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.

(11) FC Mito Hollyhock vs (22) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu head to Ibaraki this weekend to face FC Mito Hollyhock. Both these teams have only lost once in their past seven (7) matches but both ended their most recent matches in very different ways. Ryukyu twice surrendered a goal advantage at home to Montedio Yamagata while Mito had a spirited mid-week match with Oita Trinita in which they defeated their guests 2-0. Over the last four years FC Ryukyu has the most wins in this series but Mito have the two (2) most recent wins between them. Hard to believe there isn’t a single tie in this series in four (4) years so perhaps that streak remains in tact with what is hopefully a FC Ryukyu victory.

Weather Forecast and Match Day Information

Hopefully the weather holds off for the traveling Ryukyu fans.

Click>>> Match Day 33 Information from FC Mito Hollyhock

Team Previews

FC Mito Hollyhock: For a team that has only lost twice (2) in their last twelve (12) games I am not sure what prompted their manager, Tadahiro Akiba, to have some sort of outburst in his post match interview vs Renofa. But whatever that was has worked as Mito looked like a different side following their 2-0 trouncing of Oita Trinita.

In my experience as a player, coach, and fan that type of stuff works one time before it becomes the norm and simply brushed off. Will it carry over from the Oita match for Mito? Probably. They played a physical match unlike I’ve seen in their prior four games. Sure, be mad at the refs, be angry at the team for being adrift in the mid-table, scare the shit out of the players to motivate them. That will Kiely carry over into the Ryukyu game but could have some unforeseen consequences. AKA, some stupid, borderline reckless, challenges leading to sending offs for Mito.

There is no doubt that Mito are what you expect them to be while situated mid-table. Mito can score when presented the opportunity, can frustrate teams while defending, do nothing spectacular but do the necessary little things to net results. Mito drew against Kofu and Akita where they came back form a deficit following a spilled ball against Kofu and surrendered a goal after being reduced to 10-men against Akita. Mito defeated Omiya 1-0 after an early goal and only lost to Renofa after a ridiculous, some would say egregious, wonder chip of their GK from about 65 yards out!

But it was their most recent game against Oita Trinita on Tuesday evening that was most telling. Akiba extracted the most he could out of his side and they beat the brakes off Oita. Mito were physical. Mito were dominant. Mito were motivated, agitated, and determined. I am not even sure Oita even got off the bus that game. Let us hope the hubris of that performance bleeds into this match with Ryukyu.

FC Ryukyu: I am going to take this entry a different direction for this week. No point in talking about who might play, who may return from injury, or the defensive woes we may never figure out before the season ends. Instead I want to praise some of the men who have been responsible for this sudden renaissance here at Ryukyu.

Every year I fear the exodus of talent that occurs at the end of the season for FC Ryukyu. And trust me there has been plenty in my time: Togashi, Park-Il Gyu, Uejo, Tokumoto, Koizumi, and Chinen with the surprisingly early departures mid-season of Nakagawa and Koji Suzuki. Those departures usually left me bewildered as to how FC Ryukyu could replace such mercurial talent and still remain competitive. But now I welcome any departure at the end of this season for some of our most talented, yet hidden to so many players, because that would mean that a select few did the impossible in such short order, and did it to the highest degree possible.

There is no secret to the recent success of FC Ryukyu. Dany Carvajal and Sadam Sulley have been nothing short of spectacular and then there is Hitomi’s meteoric rise which has caught us all unaware that he had that type of quality in his locker. I must note that Abe getting back to his old ways has also helped a ton. All of these factors have contributed to the sudden restart of a heartbeat inside the once left for dead corpse that was FC Ryukyu under Kina. Not so much in the case of Abe but for the other three it was all about getting a chance to play and shine on the big stage. And wow how they’ve shone.

I have no idea how FC Ryukyu found Sadam Sulley and I don’t really care. Sulley is an absolute difference maker when he is on the pitch. Sulley adjusted to life in J2 quicker than Kina ever could as a manager and he is destroying everything in front of him. I truly hope (and believe he will) that Sulley ends up in double digit goals by seasons end as he is far to talented to be plying his trade down here. But I am so thankful we have him for at least another 10-games as the sky is the limit for this player who luckily wasn’t contaminated by whatever went on here prior to Nacho’s arrival.

In the case of Hitomi he flashed a little bit back in 2020, much like Koizumi in 2019 before he went nuclear, followed by a brief loan spell. The club, I think (hope) saw enough in Hitomi to retain his services this season but Hitomi never had a shot to crack the starting eleven with so many established veterans, and whatever Kina was thinking at the the time, until injuries took hold at Ryukyu. But there is no ‘putting the genie back in the bottle’ now as Ryukyu cannot afford to take Hitomi off the pitch as he is lighting up the scoreboard with some top drawer goals.

