels but it certainly tipped the scales in favor of Ryukyu afterwards. Sato was probably complaining more about his stupidity for putting the spikes into the groin of Yu than the Red Card as he really had no business putting up any type of protest.

6. You are never awarded style points in this league. Once Verdy went down to 10 men everyone expected Ryukyu to dominate possession and the scoring. It is not as simple as in hockey with a man advantage, as the opposition can compact the defensive area and close out many of the shooting lanes while they absorb the siege from the other side. Ryukyu had a ridiculous number of corner kicks (13) and free kicks (13) yesterday but had to rely on a PK to put the game out of reach. Oh well, winning ugly is still winning and the 3 points is all that really matters in the end.

7. A slight let off by Ryukyu at the end. It is easy to get complacent when you’re up by 2 goals with a man advantage and Ryukyu were bailed out by a Verdy offside call and near miss at the end. The highlights suck for showing the offside call but I believe the shot was redirected by an offside player for Verdy though they nearly scored just a few minutes later from a set piece.

8. Getting goals from all over the place is another benchmark for a quality side. Ryukyu just find a way to get the job done. Everyone is doing their part to keep a clean sheet, score goals and see out wins. They are a really exciting squad to watch these days.

6. Round 8 in J2

Albirex Niigata are still top after a second half goal saw them through over Zweigen Kanazawa 1-0 on Saturday. Kyoto Sanga blew the doors off Kitakyushu 6-1 and have officially begun their ascent to the top of the table while V-Varen Nagasaki stumbled at home losing 3-0 to Machida Zelvia. Ehime grabbed their first win of the campaign over Omiya as the managerial change is starting to pay off for this side. Finally Matsumoto surprised everyone with their come back draw against Kofu and Blaublitz Akita continues to pile up crucial points this year.

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7. Conclusion

FC Ryukyu have their first of four mid week matches this season when they travel to Machida on Wednesday night. Ryukyu face two teams in a row, Machida and Kofu, that they have never beat during their time in the J2. So you know exactly where any points earned against them will fall in the Points Over Expectation Table.

Machida are coming off a big win at Nagasaki despite missing their best two attackers in Chong Tese and Dudu. The games against Zelvia and Kofu in short succession will be a stiff test for one of the older sides in the league who are benefiting from a relaxed schedule compared to 2020 but Ryukyu have shown the ability to respond to adversity all season.

Match Day 7 Recap: FC Mito Hollyhock vs FC Ryukyu 4/11/21 #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @kumamasha04

Intro

FC Ryukyu continued the hot start by winning their sixth game of the season 2-0 at FC Mito Hollyhock. The win keeps Ryukyu squarely in second place as well a pushes them six points clear of third place Kanazawa and Kyoto. It was also Ryukyu’s fourth clean sheet of the season, a total which took them until match day 27 last year to reach.

  1. Match Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Match Day 7 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu GK Junto Taguchi: Taguchi was called upon early and often and did really well to keep Mito off the scoreboard. That is Junto’s fourth clean sheet this season, almost equaling his mark of 5 clean sheets from 2020.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Chinen wins the battle over Nakayama. Likelihood 4. I would have to say yes since Nakayama was kept off the score sheet. But there were some plays where Nakayama did get the better of Chinen. Nakayama had a clear chance on a breakaway in the first half but that was really about it.

2. Let it rip. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu had more shots on target this game than they had total shots from last week. Unfortunately Abe couldn’t get in on the scoring.

4. Prediction

Predicted a 2-1 win and it finished 2-0 in favor of Ryukyu. Notched another win. Season Record 4-1-2.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 7

1. Ryukyu have finally scored from a set piece. Koya was able to pick out Shintaro Shimizu on a corner kick in the 60th minute for the opening goal. It was well placed by Koya and Shintaro did well to get to the cross and get his head to it. It wasn’t the best-looking header, as it came off the back of his head, but it was effective. It pays to stick your nose into traffic from time to time.

2. Tanaka is on fire. He once again grabbed an assist with a beautifully placed cross behind the Mito defenders, just in front of the Mito keeper, that Kiyotake was able to get on and push the score line to 2-0. This is the third time in as many games that we’ve seen Tanaka accurately pick out an attacking player and is a huge reason why Ryukyu sit second in the table.

