20 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu squandered a golden opportunity on Sunday evening when they fell 1-0 to Albirex Niigata. Niigata had a fair amount of their starters out injured or resting and once again, Ryukyu failed to get one over on a weakened side. As Higuchi and other players stated in the FC Ryukyu Magazine, it was a wasted opportunity on Sunday.

Match Recap
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Match Day Prediction
Match Day 14 Takeaways
Round 14 in J2
Top Goals from Round 14
Conclusion

1. Match Recap

Sorry, no fancy lineup graphics today as the website seems to be down. The link below contains all the match day information on the official J-League website.

https://www.jleague.jp/en/match/j2/2020/082324/live

2. Man of the Match

Albirex Niigata MF Yoshiaki Tokagi. He was the lone goal scorer this game but a case could also be made for Arata Watanabe who was harassing our defense all game.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Weather the early storm from Niigata. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu was in fact doing this up until the time they conceded. You could feel a goal was coming for Niigata with all the chances they had early on.

2. Match the runs of the Niigata attackers. Likelihood 2. They did a good job of this but same lackluster attempts in defense is what set Ryukyu back on Sunday.

4. Match Day Prediction

Went with a 1-1 scoreline so that drops me to 1-4-9.

5. Match Day 14 Takeaways

1. The Ryukyu attack has really fizzled out the past few matches. Abe was on a rest day so we started Koya up top in a bit of a False-9 formation but they couldn’t generate enough possession to lead to any chances. The best chance Ryukyu had at scoring on Sunday was a Ren Ikeda shot that had the ball been closer to him by a few inches, he probably would’ve had more power and placement behind the shot.

2. Though both sides had the same amount of shots on net, Niigata were just far better in the attack. Niigata hit the crossbar twice and Dany was called into action on several occasions to make some fine saves. barely any of the Ryukyu shots troubled the Niigata goal keeper.

3. Most of the match was a stalemate and the lone goal was a result of a lapse in concentration. Yong Jick went for an interception on a Niigata clearance; missed it badly; which led to a breakaway on the Ryukyu goal. The Ryukyu defenders were outnumbered and as Tanaka slid over to cut out the attack, he left Takagi wide open for the shot. The play is indicative of when a defensive back in the NFL tries for an INT instead of defending the pass, or making the tackle, and thus leading to a big play. It goes to show you that players need to be focused and cognizant of their surroundings at all times or else pay the price.

4. There was an excessive amount of fouling by both sides this game but Ryukyu racked up 4 yellow cards in the process. Kawai and Ikeda picked up their second YC of the year and they need to be careful moving forward as we cannot afford for them to take a rest due to YC accumulation with so many mid fielders out of the lineup due to injury. It makes no difference whether it is a case of frustration or lack of energy to see out a challenge, they need to settle down out there.

6. Round 14 in J2

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/startseite/wettbewerb/JAP2

The Kanazawa flood gates really opened up there in Iwata and Kyoto drew once more. There were some exciting comebacks and late winners this round. Oh yeah, one more thing. Giravanz cannot stop winning.

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/j-league-division-2/tabelle/wettbewerb/JAP2/saison_id/2019

7. Top Goals from Round 14

#1. Serginho’s screaming FK for Matsumoto from way downtown. (5:40)

#2. Emil Salomonsson’s beautiful FK for Avispa (2:55)

#3. Ehime’s Shion Niwa with a nice turn and shoot (0:52)

8. Conclusion

FC Ryukyu now get an extended break from matches as they do not play again until Saturday against Montedio Yamagata at home. There’s been a bit of good news this week as FC Ryukyu have signed MF Ichimaru Mizuki on loan from Gamba Osaka’s Under 23 team. Mizuki has chipped in 1 goal and 5 assists so far in J3 and will provide some nice support to an ailing FC Ryukyu Mid-Field corps.

