Tag: Numata

(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 vs Ventforet Kofu #FC琉球

Intro

Ryukyu almost did the unthinkable on Saturday night when they were just four minutes from winning their third game in a row. The game was largely controlled by Kofu and it is just unfortunate that Shinya Uehara’s beautiful 71st minute header was nullified by a 90th minute goal from Kofu ending the game in a draw and pushing Ryukyu’s record to 0-2-6 following a run of two wins in a row. But, Ryukyu were able to grab a crucial point when others around them dropped points this weekend. The draw pushes Ryukyu out of the relegation zone, based on goal differential over Omiya and Iwate, for the first time since Match Day 5.

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. Take the game to Kofu. Likelihood 3. No. Ryukyu may have come close to splitting the overall possession with Kofu, but a preponderance of that possession was in our own end. Ryukyu created three (3) goal scoring chances this match with the goal being the lone shot on net.

2. Someone steps up in central defense. Likelihood 2. Almost. Yong Jick was having a decent game, with some mental errors/turnovers mixed in, but once he came off for Omori, Kofu scored their goal.

Takeaways from Match Day 17

1. Kusano’s injury. This one could be catastrophic for FC Ryukyu. Ren Ikeda collided with Kusano in the 40th minute after going for a contested ball and being slightly tripped up by the Kofu defender. Ikeda fell directly into Kusano’s left knee, bending it inward, and immediately dropping Kusano to ground. Kusano was seen grabbing his knee and the Ryukyu trainer was performing the initial assessment to see if a ligament (ACL) was snapped. While Kusano was not writhing in pain, he was not able to carry on. Hopefully it is something minor, but I am not a doctor, and if it season ending, or even a 2-3 month recovery time, Ryukyu are in big trouble. Uehara stepped up later for a goal, and thankfully Noda has returned to the lineup, but are we sure that either one of those players can lead the Ryukyu line like Kusano? I don’t know and it would help to see Abe return as that only leaves Hitomi, Vinicius, Paso (who we haven’t seen in months) and possible Kelvin – if he signs with Ryukyu – at the forward position. Goal scorers like Kusano just don’t grow on trees and would be nearly impossible to replace in the summer transfer window.

2. May have felt dejected we didn’t see out the win, but have to be happy with the result. Kofu had several opportunities, with quality looks on net, that went narrowly wide. Ryukyu dodged a serious bullet following a Numata foul at the top of the box and then having the Kofu shot taker put it just inches high over the bar. Ryukyu didn’t really offer much in the attacking department on Saturday but played well enough in defense to avoid conceding more than just one. The upsetting part of the Kofu equalizer was, unlike their earlier attempts, the Kofu goal scorer was unmarked and all alone inside our 18-yard box while some Ryukyu defenders were wildly chasing the ball. I do not know who blew their responsibility for marking that man but that has been the typical mental breakdown Ryukyu suffer through this season that drastically change outcomes of their games. The Kofu match marks the sixth time this season where Ryukyu have lost the lead and ended the games in either a loss or a draw (0-3-3).

3. Lineup choices. We were wondering who would start at CB for Ryukyu after the Okazaki injury last week. Well, it turned out to be LB Keigo Numata. That is an interesting choice considering Omori is fit enough to dress, and come off the bench, as a natural CB. I am not sure of the reasoning behind this choice and it seemed to work up until we took Yong Jick off late in the second half. It seems Ryukyu only have two (2) healthy CBs at the moment and choose to start just one (1) in their 4-4-2 lineup. Sure would be nice to know the status of some of other central defenders on the roster as well as see Ryukyu make a move for a central defender in the summer transfer window. I cannot see Numata being the long term solution to our central defender injury crisis.

4. The ‘new boy bounce’ is helping. Kina missed his second game in a row due to CV-19 and Ryukyu earned a point and our now in the midst of a three game unbeaten run. It would be great to see Kuranuki lead the team in a few days at Omiya in what is going to be a crucial 6-point match up in the relegation battle. If we can get one more game out of Kuranuki, with all three points, it would release some of the pressure on the team before a run of six difficult matches in a row.

Round 17 in J2

Albirex Niigata ran rampant over Yokohama FC this week and moved into second place. Blaublitz Akita roared back from three goals down to draw with Tokyo Verdy at home. League leaders Vegalta Sendai defeated Omiya Ardija 4-2 for a result that helps Ryukyu. Though the end of this match was marred with some scuffles between each teams fans. Another result that helped Ryukyu was the 3-0 defeat of Iwate by FC Mito Hollyhock. One result that didn’t help Ryukyu was the shocking win by Tochigi on the road at Tokushima Vortis that snapped their winless run at nine (9) games.