3. Taguchi is playing his way into a J1 contract. He made some spectacular saves on Sunday when Ryukyu needed him the most. First there was the breakaway by Nakayama following a brutal Ryukyu turnover in the middle of the pitch. Then there was the save early in the second half where Taguchi parried the shot out of danger and then closed down the attacker on the ensuing rebound. If he keeps this up, which we all hope he can, he may garner the attention of some larger clubs in need of reinforcements between the sticks come August.

4. Ryukyu almost gave the game away with some of their missed chances. Coming into the game many of Mito’s former opponents missed several chances to score which allowed Mito to take control of games and see out some wins. It was looking if Ryukyu were going to follow suit after Abe missed a clear-cut chance in the first half where the Mito keeper made a nice (reactionary) save. Then Abe took a heavy first touch on a breakaway early in the second half that allowed the keeper to cut down the angle and prevent Abe from taking a shot on net. For their part, Mito missed at least three chances themselves by sending the shots off target.  

5. We finally saw the return of Shunsuke Motegi. It was great to see Motegi out there and he looked spry for the first time in over a calendar year. He nearly scored in stoppage time when he out ran the defender and put a rocket shot on net that the Mito keeper simply threw his hands up in self defense to keep it out of the net.

6. Ryukyu were once again out shot, and out possessed. This is just their style of play this season but they were a little sloppy when in possession as there were some ugly turnovers and inaccurate passing. They need to tighten that up as stronger sides will punish them more severely than those teams farther down the table.

6. Match Day 7 in J2

Albirex Niigata was able to maintain their grip on the top slot after they defeated Montedio Yamagata on the road 2-0. Zweigen Kanazawa’s 1-0 loss to JEF United Chiba, coupled with a win by Kyoto Sanga FC, sees them level on points with Kyoto for 3rd place. Elsewhere, V-Varen Nagasaki continues to climb back up the table while the most entertaining game of the weekend occurred at Ehime who played to a spirited 2-2 draw with Fagiano Okayama.

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7. Conclusion

And the beat goes on! We haven’t seen this brand of football out of Ryukyu since their title winning season of 2018. But there is still a long way to go before we can start patting each other on the back as Ryukyu have not won anything yet. They are keeping pace with leaders Niigata, and putting some distance between themselves and the field, but they must continue to beat teams through solid performances on the road like this past match. Next up for FC Ryukyu is a home match with Tokyo Verdy who come to Okinawa sporting a two game winning streak.

Match Day 6 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs. Omiya Ardija 4/03/21 #FC琉球

Intro

The one that got away. FC Ryukyu had a chance to set the clubs record for consecutive wins but instead limped to a 0-0 draw with Omiya Ardija. While both the weather and Ryukyu defense held, the offense was nowhere to be found. Time after time Ryukyu pounded the flanks of the Omiya defense only to find the walls were strong and the passage blocked. It is still a point that many of us would’ve gladly taken prior to the start of the season but having forgot all about relegation this year, albeit maybe prematurely, some of us are left wondering what happened?

  1. Match Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Reviewing the Keys to Victory
  4. Talking Points
  5. Prediction
  6. Match Day 6 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Day 6 Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu CB Tetsuya Chinen: First, he completely handled the larger Omiya striker Haskic and kept him in check all game. Second, he was intent on winning every contested ball and challenge that came his way. Finally, his passing was really good and he nearly ended up on the score sheet when he set up Kiyotake with a lovely through ball in the first half.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Bend don’t break. Likelihood 3. Indeed. Ryukyu saw out a goal-less draw and while they produced little offensively, they at least stymied the Omiya attack.

2. Quick short passes to break the Omiya high defensive line. Likelihood 4. Yes and no. We broke the defensive line early in the game but couldn’t do much the second half.

3. Set pieces could make all the difference. Likelihood 2. Coulda-shoulda-woulda. Ryukyu were gifted a golden opportunity late in the game when Abe was fouled just outside the 16-yard box. Unfortunately, Uesato sent the shot high and wide which ended up being Ryukyu’s last best chance at a goal scoring opportunity on Saturday.