“Are You Ready” Match Day 14 Preview: (9) Albirex Niigata vs. (18) FC Ryukyu 8/23/20 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu head North to Niigata this Sunday for their last of 5 consecutive short week fixtures. They will get a much needed break following this match as they do not play again until the following Saturday when they host Montedio Yamagata. FC Ryukyu are coming off a very spirited 2-2 draw against Tochigi SC in the mid-week and I for one think that energy will propel them to another favorable result this round. Make no mistake though, FC Ryukyu were blown away 4-0 the last time they visited the Big Swan Stadium but that was last year and as I said, I think things will be different this time.

Weather Forecast
Match Day 13 Recap: FC Ryukyu
Match Day 13 Recap: Albirex Niigata
Team Previews & Injury Reports
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Match Day Prediction
Round 14 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast

Looks to be a comfortable evening in Niigata for this one.

2. Match Day 13 Recap: FC Ryukyu

3. Match Day 13 Recap: Albirex Niigata

4. Team Previews & Injury Reports

FC Ryukyu. Ryukyu have only lost once in their last 7 games as they continue to grind out results. This side can generate loads of possession but are having a hard time finding the back of the net. In fact, FC Ryukyu have yet to score more than two goals in any single match this year.

Against Tochigi SC in the mid-week, FC Ryukyu had 71% possession but very few shots until late in the second half. It was after the introduction of Koizumi, Ikeda and Koya that the attack started moving forward and creating some opportunities. While I’ll always enjoy seeing Ryukyu in possession, it is frustrating watching attacks fizzle out or lead to set pieces that go nowhere. It is a bit like watching your NFL team get into the Red Zone but only kick Field Goals instead of scoring Touchdowns.

Seeing how this is the last short week fixture, at least for a little while, it is safe to assume that we will see roughly the same lineup from the mid-week against Tochigi with some minor tweaks. For all we know, Higuchi’s game plan could consist of letting our more creative players rest for the better part of the match while hoping to score a goal, and then introduce Ikeda, Koya, Koizumi, and Uehara later in an attempt to overwhelm the opposition in the last 30 minutes of the match. Maybe this is his way of conserving energy for some of our better players for later in the season, or at least until Motegi, Shinji and Koki return.

FC Ryukyu Injuries & Suspensions. No new developments as far as new injuries to the side or recoveries for our CV-19 players. However, FC Ryukyu have 9 members of their squad on the mend.

Albirex Niigata. Niigata started out on fire this year by scoring 13 goals in their first 5 games but have since cooled off with only scoring 7 goals in their last 8 matches. Much of this could be attributed to the loss of some of their key players but Arata Watanabe looks in fine form these days.

While the goals may have dried up for Niigata, they are still managing to earn results. Niigata haven’t lost but once in their last 10 games and their only home loss this year occurred at the beginning of last month. Over their last 5 games, Niigata have drawn with Tochigi, Omiya, and Kyoto while losing to Okayama from a late goal and defeated Renofa at home despite being reduced to 10 men.

This may not be the most inspiring review of an opponent for FC Ryukyu but there wasn’t much in any of the matches I reviewed for Niigata that really stood out. They do some things well that will surely trouble the FC Ryukyu back line, and they create their fare share of chances on goal. They don’t defend any worse than FC Ryukyu do and they will probably hover around the mid-table until the return of some of their star players. They seem ripe for the picking but I’ve said this before about Kofu and we all know how that one turned out.

Albirex Niigata Injuries & Suspensions. Niigata are likely to be missing two of their top scorers this weekend as Fabio is dealing with a ligament injury to his right foot and Frank Romero is listed with a foot injury. Romero has no timetable for return or length of injury listed so there is a possibility he is healthy enough to play on Sunday. They will also be without MF Gonzalez who is serving a suspension for his yellow card accumulation.

5. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

The Scale: 5- An almost certainty it will occur 4-Fairly-Certain it will happen 3-Somewhat Certain it could happen 2-Very Unlikely that it happens 1- Requires a Miracle for it to happen

1. Weather the early storm from Niigata. Likelihood 3. Niigata are a very aggressive team at home and chances are they will pepper the Ryukyu net with several shots in the first half. FC Ryukyu may need to approach this match much like they did against Iwata where they had little possession but used the counter attack very effectively.