We all know of the quality that Dany possesses and he is not only making the extraordinary look ordinary, he’s the best PK stopper in all of J2. What a luxury to have a player like that in such a key position in the squad while Ryukyu scratches and claws their way up the table. Can you believe, injuries not withstanding, we let this guy rot on the bench for so long when it was clear to many that he needed to be in the lineup? It makes you wonder how many points we could’ve had if a fully healthy Dany was in the lineup earlier?

I will also note that none of this would’ve been possible without Nacho making the changes and putting these players out there to give Ryukyu the best shot of winning each week. In the case of the three players mentioned above their is one constant theme. Heart. All these men are giving maximum effort, showing off their quality, pulling Ryukyu up by their shoelaces out of the basement. When the 2022 season comes to a close and Ryukyu sits outside the relegation zone and we are once again left wondering what will happen next season, I will be rooting for all of these men to move onto bigger and better things as they’ve earned it through blood, sweat, and my tears.

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. Flawless Execution at both ends of the pitch. Likelihood 3. Mito didn’t reveal any real weaknesses when it came to surrendering goals as most were of the milk-toast variety stemming from spilled balls. If our central defense goes comatose for any brief periods of time then Ryukyu could be in real trouble. Mito can finish when presented opportunities so we need Okazaki/Nakagawa/Omori, or whoever is in there, to be cognizant of where the Mito attackers are in the box at all times. And FFS, mark their runs in the box!

This also requires Ryukyu being clinical in very limited opportunties. Truth be told I didn’t see any team in any of the highlights taking it to Mito or ceding loads of possesion sans Oita. Not sure if Mito comes at Ryukyu or sits back and hits us on the counter. That makes for a difficult and dangerous game plan for how to attack Mito.

2. Composure. Likelihood 4. Holy shit a second key to victory? Yes. Anyways, if Mito take the physicality route, initiates some rash challenges, and fingers fucking crossed the Japanese ref sees that shit, Ryukyu may actually be awarded a PK instead of conceding one. But, and that is a big but, Ryukyu must maintain their cool when that shit ensues. Barring something egregious, or lord help us an injury from a BS challenge, Mito are likely to be smelling their own farts from Tuesday’s game and think they can do the same vs Ryukyu. Let them. Let Mito try and play physical and end up finding themselves down a man with Sulley, Abe and Hitomi out their hunting in packs. Stay cool brothers.

Round 33 in J2

Up Top: (1) Yokohama FC has a tricky one there at (5) FC Machida Zelvia while we need (2) Albirex Niigata to take care of business on the road at (21) Iwate Grulla Morioka. The more I see the games Ryukyu need other teams to win, the more I see former FC Ryukyu players. Let’s go Koji, let’s go Tokumoto, let’s help us out Koki Kazama by steering Gunma into the dumpster!

Promotion Zone: (3) Vegalta Sendai are looking to rebound following two consecutive losses to teams at the very foot of the table, thanks a lot dudes, and will host (10) JEF United Chiba who beat Sendai 2-0 the last time these two teams met on MD 20. Ryukyu really need (4) Fagiano Okayama do the job over (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma on the road and I’ll cheer a little for (6) Roasso Kumamoto when they host (13) Tokyo Verdy this Sunday as I don’t particularly care for Verdy (shocker).

Down Below: (19) Omiya Ardija welcome in (8) Montedio Yamagata who are probably still steaming they didn’t beat FC Ryukyu last week. Someone throw (18) Zweigen Kanazawa a parachute before they hit rock bottom! They had a nice rest between fixtures but are they completely recovered from the CV-19 outbreak and ready to face (14) Ventforet Kofu on the road?

Free J-League Broadcasts for Round 33: First up will be Omiya Ardija hosting Montedio Yamagata on Saturday. Click>>> Omiya Ardija vs Montedio Yamagata.

The second broadcast this week on the J.League International YouTube Channel will feature Roasso Kumamoto and Tokyo Verdy. Click>>> Roasso Kumamoto vs Tokyo Verdy

Conclusion

I think this is a very winnable game for FC Ryukyu and all we need now is to have the lads go out there and execute. Firing up top, stonewalling at the back. Shit! That is what we wanted to see all season from these guys but that doesn’t matter now. Only points (wins) matter. Go get ’em boys!

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.