4. Talking Points from Match Day 6

1. A tale of two halves. FC Ryukyu looked the better side to open the game but Omiya looked the far more dangerous team in the second half. Ryukyu out shot Omiya 6-1 in the first half but Omiya turned that around to a 5-2 advantage to close out the game. Granted, few if any of these shots troubled either keeper this weekend and Ryukyu failed to register even one shot on goal in the second half.

2. Missed chances were another theme. Ryukyu had a few good looks on net early but the shots were off the mark and then there was the free kick near the end that was a killer to our hopes of securing all 3 points. For their part, Omiya had a few looks on net but the shots were straight at Taguchi. Omiya also shot themselves in the foot on a couple of dead ball kicks where they committed a foul, or were offsides, which ended the play altogether.

3. Buses were parked and neither team could break through the others defense. It was evident that Ryukyu were searching for that last pass to unlock the Omiya defense but it never materialized and attacks died on the spot. Coming into the match Omiya had given up four goals to what Sporteria calls a spilled ball but only one goal from a cross. Ryukyu simply didn’t put enough shots on target that could have led to rebounds or these types of spilled balls.

4. Do warm ups matter? I am usually buried in my phone during the teams warm up session prior to the game but this time I watched Ryukyu all the way through and I noticed that our attacking players were missing a majority of their shots in the warm up. I get it, you use that time to get loose but those misses carried over into the match. Kiyotake, Numata and Uesato each had chances to put Ryukyu in front in the first half with some good looks on goal but as mentioned earlier, they were all off target.

5. Dropped points. It is hard not to see this one as two points dropped instead of just one point earned. These things happen in any given season so it will be interesting to see how Ryukyu respond at Mito.

5. Prediction

Predicted a 2-2 draw and while I was correct on the outcome, I was far off on the score line. I’ll give myself a draw here. Season Record 3-1-2.

6. Match Day 6 in J2

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There were 3 questions I asked heading into this round. 1.) Can Ryukyu hold serve with Niigata? Well they did thanks in large part to the heroic efforts of SC Sagamihara at home on Sunday to Niigata. 2.) Can Nagasaki rebound after a loss? Yes, they defeated Kofu on a Ryo Shinzato late goal. 3.) Can Akita continue their hot start? Unfortunately no as Matsumoto Yamaga FC scored multiple goals for the first time which is probably attributed to Akita missing one of their better defenders this game.

7. Conclusion

It is not all bad in the end as Ryukyu still remain in second place, three points clear of 3rd place Zweigen Kanazawa, recorded their third clean sheet this season, and are still undefeated. But now we must regroup and prepare for the test this weekend at Mito Hollyhock. That is thing about this league, you need to have some short term memory when it comes to recent failures and long term memory when it comes to realizing past success.

Match Day 5 Report: JEF United Chiba vs FC Ryukyu 3/27/21 #FC琉球

Photo Credit: @tpen18

Intro

FC Ryukyu have equaled their greatest ever wining streak (5) dating back to 2018 when they defeated JEF United Chiba 2-1 on Saturday. The win moves FC Ryukyu into second place behind also undefeated Albirex Niigata. This was the first time FC Ryukyu ever beat JEF – ever scored against JEF- and played from behind all year. You may not consider a win against a team lower than Ryukyu in the standings as a significant achievement but considering the history between these clubs, and how that fits into this season, it was a huge win for Ryukyu.

  1. Match Highlights
  2. Man of the Match
  3. Review of the Keys to Victory
  4. Prediction
  5. Talking Points
  6. Match Day 5 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Match Day 5 Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu GK Junto Taguchi: While Tanaka’s efforts shouldn’t go unnoticed, neither should Taguchi’s efforts be lost in the box score. Taguchi made save after save in the first half to keep the score level and continued to pile up the big saves in the second half.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Slay the Dragon. Likelihood 4. And they did. Ryukyu overcame a deficit for the first time all year and responded well in the face of adversity. The minor details matter in any season and this win was huge for Ryukyu for so many reasons. You cannot quantify this stat, but I want you to understand how important this win was for Ryukyu mentally to score, come from behind, and defeat an opponent they have never beat in two seasons. Only four more opponents to go in that category.