2. Match the runs of the Niigata attackers. Likelihood 2. Against Tochigi, Ryukyu failed to match the runs of the Tochigi players which led directly to both of their goals. The second was the most egregious as Yong Thae was left wide open for the header that put Tochigi ahead with only a few minutes to play. It is unlikely that the full backs get back in time to support the onslaught so it is imperative that Uesato, and whatever combination we have at CB, organize themselves and communicate assignments on the counter.

6. Match Day Prediction

This could very well be another ugly match to watch that has a few moments of pulsating action. Niigata still has plenty of firepower remaining despite the loss of Fabio and possibly Frank Romero. I feel that a 1-1 draw is in the offering this weekend.

7. Round 14 in J2

Plenty of dispersed fixture kickoff times this weekend to suit your fancy. While no single match up stands out, the (10) Jubilo Iwata v (12) Zweigen Kanazawa looks like it could be a good one. One note, the Ehime v Omiya game is scheduled for Saturday evening at 1900 JST on the J-League website and DAZN.

The Free J2 broadcast offered on the J-League International YouTube channel.

8. Conclusion

FC Ryukyu cannot afford to start out sluggish in this match as Niigata could easily jump out to an insurmountable lead before the break. It is perfectly fine for FC Ryukyu to not dominate the possession but they cannot be caught napping by the Niigata attack. Niigata has several key injuries and suspensions which has created a favorable position for FC Ryukyu if they can exploit it.

Let’s also hope the boys aren’t delayed during their return leg as there is a tropical storm/typhoon forming off the southwestern coast of Okinawa as we speak.

Are they ready? Are we ready? Are you ready?

“Higuchi’s Swansong” Match Day 24 Report: Albirex Niigata 4-0 FC Ryukyu 7/27/2019

Intro

Another road game for FC Ryukyu, another road loss. This one was particularly brutal as Niigata were a side that have been beaten at home and were a side that FC Ryukyu had bested earlier this season. However, the poor run of play by FC Ryukyu continued as they ended up surrendering 4 goals on the night in route to a 4-0 pasting. The result begs the question, is Higuchi the right man for the FC Ryukyu job?

Game Recap

After witnessing this game first hand at the Rycom mall with about 100 FC Ryukyu fans and locals, it is just too hard to sit here and watch the full 90 minutes again in order to write a detailed report of what went wrong and what went right. Needless to say, all the things that have plagued FC Ryukyu over the past 10 weeks or so is becoming more and more noticeable with each passing week. Turnovers, wasteful shots, defending and bad luck all played their part last night.

The match started with the spectacular/obligatory Kazama wide open shot at the top of the 18-yard box that was sent way off the mark. Maybe none of the FC Ryukyu attackers were in a spot to receive a pass, or Kazama just didn’t see them, but Kazama once again sent an early opportunity shot into the oblivion and beyond (not even in the same postal code as Niigata).

It took Niigata only 7 minutes to score the first goal of the game on what could be considered a case of bad judgement on the part of Ishii. Along with a bit of bad luck. Ishii came out to meet a cross with a punch but it was deflected off of Uesato and into the net. The second Niigata goal came from a PK in the 44th minute. It may have been prevented had we defended better or Ishii made more of a commitment to come out and collect the ball. Francis took a heavy touch past our defender and sent the ball within range of Ishii. Maybe the earlier indecision was weighing heavily on the mind of Ishii so he didn’t want to risk another blunder and ended up fouling Francis. FC Ryukyu certainly had their chances in the first half, but it was unfortunate that the ball just didn’t bounce their way from the two Uejo opportunities. In any case, FCR were down 2-0 at half time and had no answers against Niigata.

The second half saw an early goal by Francis that pushed the lead to 3-0 and whatever opportunities came FC Ryukyu’s way after the 3^rd Niigata goal can only be attributed to the fact that Niigata let up. It was unfortunate that Suzuki didn’t get on the score sheet despite a couple of wide-open shots in front of net but it was indicative of the night and the bad luck. One nice thing though was Kawai looked very good and needs to be paired with Uejo to start matches. FC Ryukyu had 4 chances this half that could’ve altered the game or at the very least, proven beneficial to their yearly goal difference tally. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be yesterday. The fourth and final goal by Niigata did nothing put push the FC Ryukyu goal difference on the year to -6. A stat that may very well determine the fate of this team near the end of the season.