V-Varen Nagasaki vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu pulled off an improbable 3-2 win over V-Varen Nagasaki on Saturday night in which they erased Nagasaki’s two (2) goal lead and even stopped a Nagasaki PK at the end of the match. In the preview article for this game I mentioned how Nagasaki seemed like a side that starts fast and fades throughout the match. That was the exact case this game as Nagasaki stormed out to a 2-0 lead before halftime despite not having their top man, Edigar Junio, in the lineup.

Ryukyu leveled the match at the 68′ minute mark of the second half thanks to two (2) goals by Takuya Hitomi inside a span of ten (10) minutes. Hitomi’s first was a redirection of a shot in which he was sitting almost on the goal line with two (2) Nagasaki defenders inside the goal keeping Hitomi on side. His second was a thing of beauty where he put a pass from Abe directly into the top right corner. Then Sadam Sulley added his third goal in as many games with another header in the 89th minute. But Ryukyu were not able to just walk away from this one without committing a costly foul near the end. But once again, Dany Carvajal rose to the occasion to help Ryukyu see out the win.

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. Play hard to the whistle. Likelihood 4. Not sure I need to say anything more as the actions of the entire team speak for themselves on this particular key to victory.

Match Day 31 Takeaways

1. Lineup and Roster selection for FC Ryukyu. I wondered what Nacho would do with both Kelvin and Makito this week following the Kofu game. Both players ended up getting the start and I think Makito’s early removal last week provided some motivation for him this week as he looked much better. Kelvin was his usual self and now we need to get that man on the score sheet more often, especially next week with Sulley suspended and it still being unknown when Kusano and Kiyotake will return to the lineup following their injury rehabilitations.

Abe and Sulley seem to have formed the perfect strike partnership for this league. Abe is so good at finding outlets to open Ryukyu players and just keeping plays alive for Ryukyu in the attack. The second Hitomi goal is a perfect example of what I am talking about and more goals for Abe should come soon. Sulley is really good at finding space behind, in, or around the oppositions’ defense to put him in goal scoring opportunities. Three (3) goals in three (3) consecutive weeks, four (4) points from four (4) matches. Though he’ll have to take a breather this week while on suspension from his red card last week.

2. A tale of two halves. My worst fears came to fruition after Nagasaki scored the opener and with Ryukyu again falling behind by multiple goals for the second straight week. Ryukyu seemed a bit flat in the first half with the opening Nagasaki goal traveling all the way through the box and past several Ryukyu defenders. To be fair, Sawada’s take was excellent as it had to be inch perfect from that angle.

Ryukyu had a crack at leveling the match early on but Kelvin’s take was just narrowly wide of the mark. You kind of felt that since we didn’t score from that take that another Nagasaki goal was likely in the offering. And true to form, Ryukyu surrendered the second goal that stemmed from a failed defensive clearance, followed by some really nice one-touch passing, before Cristiano buried the goal. Maybe Dany was blinded by Okazaki running in front of him but there were several Ryukyu defenders in the area that had a shot at getting something on the Cristiano shot.

You wouldn’t be wrong in assuming a goal scored just before halftime would completely let the wind out of the Ryukyu sails. But not under the current manager. Ryukyu came out firing in the second half when Hitomi scored on a redirected shot from Omoto. His first ever goal for Ryukyu. The play started with a Makito cross that Sulley won, though didn’t get on net, followed by Abe getting it back to Omoto whose shot looked to be headed for the far post to which Hitomi calmly slotted past the two Nagasaki defenders on the line.

Abe and Hitomi were not finished though as Hitomi’s second came after Abe’s initial shot was blocked, and instead of just trying to recycle the rebound back on net, Abe picked out the on-rushing Hitomi who sent a really nice ball into the top right corner. Of course the winner came from another Sulley header in a little give and go action from a quick counter attack. I truly believe Nacho and the rest of Ryukyu have figured out the J2: Pick out your taller strikers in the box with accurate crosses and let them feast.

The game wasn’t done and dusted at that point as Dany Carvajal was called into action a couple of times to make some key saves before the all important PK stop. His second stop of a PK this year that has directly accounted for four (4) Ryukyu points. I do have to say it wasn’t one of the better defensive performances from this team as it was more reminiscent of what we saw out of our defending at Kofu last week. We may have just got a bit lucky that Nagasaki couldn’t put anymore sustained pressure on our backline without their talisman Junio, but Ryukyu did enough to get the job done and that is all that matters.

Round 31 in J2

It wasn’t CV-19 rearing its ugly head to wipe out matches across the J-League this week, instead it was a tropical storm that dumped large amounts of rain across the mainland forcing matches to be called off and rescheduled for a later date.