4. Prediction

Well I said we’d win by 1 goal at least. Season Record 3-0-2.

5. Talking Points

1. Playing as a unit. Ryukyu have shown a penchant this year for picking each other up when one member is having a bad day at the office. This week it was Chinen’s turn to have a forgettable movement, but both the team and then Chinen responded accordingly. Chinen slipped and allowed JEF to penetrate our defense, to which Okazaki also slipped on the turf though I am not sure where he was recovering to after he got to his feet, and then JEF finally had a wide-open shooting lane to score. Chinen, Yong Jick, and Numata more than made up for that early discretion with their defending at the end by clearing balls, blocking shots, closing down shooting lanes and marking men. Chinen will use this game as teaching lesson and will respond accordingly, don’t worry about him.  

Photo Credit: J League. The Captain Uesato picking Chinen up after the game. Chinen responded well to an earlier mishap, evidence of the weight lifted off the teams shoulders from that win.

It should also be noted how the team responded to adversity. We already noted Numata, Yong Jick and Chinen in defense, but it was Tanaka in the attack. Ryukyu played from behind for all of 3 minutes before taking the lead for good within 5 minutes of JEF’s opening goal. Tanaka’s two crosses were met by Abe and Shintaro Shimizu and though the crosses were on target, the two forwards had a lot to do with them when they arrived. I spoke earlier in the week how it was good for Shintaro to play in the reserve games to get firing and it paid off this week. Abe for his part, is the best finisher in this league.

2. A game of missed opportunities. According to my count, JEF missed 6 golden opportunities to Ryukyu’s 3. Abe missed two early from tough bounces and being wrong footed, and also Ikeda missed a wide-open header early, but JEF had many great looks on net yesterday that ultimately sailed high and wide. The two misses by JEF near the end sealed their fate.

3. Send me everyone! JEF made a single substitution of 5 players at one time. I’ve never seen this and that had to be unsettling to a team when you replace half of the outfield players. Maybe it was an act of desperation in an attempt to equalize, but Higuchi was able to respond by also inserting Yong-Jick and allow both Uehara and Yong Jick to mark Salomon on all set pieces near the end.

4. I think the early cracks are visible on how to break down Ryukyu. I love Tanaka’s aggressiveness and assertiveness in the attack, but I think teams are starting to realize that attacking down the right, and left, might be this team’s Achilles heel. I am not saying that Tanaka cannot defend, or won’t, but that teams are starting to realize Ryukyu prefer to attack from the flanks, lack the thrust through the middle, and over commit at times down the sides may open up us in new ways. I have no clue how to remedy this as this puts all the pressure on the CBs and CDMs to cover the back when Ryukyu commit to the attack, but everything is working right now so no need to tinker with the formula for success.

6. Match Day 5 in J2

The Niigata battering ram continued along its path of destruction by dismantling Tokyo Verdy 7-0. The amount of goals scored by Niigata in that single game is more than 13 teams have scored all year in J2! It was kind of a disappointing weekend for some of the favorites as Nagasaki, Kofu, Kyoto, and Yamagata all lost.

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7. Conclusion

With one more win FC Ryukyu will set the club’s single season record for consecutive wins. But that is no easy ask despite their opponent, Omiya Ardija, being one that Ryukyu have experienced many fortuitous results against in their short time in J2. Just like this week with Ryukyu needing to cross a major obstacle in JEF, Omiya too will be looking to exorcise some ghosts of years past against Ryukyu.

Would you have agreed to take the 15 points Ryukyu have earned at the start of the season if you knew it would pay dividends later when it comes to a relegation scrap? Do you know that FC Ryukyu are 1 of only 5 teams to win their opening 4 fixtures and not get promoted that year (2019)? Do you believe that 6 of 7 teams who opened the J2 season with 5 consecutive wins have gone on to earn promotion? I don’t want FC Ryukyu to be the second team in that stat to not to earn promotion. What do you believe about FC Ryukyu?