Man of the Match

3 Goals last night, could’ve been 4 or more.

#13 MF Francis. The man finished with a hat trick on the night and was unstoppable. He created and finished several opportunities for Niigata and proved too much for the FC Ryukyu defenders. A great solo performance to earn his side all 3 points.

Review of the FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory

1. Execute all the little things correctly. FAIL, see the score sheet.

2. Exploit Niigata’s weakness at defending set pieces. FAIL, see the score sheet.

3. Place well aimed shots on net and crash the box with attackers. FAIL, see the score sheet.

4. Stop the bleeding at the back. FAIL & in glorious fashion. FC Ryukyu were averaging 3.0 goals conceded the past 5 weeks but instead they opted to up the ante by allowing 4 on the night.

5. Start Uejo. PASS. Side looks better when he’s in there. Kawai and Uejo are not natural replacements for one another so both should be starting with fresh legs and speed to burn.

Match Day 24 Takeaways

1. ~~FC Ryukyu are the worst team in the league right now~~. FC Ryukyu are playing like the worst team in the league right now. Too many goals and not enough answers. This team is only being saved by the fact that the teams below them are also losing each week. After watching the past week’s highlights of the teams below FC Ryukyu, its obvious this side is playing without any confidence and looks worse than the sides beneath them. This is worrying as FC Ryukyu need around 14-16 points for safety and that means at least 3-4 wins with approximately 2-5 draws. I am not sure where the results will come from as it looks like FC Ryukyu cannot beat anyone at the moment.

2. The tactics FC Ryukyu employ are not working. Teams can afford to allow FC Ryukyu all the possession they want as they do not fear ceding a goal to FCR and can wait to hit FCR on the break.

3. Defending. I am not sure if this the byproduct of the tactics and formation but 23 goals conceded in 10 games or most recently, 12 goals in 5 games, is INSERT YOUR OWN ADJECTIVE. Tokumoto did feature in this match so maybe he’ll get the full 90 minutes this Wednesday night.

4. The hung heads, slumped shoulders and disbelief is starting to set in for the players. I commented in the preview that I hadn’t seen any of that yet, but it was on full display yesterday. It is unfortunate as the team is putting in a shift in attack but things are not breaking their way at the moment. With every missed opportunity and goal conceded, the team’s confidence drains a little more and disbelief takes hold.

Conclusion

It’s unlikely that FC Ryukyu part ways with manager Higuchi in the short run up to a mid-week, must win, home game against JEF. However, there are not many winnable games left on the schedule for FC Ryukyu and failing to win against JEF Chiba United should be the final swansong for Higuchi. If not, FC Ryukyu risk returning to the J3 and losing more than just the crowd that departed the public viewing at half time at the Rycom mall this past weekend.

I salute these folks that travel to watch FC Ryukyu go 1W3D8L on the road this season with 11 straight weeks of zero wins.

Cover Photo Credit: @sho69463528 ; Kanto Supporters Photo Credit: @basuke_sakkaa JLeague Stat Line, Game Summary and Franics photo courtesy of https://www.jleague.jp.

“Cob Culling” Match Day 24 Preview: Albirex Niigata vs. FC Ryukyu 7/27/2019

Intro

The FC Ryukyu “Road Show” continues this week with the boys from Okinawa visiting the Denka Big Swan Stadium in Niigata for a mid table clash. FC Ryukyu are coming off their third road loss in a row and will look to finally end their winless drought against Niigata. Niigata on the other hand, are also looking to get back to winning ways at home after suffering a loss to Yokohama FC which was then followed up with 2 all draw against Renofa Yamaguchi. Both sides could really use the win, so this should be an entertaining game to watch.

Weather Forecast

It looks to be another wet, rainy atmosphere for a game. Bring stuff to stay dry.