Up Top: (2) Yokohama FC and (21) Thespakusatsu Gunma was rescheduled to this Tuesday evening leaving Ryukyu fans to wait and see if they have finally stayed level on points with Gunma. (1) Albirex Niigata took advantage of the YFC delay in fixtures to move into the top slot following their 2-0 road win at (16) Tochigi SC. And then there was (20) Omiya Ardija scoring another three (3) goals in a match to defeat a top seeded team in (3) Vegalta Sendai. Two (2) goals just a minute apart followed by a third in the first half put that one out of reach early.

Promotion Playoff Zone: (4) Fagiano Okayama was able to restore the 2-0 lead they lost to (18) Renofa Yamaguchi thanks to a 65th minute goal. (5) Roasso Kumamoto leap frogged V-Varen Nagasaki thanks to their 2-2 draw on the road at (13) Ventforet Kofu. Kumamoto missed out on all three (3) points this match having lost their 2-1 advantage in the 77th minute as well as having a PK stopped earlier in the game.

Down Below: The only team in the bottom five (5) of the table that wasn’t mentioned in the other two sections was (20) Iwate Grulla Morioka who lost 0-1 at home to (15) Blaublitz Akita. I think it was just around the time I released the first drop zone report that I intimated that Akita could easily, and quickly, remove themselves from the relegation discussion and since then they’ve won two (2), drawn two (2), only allowed a single (1) goal in four games with three (3) consecutive shutouts while playing as the visitors. Well done!

Conclusion

What an absolute roller-coaster ride of emotions on Saturday night for all the fans watching this game. From my vantage point there was the absolute shock, and subsequent outburst of emotion following that Sulley goal. It felt so good to see us score so late in a game instead of conceding. The emotional high was briefly muted when Nagasaki lined up for the PK where we all thought, “please not again,” before yet another outpouring of raw emotions by all in attendance at my house. We have waited a long time to see Ryukyu play like this as well for us to feel this good following any game. Let’s keep the good times rolling.

Ventforet Kofu vs FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu’s five (5) game unbeaten run came to a crashing halt on Saturday night at Ventforet Kofu when they were defeated 5-2 (second time in four seasons we’ve lost to Kofu by that score-line). Ryukyu were unable to earn their first ever point at Kofu but they did at least manage to score two (2) goals thus ending the goalless drought that has plagued Ryukyu while traveling to Kofu. Ryukyu found themselves in a very deep hole early on following three (3) goals by Kofu within a span of fourteen (14) minutes. Two (2) of those goals were PKs that were awarded just eight (8) minutes apart. Ryukyu fought valiantly to bring the score line to 3-2 before two (2) more Kofu goals put the game out of reach.

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. Crosses into the box. Likelihood 3. Think we saw a concerted effort by Ryukyu to get balls into the box and we know it works as evidenced by the Sulley goal. A nearly identical goal to the one he scored last week against Kumamoto when he rose and buried a header in the bottom corner. Ryukyu really need Tanaka to find that rich vein of form he was in last season when he could pick out anyone inside the box.

Match Day 30 Takeaways

1. CV-19 was once again wreaking havoc with the FC Ryukyu roster construction this past round as there were two debutants, Barrera and Hong Quan, and only two healthy center backs in the lineup. Luckily Ryukyu made it through unscathed and we can only hope we see the return of some of the first team players next round.

Last entry I put forth the notion that there may be a changing of the guard at RB with Makito the preferred starter over Keita Tanaka. Unfortunately for Makito, he had a very rough outing that saw him subbed off in the 37th minute following two unfortunate plays. First, Kofu had been trying the long ball over the top of our defense early on and finally found the break though when Makito headed one of those balls directly back to the center where a Kofu player was making a run. The second, probably stemming from the earlier play lingering in his mind, was a blatant handball inside the box when his mind told him something needed to be done about that dangerous cross, and his body reacted. Just in the wrong way.

He wasn’t the only one to get the early hook as Hitomi was also subbed off in that change for Kelvin. Kelvin looked good in his return and I am not sure if Ryukyu are better suited at starting Kelvin or having him come off the bench. Guess that all depends on his fitness level at this point.

2. This game ends differently if Abe converts that cross from Takezawa in the 8th minute. Ryukyu nearly capitalized on some early momentum but after they missed the chance to take the lead, you could sense a slight shift in momentum back to Kofu. Now, the two PKs in short order put Ryukyu in a ridiculous 3-0 hole, but they did respond in a way that was very encouraging. Saddam Sulley notched his second (2) goal in consecutive matches along with Nakano finding the score sheet in consecutive games with an assist. What we saw from Ryukyu in the 30 or so minutes following Kofu’s third goal provides a glimmer hope, but time is not on our side. Ryukyu had the players to generate some thrust, chances and goal scoring opportunities, now they need to bring it all together for another stretch run. I would also note that, what we thought was the equalizer near the 60th minute mark, turned out to be offside. Kind of deflating and it was at that point when I felt the game was a bit out of reach based on the prior bad luck Ryukyu had already experienced in this game.