Conclusion

It doesn’t get much bigger for Ryukyu this year when they travel to Omiya on Wednesday. But I’ll leave that for the Match Preview tomorrow. For now, some fan photos from Round 17.

MD 40 Preview: (12) Tokyo Verdy vs (8) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

Well we’re back, sort of. It has been quite some time since I’ve released anything on this blog and much has changed during my sabbatical. Ryukyu dropped way out of the promotion race following a run of poor results beginning just before the Olympic break and continuing through to October which led to the firing of Manager Yasuhiro Higuchi after 7 games in a row without a win (1 draw and 6 losses). Shintaro Shimizu was released by the club following several violations of the team’s rules and policies and then of course the injuries to several key members of the squad really sucked the life blood out of the team. While there hasn’t been much to be excited about down here in Okinawa these days, nothing recharges the batteries like a match with one of your heated rivals, or at least that’s how I view Tokyo Verdy.

  1. Weather Forecast
  2. Previous Match Highlights
  3. Team Previews
    • Tokyo Verdy
    • FC Ryukyu
  4. Rivalry Week
  5. Keys to Victory
  6. Prediction
  7. Round 40 in J2
  8. Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast

I really do not care what the weather is like for this match as it is the first away game I will be able to attended in over two years. But for those of you that may be in attendance, the forecast looks decent.

2. Previous Match Highlights

FC Ryukyu 2-2 JEF United Chiba
Zweigen Kanazawa 0-4 Tokyo Verdy

3. Team Previews

Tokyo Verdy: Verdy have been hanging around the mid-table of J2 for much of the season. They have a near equal home road splits as far as points, but have found success on the road more favorable these days as Verdy has lost 5 out of their last 6 home games. And haven’t won at home since September 11th. Verdy also had to suffer through a stretch of 8 consecutive road games, with 4 losses and 4 draws, to accommodate the Tokyo Olympics. That is possibly the reason why they are enjoying so many road wins as of late as they had so many attempts at road wins during the summer.

Verdy went 2-1-2 over their last five games with wins over Montedio Yamagata and Zweigen Kanazawa; losses to JEF Chiba and V-Varen Nagasaki; and the lone draw to Ventforet Kofu. JEF absolutely destroyed Verdy at home to the tune of 5-1. Though Verdy managed to level the game in the opening half, they went into halftime down 3-1. By the time Verdy finally came to life in the second half, it was already 5-1 for JEF. Strangely, Verdy rebounded from that trouncing to put in a spirited effort at home to Kofu where both sides played to a 0-0 draw. Each team had a chance in the waning minutes of stoppage time to win, yet neither could find the back of the goal.

Verdy’s strong form carried over into the next round when they defeated Montedio Yamagata 2-1 on the road. Verdy capitalized on an an early PK, from a Yamagata handball in the box, and followed that goal with a second goal in front of halftime. However, Yamagata scored a PK of their own, from a Verdy handball, but were never able to find the equalizer. That was Yamagata’s first loss in four games and has sent them into a bit of a tailspin as of late. But all that hard work by Verdy was for not as they were beaten by Nagasaki the following week.

Verdy managed to hang in for most of this game despite having one of their players sent off in the first half. It took Nagasaki until the 75th minute to open the scoring but once they did, the flood gates opened up. Nagasaki put another two past Verdy in stoppage time through two breakout plays where the Nagasaki attackers ran the better part of half the pitch untouched. Verdy’s most recent game was a dismantling of Kanazawa, on the road, where they scored two goals in each half.

Like Ryukyu, Verdy had a much better start to the season compared to the second half. They own nearly identical records in both parts of the season with both sides only accruing four wins since match day 22. Like Ryukyu, Verdy had a stretch of games (7 for FC Ryukyu & 8 for Tokyo Verdy) without a win shortly after the restart from the mid season break. I guess you could say that these are two evenly matched teams squaring off on match day 40.

FC Ryukyu: It has been one heck of a rollercoaster ride this season supporting FC Ryukyu. There were the high points of being near the top of the table and playing outstanding defensive football; the low points with all the injuries and of course another mid season collapse. The firing of a manager and player during the season – something I’ve never seen Ryukyu do before – as well as having to refrain from attending games four months due to the COVID situation in Okinawa, but ultimately returning to the grounds a few weeks ago really typifies the ride we’ve been on as supporters. Though there isn’t much left to play for, besides pride and possibly a job next season, Ryukyu will undoubtedly end 2021 as their most successful season in J2.