Albirex Niigata

Albirex have surrendered the opening goal in each of their last 5 matches. However, they’ve gone on to earn 2 wins and a draw during that span so all that means is that this team is resilient. Kanazawa was able to get out in front of Niigata and then retake the lead after Niigata tied the game. Kagoshima looked the better side when they took the early 1-0 lead but ended up surrendering 3 goals, albiet 2 of them taking some strange deflections, for the loss. Omiya jumped out on the front foot but couldn’t crack the Niigata back line for a second and it ultimately cost them points as Niigata scored twice to win their second consecutive match in a row. Niigata would end this 5 game stretch with a 2-0 loss at home versus Yokohama FC followed by a 2-2 draw with Renofa Yamguchi where Niigata, despite surrendering the opening goal, scored twice to take the lead, but let it slip away by allowing a very late equalizer to the hosts.

FC Ryukyu

146 days. That is the amount of days that have passed since FC Ryukyu have last won a road match. It was always going to be a tall task to beat Mito on the road, which was made even more difficult due the fact that FC Ryukyu’s #1 & #2 GK were sidelined. Despite all that, FC Ryukyu still controlled 61% of the possession against Mito and created some nice opportunities to get on the score sheet. Unfortunately, Mito were more clinical with their limited opportunities and went into halftime up 2-0 and I for one thought this game was going to turn ugly. FC Ryukyu battled back for a quick goal in the second half but when the game transitioned to faster paced back forth match, it was FC Ryukyu that conceded the third goal instead of hitting the equalizer.

It is not all doom and gloom though from the FC Ryukyu camp. Yes, they were soundly beaten by Okayama the week prior but they did manage to win a ‘must-win’ game versus Tochigi 2 weeks ago. They battled back against Nagasaki late and if anything, it displays a penchant for never giving up. The slumped shoulders, dropping heads and disbelief at results that plague so many of the teams in poor form has not hit the Ryukyu camp and that is an encouraging sign. All we need now is for some positive results to go their way and for FC Ryukyu to snap out of this slump.

FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory

1. Execute all the little things correctly. This starts with cutting down on turnovers and producing better passing in the opponents third of the pitch. FC Ryukyu are a side that can control the pace of the game with their large amounts of possession but can get hit quickly on the break when they needlessly give the ball away. FC Ryukyu are missing that final pass or two that can unlock an opponents back line and they’d do well to find it today.

2. Exploit Niigata’s weakness at defending set pieces. Niigata let in a few goals from set pieces the past few weeks and it seems to be an area in which they do not defend well. FC Ryukyu on the other hand, need to be better at their set pieces. Masutani scored off a Corner Kick against Mito but FC Ryukyu really need to capitalize on any Free Kicks near Niigata’s 18-yard box. The set pieces do not have to be shots on net as quick changes in direction from headers off of lofted crosses could pull the Niigata defense apart and create a shooting lane.

3. Place well aimed shots on net and get as many attackers into the box as we can. FC Ryukyu had a lot of shots against Mito but many missed the mark. Generate some shots from the flanks that require the goal keeper to make a save and possibly push out a rebound to an open FC Ryukyu player or at the very least, set up more set piece opportunities.

4. Stop the bleeding at the back. Averaging 3 goals conceded over your last 5 matches is a recipe for disaster. It is likely that we see Ishii or Inose in net today but the problem doesn’t start with our goal keepers. FC Ryukyu cannot bomb the defenders forward in hopes of creating a numerical advantage in the attack as this leaves them wide open for counter attacks. Instead, we need a little bit of creativity in the mid field that can allow our defenders to sit back and defend instead of holding a high line.

5. Uejo needs to be in the starting lineup.

Match Prediction

The fact that FC Ryukyu are hemorrhaging 3 goals a game doesn’t bode well for their chances this week despite Niigata’s 5 losses at home and -1 goals scored/goals conceded ratio. The recent form of FC Ryukyu indicates that they will concede one, two and most likely 3 goals this match against Niigata, but if they can put a stop to the bleeding at the back, then FC Ryukyu have a shot at points today. The most likely result is another 3-2 loss on the road.

Conclusion

I for one am tired of opponents circling the FC Ryukyu fixture on their home calendar as an easy 3 points. However, until FC Ryukyu actually produce a win on the road, you cannot blame our opponents for thinking they can get all 3 points or at the very least, 1 point. FC Ryukyu haven’t had a favorable match-up on the road since the FC Gifu game back in early May and today’s game against Niigata, a side they’ve already beaten this year, offers a glimmer of hope. In the end, the boys will have to go out there and get the job done, and that wont come easy.