3. Old man yelling at the sky again. Thought there was some “home cooking” refereeing going this game. Granted, the ball did touch Omori’s arm in the box, perhaps he shouldn’t have left his feet, and perhaps it is at the discretion of the referee to award the PK, which he did. Ryukyu may have gotten a bit lucky on some no calls but for the most part it felt as if Ryukyu were playing against twelve men with the referee favoring Kofu. Hell, as @FLManinJP pointed out, it took a damn car crash of a challenge on a Ryukyu player to finally draw out a call from the referee. Following the game some Ryukyu fans were posting that this particular referee somehow provides about a %20 increase in winning percentage to home teams in the games he oversees. Hope he is there for our final home game against Oita.

Round 30 in J2

Up Top: (1) Yokohama FC is doing all they can to derail Ryukyu’s rise out of the gutter by once again surrendering three (3) goals in a loss to one of the bottom four sides. This time it was (20) Omiya Ardija’s turn to earn an unexpected three points against the top side. Knowing Ryukyu’s luck, YFC is likely to find their form when we play them in 8 weeks time. (2) Albirex Niigata were able to cling to their one point advantage over (3) Vegalta Sendai thanks to two (2) late goals against (14) Tokushima Vortis. Vortis now have eighteen (18) draws this season, and though I do not know the record for the most amount of draws in a single J2 season, they look primed to take the title.

Promotion Zone: (3) Vegalta Sendai and (4) Fagiano Okayama both saw out comfortable wins. (6) Roasso Kumamoto once again received the post-Ryukyu-loss bounce, that at least Iwate and Tochigi got to experience, when they defeated (15) Tochigi SC. The only side to lose this round was (5) V-Varen Nagasaki. Four/five points separate this pack from 7th place with Sendai just one (1) point off of second place.

Down Below: We already mentioned Omiya’s win and Iwate’s loss in the previous sections so that just leaves (21) Thespakusatsu Gunma, who lost 0-3 at home to (10) JEF United Chiba. (18) Renofa Yamaguchi, who lost at home to (8) Montedio Yamagata, find themselves in the bottom five following (17) Blaublitz Akita’s 1-1 draw with (12) Mito Hollyhock. 19th-21st place could see some consistent shifting in the standings the next few weeks with (22) FC Ryukyu four (4) points adrift from safety. The window to make up some ground for Ryukyu is quickly shutting.

Conclusion

Putting this one in the rearview mirror and moving onto the next game at V-Varen Nagasaki. There were some encouraging signs this match despite the lopsided score line which needs to be built upon heading into a tough run of fixtures. Ryukyu’s ‘make-or-break’ part of the season is shaping up to be the games between Rounds 34-38 where they have a couple of games against teams in the bottom five (5) of the standings as well as some just outside of 18th place.

(21) Omiya Ardija vs (20) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

Let’s get it on! Ryukyu play their second match against a team near the bottom of the table this month and it a massive 6-pointer with Omiya Ardija. FC Ryukyu have only lost once in their last six (6) games while riding a three (3) game unbeaten streak. Omiya have failed to win in their last four (4) games while suffering consecutive defeats to Iwate and Sendai the past week. These are the type of games that Ryukyu need to win and neither side wants to leave this match without all three (3) points. The match might not have the shine of the games between teams at the top of the table, but it will have its own type of fireworks for us to enjoy.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info

Cool and breezy with the slightest chances of rain. But then again, I’ve been wrong before.

Click>>>> Match Day 18 Information from Omiya Ardija

Team Previews

Omiya Ardija: Omiya have been inside the relegation zone around the same amount of time as Ryukyu. They didn’t earn their first win of 2022 until Match Day 9, then experienced a bit of bump in performance when they went four (4) games undefeated (2 wins and 2 draws), before losing two (2) games in a row. Omiya has also been hit hard by the injury bug this year as they’ve lost both of their top two goalies in Yuta Minami (Achilles Tendon Rupture) and Tomoki Ueda (Patellar Tendon Rupture) for the season, and most recently FWD Seiya Nakano (hamstring). This has thrust Ko Shimura, on loan from Giravanz Kitakyushu, into the starting role where he has already conceded five (5) goals in two games.