Ryukyu hit the halfway point of 2021 in 2nd place on 13 wins, 4 draws, 4 losses while outscoring their opponents 36 to 19. They managed to shutout their opponents 9 times while only being shutout 5 times. In the second half of the season Ryukyu have dropped to 8th place while mustering 4 wins, 5 draws and suffering 9 losses. They’ve scored 17 goals in the past 18 games yet have conceded 25. Ryukyu have been shutout 9 times since the break and have registering a single shutout of their opponents. Pretty much an unprecedented fall from grace for this team, but one that occurred quite regularly under Higuchi.

Unlike last season when Ryukyu had two players in double digit goals, Ryukyu’s top goal scorer has been Kiyotake (8). But just like last season, Abe has gone missing near the end of the campaign and there has been no word as to why. Abe has surpassed his 2020 total of 2 assists with 6 this season and though he isn’t scoring as much as he was last year, his contributions were felt across the flailing Ryukyu attack with his workman like rate throughout the summer.

Another player that has had a rough go of it lately is Koya Kazama. Koya had 3 goals and 7 assists by the midway point of the year but has managed only 1 goal since. It was always going to fall on Abe and Koya to shoulder the load of the attack when Ryukyu lost Ikeda and Tanaka to injury, but they’ve only accounted for 3 goals and 3 assists in this half of the season. What was also a position of strength for Ryukyu, goal keeping and defending, became their Achilles heel during the abovementioned collapse.

First, Okazaki could never get healthy after his injury in May which left it all to Chinen in central defense. Second there were injuries to Taguchi, and Dany, forcing Inose – Ryukyu’s 3rd choice goalie – to play behind a weakened back line. Third, Ryukyu lost Keita Tanaka, pretty much the engine driving the Ryukyu attack for the season. Fourth, Numata suffered an injury forcing FWD Uehara to play LB and finally (most heartbreaking), there was the season ending injury to Chinen. Though Numata, Okazaki and Taguchi have since returned from injury, it just isn’t the same set of players that propelled Ryukyu to their blazing start of 2021.

So yeah, it was a lethal combination of the lack of goals, and shots to be quite honest, coupled with a makeshift back line that sealed our fate in 2021. Though it is unlikely that we will ever know if it was the hard training and heat that contributed to the collapse, we’ve seen similar results from Ryukyu during the past summers in J2. The change to Kina as manager was probably a necessary healing process for the club but they have yet to regain the confidence we saw from them to open the year.

4. Rivalry Week

We all know that FC Ryukyu do not, at least for the moment, have the traditional cross town rival that so many other clubs in the J-League enjoy for your typical ‘derby day.’ However, over the past three seasons Ryukyu have some interesting history with Tokyo Verdy as these sides produce some heated moments when they clash.

Though it is not a lengthy history between these two, the match on Sunday will only be the 6th time that Ryukyu have played Tokyo Verdy, it still has seen its fair share of fouls, sending offs, and dust ups. Ryukyu own the all time series advantage with 3 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. The first ever meeting between these clubs occurred in 2019 where Dany Carvajal had his nose broken attempting to stop Ryohei Hayashi on a break away, resulting in a yellow card for Dany and PK for Verdy. Dany, bloodied and with gauze hanging out both nostrils, saved the PK, which allowed Uesato to smash home his first ever goal for Ryukyu on a volley deep into stoppage time ending the match one all.

Dany bloody and broken, but stopped that PK

The return leg in Okinawa that year saw Verdy put 5 past Ryukyu behind Junki Koike’s hat trick. Verdy marked that momentous occasion in an otherwise uneventful season by releasing T-shirts commemorating Koike’s achievement. Ridiculous, but, we don’t have a leg to stand on as Ryukyu also did the same when Kiyotake netted a hat trick this season. Can we just get some better schwag at the good store instead of novelty t-shirts? Anyways, at the end of 2019, this wasn’t really a rivalry as Verdy had gotten the better of Ryukyu and embarrassed them in front of their home crowd.

High point in another lost season for this once proud club

2020 is when things began to really heat up. Ryukyu earned their first ever win over Verdy on MD10 when Shohei Takahashi took umbrage with an aerial challenge from Uehara. Shinya landed – as what normally happens when two players get tangled in the air – on Takahashi. Shohei decided it was a good time to bust out the mule kick to Uehara’s mid section, the problem was that foul occurred in the Verdy penalty area, and was seen by the linesman. After several minutes (10 to be exact) of some disgusting scenes by the Verdy players, Abe stepped up and netted the winner on the PK.