I am jealous for all that are attending this game as Niigata really packs them in at the Denka and averages nearly 15,000 spectators for home games. Hopefully FC Ryukyu can silence that crowd and walk out of there with some points.

I told YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! Match Day 15 Recap: FCR 2-1 Albirex Niigata 5/25/2019

FC Ryukyu were able to secure their 6^th win of the 2019 J2 season with a 2-1 victory over Albirex Niigata in front of a crowd of 5,100 this past Saturday night. FCR have now won 2 out of their last 3 matches and ended the 55-day drought for not having scored more than one goal in any match. The win kept FCR at 9th in the table, but more importantly, it pushed them 11 points clear of the relegation zone.

As we have come to expect, FC Ryukyu came out in their 4-2-3-1 and started out fast in this match. Albirex also came out in a 4-2-3-1 formation and opted to leave Leaonardo on the bench.

FCR earned a free kick just outside the 18-yard box in the 11^th minute and Yu Tomidokoro delivered a quality strike that this squad has been missing for a long time. One of my FCR keys to victory in the preview article was that FCR needed to be more creative on set pieces. Well, they were, and were rewarded with an early goal. The ball took a slight deflection but nonetheless it went into the top right corner past the diving Albirex goal keeper.

FCR followed that nice FK with another quality take, this time by Kazama in the 26^th minute. FCR nearly doubled their lead as Kazama’s shot went over the wall, and had Kazama taken the shot from about 1-2 meters farther back, we would’ve score but instead it hit the crossbar.

Albirex were lucky as the keeper was beaten and FCR could’ve had a massive 2 goal lead at half time.

Albirex had some really good chances to equalize in the first half but once again, Danny Carvajal stepped up to keep the score line 1-0. At the break, each side had taken 5 shots with 3 of them finding their way on net. Ryukyu’s third chance came from Keita Tanaka who made a nice run down the right side and surprised the Niigata keeper as I believe he was expecting a cross and not a shot from that angle and distance.

The second half saw Albirex applying some serious pressure on the FCR net for about 15 minutes. Albirex had a couple of chances early on but it wasn’t until the last 10 minutes of the match when they really turned up the heat. You could sense a goal was coming from Albirex, at least from where I was sitting in the stadium, and another key to FCR victory was to not lose focus during moments like these in the match. FCR deserves some credit here as they did maintain their focus and the Albirex equalizer in the 83^rd minute was well deserved stemming from their hard work and determination. We have seen in the past when the set piece is initially defended, FCR can sometimes lose their defensive shape and positioning during the chaos and thus create gaps and opportunities for opponents to exploit. It was no different on the Albirex goal as an attempted clearing by FCR landed at the feet of an Albirex player who had the space to dribble past the outside of the FCR defense and put a low hard shot on net that Carvajal had to quickly drop down to the ground and parry away from danger. Unfortunately for FCR, this type of shot is not easily corralled by goal keepers and even though Danny did quite well to stop that hard shot from that distance, the resulting rebound found Albirex’s Leonardo, who was rushing the net and he slotted home the equalizer.

Diving Carvajal made a nice save on the initial shot but the rebound fell directly to Leonardo.

Two points about the goal. First, it was just one of the plays that happens in football from time to time and is not a reflection for how FCR were defending all game. Most of Albirex’s chances came from distances outside the 18-yard box and had the ball been deflected a meter to the left or right, an FCR defender would’ve been able to clear it away from danger. Second, I wish FCR would take more shots like this during matches as they are extremely effective. Low hard shots that force a goal keeper to drop down always have a good chance of seeing a rebound come back into the box for a player to get on the end of and score. I hope the FCR attacking forwards, primarily Tanaka and Tomidokoro, will try these types of shots in the future (similar to how Tanaka scored against Omiya in week 2).