Omiya won once, drew twice, and lost twice in their last five (5) matches. The 2-1 victory at Zweigen Kanazawa pulled Omiya out of the relegation zone for the first time since Match Day 4, which was further aided by the draws the following rounds at Tochigi and Nagasaki, but found themselves in familiar territory once again with consecutive home losses to fellow relegation team Iwate and most recently Sendai. The Iwate match was a rescheduled game due to CV-19 in which Omiya actually played three (3) consecutive matches on the road prior to Iwate and Sendai followed by what will now be three (3) consecutive home matches ending with Ryukyu.

The schedule doesn’t get much easier for Omiya moving forward as they will play Tokyo Verdy after the Ryukyu match and then play their sixth game in under three (3) weeks when they travel to Okinawa to play FC Ryukyu again, but this time for the Emperors Cup. The cup competition could be a major distraction for both sides who are trying to battle their way to safety while dealing with major injuries at the moment.

Omiya’s top three point leaders this year are: FWD Atsushi Kawata (6 goal & 1 assist), MF Shinya Yajima (3 goals & 1 assist), and MF Masaya Shibayama (5 assists). But none of these players have seen the score sheet since Match Day 13. Similarly, Ryukyu are likely to be without their top scorer in Kusano which may even things out a bit for the two teams tomorrow night.

FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu are in the midst of their best stretch of results this season. Two (2) wins and one (1) draw in their last three games has resulted in Ryukyu finally moving off the bottom of the table, albeit on goal differential, but a mentally significant point nonetheless. This is a hugely important match for Ryukyu right now and unfortunately they’re likely going into this match at less than 100%. Yuki Kusano, FC Ryukyu’s leading goal scorer, was subbed off with an injury to his left knee last match and with such a quick turn around between fixtures, it is unlikely that he features for Ryukyu in the midweek.

That means the combination of Shinya Uehara and Ryunosuke Noda will lead the Ryukyu attack. Ryukyu are also unlikely to see the return of Takuma Abe (now going on eleven matches since he last featured, and still no word on his status) and Ryohei Okazaki. This probably means we will see Takuya Hitomi in a reserve role at forward with Keigo Numata returning to play CB alongside Lee Yong Jick. Ryukyu really need the offense to show up tomorrow, and more importantly, have it driven through Kiyotake and Ikeda with Kusano out. Uehara and Noda seem to be a like-for-like with each other’s playing style but I’d give the slight advantage to Uehara in the aerial department, with Noda being slightly better with the ball at his feet. Either is capable of putting it in the back of the net so long as we can provide the service to them.

It is a whole other story on the defensive side of the ball for Ryukyu as the preferred deployment of Numata over Omori at CB must be based on the need for a veteran presence along side Yong Jick and not one based solely on skill. Numata faired decently in his CB debut, and will need to do so again if Ryukyu are to grab all three points, in addition to Yong Jick going the full distance on Wednesday night. Yong Jick’s play has improved the past three weeks and we need to find a capable defensive partner for him in the absence of Okazaki.

I cannot emphasize the importance of this game enough for Ryukyu. A win would provide a three (3) point cushion over Omiya, and with Iwate playing Yokohama FC, a win could provide a three (3) point cushion from the relegation zone. Ryukyu won’t catch Tochigi, even if Tochigi lose, but it brings them just a little closer to possibly dragging Tochigi down the table. It has to be three (3) points for Ryukyu on Wednesday night.

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. Win the set piece battle. Likelihood 2. Omiya seems very capable in attacking set pieces, particularly corner kicks, but struggles at defending those same type of set pieces. Ryukyu don’t really earn, or capitalize, on set pieces (CKs) but this one area could make all the difference tomorrow.

Kinain’ Ya Around

In what could be Kazuki Kuranuki’s last game in charge of Ryukyu before Kina returns, Ryukyu need one more positive result inside this brief, temporary, “new boy bounce.” So far the results have been good under Kuranuki as some of things that plagued Kina’s coaching style this season – specifically opponents easily adjusting to the Ryukyu game plan mid game and Ryukyu failing to make subsequent adjustments – have largely gone away the last two weeks. Ryukyu played within themselves last week against a strong Kofu side despite having little offensive production. They seemed content on taking what was given to them by Kofu, parked the bus a little bit after taking the lead, and nearly pulled off the unthinkable. Ryukyu will need a similar type of performance this match if we wish to leave Saitama with all the points. And I think Kuranuki is up to the task.