Takahashi putting the boot to Uehara in the box

Ryukyu returned the favor from the 5-1 loss in 2019 by defeating Verdy by four goals on MD 37 of 2020 while also shutting them out for the second time in a row. 2021’s series started off with a bang when, to everyone’s surprise, Yuhei Sato from Verdy decided to impale Yu Tomidokoro’s testicles with the heel of his boot. Yu went after a loose ball from a challenge by the now laying on his back Sato, but Sato wasn’t going to allow a Ryukyu player the advantage of collecting the ball and heading into attack. Instead he opted for a less than professional foul. Too bad that challenge occurred in front of the referee, fourth official, Higuchi and pretty much everyone watching at home. That resulted in a red card that reduced Verdy to 10 men and allowed Ryukyu to score two goals towards a 2-0 victory. The second Ryukyu goal, a PK, came from another infraction inside the penalty area by Verdy.

Yuhei Sato channeling his inner Vlad the Impaler

In just five games, there has been 3 penalty kicks, 1 sending off, 1 bloody nose, fouls on both sides for unsportsmanlike behavior and a t-shirt. But here is one final fun fact. Since Koike’s third goal, and fifth for Verdy on match day 36 in 2019, Verdy have yet to score a goal against Ryukyu. Perhaps this is just my way of manufacturing something out of nothing in order to replicate the so called derby day, or it is just a way to put a little something extra on a rather meaningless game between two midtable teams. I’ll let you be the judge.

5. Keys to Victory

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. More shots equal more chances. Likelihood 1. The clear and obvious key to victory this week but also the least likely to happen. Ryukyu are not generating the attempts on net that can lead to scoring outbursts. Verdy are so vulnerable to spilled balls, rebounds and second chances as evidenced by the video footage for their past five matches. We often see Ryukyu players in possession in the opposing end only to witness them pass the ball back and restart the attack from our central defenders thus allowing our opponents time to regroup in defense. Good things will happen when you put quality shots on Verdy’s net so let’s hope that Ryukyu can do that on Sunday.

2. Avoid the “Ryukyu Double.” Likelihood 2. Last week Kiyotake and Kanai were responsible for both Ryukyu goals. However, they were also involved in both the opposition’s goals. Kiyotake was caught ball watching instead of man marking which led to the JEF equalizer, while Kanai completely whiffed in an effort to clear the ball from danger inside the Ryukyu box leading to the second goal for JEF. So that was actually more like a Ryukyu Double-Double. This feat has occurred on more than one occasion this season and if we intend to depart Tokyo with a win, then Ryukyu need to stay sharp throughout the entire 90 minutes.

3. Get on the scoreboard first. Likelihood 3. Verdy looked good when they took the early lead in their past two wins, and lifeless when they conceded the first goal. It is vital that Ryukyu start fast, and score (unlike what they did against Renofa), as that could lead to even more opportunities and goals for a side struggling in the atatck. Ryukyu have not won by more than two goals in any game since match day 20, which was also the last time they’ve scored more than two goals in a game. However, 11 of Verdy’s 16 losses have been by more than two goals this season. Perhaps this provides a little glimmer of light at the end of an abysmal goal scoring tunnel for Ryukyu.

6. Prediction

I am done doing these as I am usually wrong. I just want a Ryukyu win.

7. Round 40 in J2

Jubilo Iwata has already booked their ticket back to the J1 and with only 9 points up for grabs, Kyoto Sanga can book theirs if they maintain their 7 point lead over V-Varen Nagasaki. Seeing how the promotion race, without any playoffs, is nearly complete, all eyes will be on the race to escape relegation to J3.

Matsumoto Yamaga, a team in the J1 just two seasons ago, is likely headed to J3 next year. They are bottom of the table, only five points behind 18th Kanazawa, but haven’t won in 7 games. Yamaga will host Renofa Yamaguchi who have pulled themselves out of the relegation zone but are themselves only six points above the drop. 21st Ehime FC will host 20th SC Sagamihara in what should be an exciting match to watch for any neutral. A draw helps neither side so someone will need to win and move up at the expense of the other. Kitakyushu travels to Chiba with hopes that the hosts will be looking to close out the campaign without suffering any needless injuries.

Zweigen heads to Tochigi in another battle to stave off relegation as Kanazawa sits just above the drop with Tochigi only four points clear from safety. Omiya will look to secure safety with a win over their neighbors to the east in Mito while Gunma face a real test at home to Niigata.