FCR were lucky not to concede again after the first Albirex goal as they had another quality chance on net shortly after their first goal. Now, FCR could’ve packed it in and brought on an extra defender to see out the draw but instead they opted to take a chance and go for the win by bringing on Uehara in the 85^th minute. Uehara was on the pitch for only about 60 seconds before a very nice long cross from Nishioka found the rising Uehara in the box, who then headed it home to put FCR in front 2-1 with only about 5 minutes and stoppage time to play.

Uehara’s header is moving to the far post where it ricocheted in off the post.

It was a massive relief to see FCR finally score a second goal in a game as it has been so long since they’ve accomplished that feat. The stadium erupted and hope for an FCR victory was restored. FCR saw out the remainder of the match and earned a vital 3 points.

Dejected Albirex fans after the match. I’ve been there many times myself this season.

Match Takeaways:

As I stated in the match preview, these are two evenly matched and similar teams.

1.) Finally allowing Yu to take some FKs. In one of my earliest blog entries I stated that Yu wouldn’t be the top goal scorer for FCR but he would score some of the most important goals for this team. Case in point this week from his FK. Tomidokoro’s confidence should start growing each week with each FK and I hope the staff continues to allow him these opportunities.

2.) This was the second time in as many matches that Higuchi brought on Uehara and his presence offers a lot of upside for the FCR attack. He could provide the hold up play later in games that Suzuki has been doing so well this season and allow Suzuki to push forward in the attack. Also, he can provide a large target to aim at from our full backs and Mid fielders who are sending crosses into the box. His height means crosses do not need to be pin-point accurate and only need not be floated near where the GK can come out and pluck it out of the air.

3.) Whatever was done on the training ground certainly paid off for FCR this week and even though FCR didn’t score from a corner kick, they were at least creative on set pieces.

4.) FCR didn’t lose their concentration in the match but were under some serious pressure in the second half. One of these days FCR will be able to hit a team on the quick counter while under this pressure and it will certainly tip the match in their favor, but in the meantime, FCR needs to find ways to slow the match down when the opponent is playing with their tails up and hunting for a goal.

FCR travels to Tokyo next week to take on a Yokohama FC side at the NHK Spring Mitsuzawa Stadium who are fresh off a 2-1 loss to Kofu. I’ve been to this stadium before for a F. Marinos game and it is an awesome stadium to watch football so enjoy it for those planning on attending.

“The Orange Wave” comes to Okinawa. Match Day 15 Preview: FCR vs. Albirex Niigata 5/25/2019

Match Day 15 Preview: 5/25/2019 (H) FCR vs. Albirex Niigata (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium, Kickoff at 1930.

Weather Forecast: Temperatures will be in the high 70s (77F/25C) at kickoff, and it should feel around 80F/26.7C for most of the match with the humidity. There will be a constant 12-13mph wind and only a 5% chance of rain so come on out and enjoy one of the best weather days for a match that we’ve had in a long time.

Each team enters the week 15 contest fresh off a loss. FCR suffered their loss against Okayama on the road after they conceded a PK while Niigata saw a 2 goal first half lead against Ehime disappear and lose 3-2 at home. Yet again, FCR finds themselves in need of a win against an opponent who is near them in the table. As with all FCR home previews to date, the boys will once again look to increase their home undefeated streak, this time to 29.

Albirex Niigata 13^th in J2 with 17 points, 4W5D5L, Current Form: DDWLL, GF19 GA 17 +2

Record Against Top 11 teams in J2 table: 1W5D2L; Against Bottom 11: 3W0D3L

Record Against Common Opponents of FCR this year: 3W4D4L; GF15 GA13 in these competitions.

Away Match Statistics: Record: 2W4D2L; Away GF12 GA10 +2 Overall goal scoring record; Niigata have not won away from home since 3/16/19 versus Yokohama FC and have earned 3 draws and 2 losses in their last 5 road matches.

Typical Formation 4-2-3-1.

Albirex, like Okayama last week, are a very similar team to FCR. They sit just 3 points behind FCR in the table and are 5 points clear from the bottom. Nothing really stood out in any of the 4 matches I viewed for this preview that signals a strength or weakness of Niigata. They played well against Mito and Yamaguchi and then had two massive let downs against Nagasaki and Ehime.