Round 18 in J2

League Leaders (1) Vegalta Sendai headline this round’s matchups when they welcome in (6) Fagiano Okayama. But since Ryukyu are squarely inside the relegation battle, I will focus on the games for teams near Ryukyu in the standings. (22) Iwate Grulla Morioka host (3) Yokohama FC in what should be a very tough matchup for the hosts, and one in which we’d (Ryukyu fans, and Omiya fans) like to see YFC win. This only adds fuel to the fire for the Omiya/Ryukyu game as the winner could potentially move ahead of the bottom two sides. (19) Tochigi SC will face (4) FC Machida Zelvia at home in another tough matchup for a bottom four side. Tochigi surprised everybody last week with their win over Vortis but a slip up here, coupled with wins for any of the bottom three teams, would pull Tochigi further into the relegation scrap.

It maybe a bit premature to look at the games concerning JEF United Chiba as they are six (6) points ahead of the chasing pack but they do have a difficult draw at (7) V-Varen Nagasaki this round. The free broadcast on the J-League International YouTube channel will once again feature (11) Tokyo Verdy this time hosting (17) Zweigen Kanazawa in a game that some of the fans from the bottom four teams will at least monitor the score tomorrow evening. Verdy went undefeated to open the season but have only managed a single (1) win in their last nine (9) matches. This game is quickly shaping up to be one of two evenly matched teams, not on paper but based on recent performances, squaring off for the international audience. Click>>>> J.League Int’l YouTube Channel.

Conclusion

Got to have it on Wednesday. Nothing more needs to be said.

FC Ryukyu Squad Review Part 3: Forwards and Goalies #FC琉球

The final installment of this series will look at the FC Ryukyu forwards and goalies. FC Ryukyu entered the year with only 3 strikers on the books, but never had more than 2 of them healthy at any one point. In goal, there was a 2-1 split for games played between Dany Carvajal and Junto Taguchi. But it was the decision to start Taguchi over Dany in 8 out of the last 9 games that really raised some eyebrows down here.

Forwards

Takuma Abe: Abe made 31 appearances, scoring 13 goals and adding 2 assists, before succumbing to some unknown injury that prevented him from completing the season. Signed from Vegalta Sendai in the offseason, there were many questions surrounding the then 32-year-old striker. Namely, had his skills diminished? Abe hadn’t reached double digit goals since 2012 when he was with Tokyo Verdy, but one thing we should understand about FC Ryukyu, more importantly, the system Higuchi employs, is that the man up top will have plenty of chances to score.

Abe scored in his second ever game for FC Ryukyu, and had two separate stretches where he scored in 4, and 3, games in a row. Prior to his unknown ailment, Abe had played in nearly every game for Ryukyu and looked to be on pace for +15, if not 20, goals. I stated at the beginning of the season that FC Ryukyu were extremely thin at FWD, and the sheer number of matches in such a short span certainly took its toll on Abe. Perhaps it wasn’t an injury that took him down, it could have just been a case of dead legs.

Whatever the case, Abe was in excellent form for this club in the games he did play. Besides scoring some fantastic goals; like he did against Fukuoka on Match Day 2 by going at it alone for 70 yards and beating Serantes; Match Day 12 with his signature left footed tap in; or his best game – and ultimately the last he’d score in- against Omiya with a brace where one was another left footed tap in from a long cross.

Shinya Uehara: Shinya, like Abe, was not on the roster for long spells of the season. When he did feature, it was always in a substitute role. This is a far cry from how he finished 2019 where he was filling in at RB, and playing the full 90’, due to so many injuries. But when Shinya did come on, he played the role of a “super sub” as his goals would tilt games in favor of FC Ryukyu.

Shinya notched a brace in 2 of the games he came on as a sub. And his penchant for scoring timely goals is incredible. Against Tochigi SC on Match Day 13, Uehara came on to score two times after the 75’ to level the game twice. Then against Mito on Match Day 20, he scored 2 goals in the final 6 minutes to give FC Ryukyu the win.

Takuya Hitomi: Like Ikeda, Hitomi joined from a University in the offseason but was sidelined for the better part of 8 months following knee surgery. He returned to the team on Match Day 24 but did not feature until Match Day 26. Hitomi scored his first ever goal for Ryukyu on Match Day 39 against Okayama, but was only ever included in the starting 11 once in 2020. But there is a bit of optimism surrounding this player as he possesses some nice traits, and flashed some talent in his limited opportunities. If anything, Hitomi looks more natural in the striker position than Ren Ikeda, and we may need Hitomi to start up there if FC Ryukyu hemorrhage a ton of talent in the offseason.