Against Nagasaki they were down two goals at half time and unable to recover. Against Ehime they were up two goals at half and seemed to switch off and allow Ehime to score 3 second half goals. This team has the ability to light up the scoreboard as they’ve scored multiple goals in 7 competitions this year, but they can also be pegged back as they’ve conceded multiple goals 4 times in those 7 matches resulting in 2 draws and 2 losses.

Niigata Players to Watch:

FW #9 Leonardo and MF #18 Ryoma Watanabe are the top goal scorers for Niigata this season with 4 each. Watanabe is their best play-maker in the attack and set up a nice goal this past weekend.

MF #33 Yoshiaki Takagi and FW #11 Arata Watanabe are the joint top assist leaders for Niigata with 3.

FW #19 Kisho Yano. An often-used substitute late in matches for Niigata. Not a spectacular goal scorer, as he’s only netted one so far this season, but he is someone that can provide a distinct height advantage (187cm) for Albirex. Former Japan National Team member.

FC Ryukyu: 9^th in J2 with 20 points, 5W5D4L, Current Form: LDLWL, GF19 GA16 +3

Record Against Bottom 11 Teams in J2 Table: 3W2D3L; Against Top 11: 2W3D1L

Record Against Common Opponents of Niigata this year: 4W5D2L GF14 GA10 in these competitions.

Home Match Statistics: Record 4W3D; Home GF12 GA6 +6 Overall goal scoring record at home; 2 wins and 3 draws in last 5 home matches but FCR hasn’t scored more than one goal in any match since the 3/30/19 game against Renofa; FCR are averaging 4,834 fans per match.

Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1

FCR set up last week vs. Okayama. Note the Nishioka return, no Kawai in the reserves.

FC Ryukyu returns home after having suffered a defeat against Okayama this past week. Ryukyu came out firing in the first half and on a different day maybe one of those Koji Suzuki strikes would have found the back of the net. In the end they didn’t and FC Ryukyu were absolutely shell-shocked by Okayama to start the second half. They nearly conceded on a couple of occasions and it wasn’t until Okayama was awarded a PK that the deadlock was broke and Fagiano were on top. FC Ryukyu struggled to create any real chances in the second half outside of a diving Tanaka header that almost tied the match and lost 1-0.

This was also the second match in a row in which FC Ryukyu were resorting to short corners vice crosses into the box. None of these set pieces have worked the past 2 weeks and FCR opponents are becoming accustomed to FCR’s inability to score from set pieces. This is an issue I hope they addressed on the training ground this past week.

FCR keys to Victory:

1.) Maintain high levels of focus and concentration for the full 90 minutes. FCR switched off early in the second half last week and paid dearly for it. They cannot afford to do this against a very similar opponent as they will certainly take advantage of that mistake. This has been a theme for Ryukyu throughout the season and it has hurt them on multiple occasions and I have no explanation as to why it occurs with such regularity. Higuchi needs to prepare them mentally during the half time speech and lock them in as this side has started fast over the last 6-7 weeks and faded late.

2.) Goals, multiple goals. It goes without saying that the Ryukyu attack has slowed down quite a bit the past 8 weeks and I think we all would love to see them firing again. This is an evenly matched game against two teams who play similar styles of football and use similar formations. FCR must be clinical in front of goal and pounce on any Niigata mistake. They also need to maintain their intensity in the second half, similar to the match against Zelvia and see out the game. If FCR are unsuccessful in scoring any goals during their fast start, then they need to carry that over into the second half.

3.) More creativity on set pieces. Short corners are not working and the FCR FKs are not that great either. These are golden opportunities to score each week and it is the second least successful part of the FCR game. The first being defending set pieces.

Match Prediction:

Both teams to score and FCR achieves their first multiple goal game in 8 matches but we draw 2-2 at home.

Admin Notes:

The shuttle buses are running from Awase Port for those who show up late and need a place to park. Not a bad service either as it removes you from the massive traffic jam bubble after each match.

It should be great weather tomorrow night so please show up in full force to offset the Orange Wave that is rolling into Okinawa. Come on lads!!!