Keep: There is no question we need to keep all 3 of these players since FC Ryukyu have little depth at the position. Abe and Hitomi could split starts throughout the year to stay fresh, and we already know how effective Uehara is in brief appearances as an aerial threat and poacher inside the box. FC Ryukyu undoubtedly need to acquire a fourth striker in the offseason as none of these players showed they can stay healthy for a full season, but I feel Abe has plenty left in the tank for at least one more season at FC Ryukyu.

Goal Keeper

Coming into the season, Dany Carvajal was the clear first choice keeper for FC Ryukyu. Junto Taguchi was signed from Albirex Niigata to be the backup, but ultimately usurped Dany at the end of the season. The situation that FC Ryukyu faces moving forward at goalie has both good, and bad elements to it. There is nothing wrong with a little competition, but you also don’t want to take it too far where it engenders discontent among the ranks.

Dany Carvajal: Dany was not able to start the season for FC Ryukyu as he was still recovering/rehabilitating from ankle surgery in the offseason. He did return at the restart of the season and ended up playing in 28 total games. Dany began 0-1-2 in the first three games against Fukuoka, Kitakyushu, and eventual champions, Tokushima Vortis. That rough start prompted Higuchi to make a switch to Taguchi, who did not fare any better in his next two starts going 0-1-1.

For the season, Dany’s record was 9 wins, 5 draws, 14 losses, while registering 5 shutouts. Unfortunately, none of those shutouts occurred against the top competition in the league as they were against, Verdy, Gunma, Renofa, and Omiya twice. Dany seemed to be relegated to the bench after the 2-0 loss to Zweigen on Match Day 38, and never featured again this year.

That was a bit harsh to stomach considering Dany played really well in some games, and at times, he was let down by the players in front of him. Both offensively, and certainly defensively. He also had a bit of bad luck on several occasions were shots were deflected, or tipped, which caused them to change direction, and get past him. Sure, these things happen to all goal keepers, but when the coach is waffling between who to start, and who to sit, these little things do not help.

Junto Taguchi: Taguchi had bounced around between 4 clubs before settling in at Ryukyu this year. Prior to joining Ryukyu, Taguchi only made 2 starts for Albirex Niigata in 2018, with zero appearances in all of 2019. He was the first-choice keeper at Fujieda MYFC in 2017 when he was on loan from Yokohama F. Marinos, where he recorded 6 shutouts in the J3.

Taguchi’s first game was one to forget. First, FC Ryukyu surrendered a goal within the opening 30 seconds of the match, not all Taguchi’s fault, but then he made a mental mistake which nearly cost Ryukyu. If it were not for Yong Jick, of all people, bailing Taguchi out after his giveaway, things could’ve ended much worse. Taguchi still had the trust of Higuchi when on Match Day 5 he earned the start and drew with Nagasaki. But after Match Day 6, Taguchi wouldn’t start until a rest day for Dany on Match Day 22.

Higuchi opted for Taguchi moving forward after Match Day 34, which was a bit strange considering that Dany had won 4 of the previous 7 games before this switch. But it was the Nagasaki game that was a turning point for both Taguchi, and the team. Taguchi would then go on to start in 8 out the last 9 games for Ryukyu earning a 4-2-2 record. He recorded 4 of his 5 total shutouts in that run, and I have to say, he looked good in doing so. If you’re wondering, Taguchi’s shutouts came against: Yamagata, Nagasaki, Verdy, Ehime and Mito.

The Way Forward: Dany is under contract through 2021. Taguchi just renewed his contract with FC Ryukyu today. Both are quality keepers, so there will be serious competition for playing time next year. It was hard to tell if Higuchi was attempting to play the “hot hand” with his selections at the end of the season, or, if he prefers Taguchi over Dany. Dany has definitely recovered from the ankle surgery, and was playing some inspired football at times, even when it seemed that others around were not. But Taguchi’s strong finish speaks volumes at this point. Here is the rub, as they say. FC Ryukyu doesn’t have the strongest defensive unit in front of these guys so it is hard to get a true gauge on just how good they both could be.

We all have seen what happens when the #1 GK goes down. Usually, it is a steep drop off in talent with the second choice, so FC Ryukyu are some what blessed with 2 keepers that can play at a relatively high level. It will be interesting to see how Higuchi selects his keeper for each match next year. And this is something to follow in the weeks leading up to the start of 2021.

Conclusion

That does it for the player series. I will be back after the Christmas break to wrap up the season as a whole. Please enjoy your Holiday, and I know that may not be easy in these difficult times. If you’re feeling alone, isolated, or depressed, please reach out to someone. And if you have no luck, feel free to reach out to me in my DMs on Twitter. I’d be happy to chat with you or even share a beer over Zoom.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all, Stay Safe.

@okinawaozzy