There are two free international broadcasts this week on the J.League International YouTube channel. Both matches are on Saturday November 20th and feature Jubilo Iwata hosting V-Varen Nagasaki followed by Kyoto Sanga traveling to Fagiano Okayama. Perhaps Jubilo could lift the trophy on Saturday but it seems more likely that will occur at a later date. Click>>>> J League Int’l YouTube Link

8. Conclusion

It feels good to be back and I apologize for the lengthy absence. Right, you’ve read it all so you know the only thing left to do is for Ryukyu to go out there and get the win. Enjoy your weekend and stay safe.

Coming for ya Verdy!

MD24 Preview: (19) Giravanz Kitakyushu vs (4) FC Ryukyu #FC琉球

Intro

And we’re back! FC Ryukyu resume their 2021 campaign after a three week break for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Ryukyu will travel to 19th placed Giravanz Kitakyushu looking to to get back to their winning ways that have escaped them the past few weeks while the side deals with a multitude of injuries to key personnel. For their part, Giravanz will look to continue the trend of teams in the relegation zone nicking points against FC Ryukyu like SC Sagamihara and Omiya Ardija have done in consecutive weeks leading up to the break. There are 19 games remaining in the 2021 season and FC Ryukyu’s hopes for promotion are hanging on by the thinnest of threads which makes every game, especially those against lower ranked sides, crucial.

  1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Info
  2. Previous Round Highlights
  3. Team Previews
    • Giravanz Kitakyushu
    • FC Ryukyu
  4. Keys to Victory
  5. Prediction
  6. Round 24 in J2
  7. Conclusion
giravanz kitakyushu versus fc ryukyu

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

No change from the way things before when we entered the break, AKA, no visiting FC Ryukyu fans allowed.

Click>>> Match Day 24 Info from Giravanz Kitakyushu

2. Previous Round Highlights

V-Varen Nagasaki 3-2 Giravanz Kitakyushu
Omiya Ardija 2-2 FC Ryukyu

3. Team Previews

Giravanz Kitakyushu: I don’t have may notes for this side, but I also tread lightly when making disparaging remarks on our opponents as we end up dropping points when I do. Zero wins in their last five; 3/4 of their wins came within a stretch of 5 games between rounds 12 and 16; and only 1 win at home.

I literally have five lines of notes from watching Giravanz’s last 5 games. They surrender early and often with the only goals scored during this stretch occurring last round at Nagasaki The most exciting play during these games was watching a Kitakyushu player headbutt the goal post when attempting to defend a set piece/corner kick. I literally switched off after that as a casual fan watching what looked to be 11 men doing whatever they want without any direction. I hope that by addressing the talking down of a club it will reverse the curse of terrible results for Ryukyu when I have done it in the past. Perhaps Kitakyushu loaded up in the transfer window, but I don’t know. Consult the experts over at the J-Talk Extra Time please.

FC Ryukyu: What’s done is done, I am referring to the one point earned from a possible six against the two lowest ranked teams in the table as FC Ryukyu have to push forward into a must win game game against Giravanz Kitakyushu. FC Ryukyu have to be one of, if not the most, hardest hit sides when it comes to injuries this season as they’ve been without six of their original starting members for quite some time. But they did dip their toes into the summer transfer window for reinforcements and I believe their is a strong possibility of seeing two of them make their debut for Ryukyu on Monday night, along with a possible return of Dany Carvajal in net.

Despite being tied for second in the league when it comes to goals scored, the Ryukyu attack has been lurching forward in fits and spurts. Ryukyu were shut out four times in their first seventeen games but have suffered two shutouts inside their last five games. What’s worse is that they’ve become accustomed to surrendering quick equalizers shortly after taking the lead in games but that has to because they’ve lost 4 out of the 5 starting members of the back line and goalie. Hopefully the newly signed Takashi Kanai from Ventforet Kofu can provide a boost to the much maligned Ryukyu defense and start providing the crosses our attackers need, that, to be brutally honest, we haven’t seen from Numata all season.

Prior to the break Kazaki Nakagawa was starting to round into form and I hope Higuchi continues to employ the man in the attacking or central mid field role moving forward. Nakagawa has found it hard to break into the starting eleven since rejoining this side in the offseason, but he could be the catalyst this side needs to make a strong push for promotion. Last game he was making plays all over the pitch and once he regains his touch on shots and passes, look out. It will be a good problem for FC Ryukyu when Ren Ikeda returns from his fractured spine, if he can return to the form he was in pre-injury, but Ryukyu (Higuchi in particular) needs to find a way to incorporate on-loan Hidetoshi Takeda into the team.

That will be no easy task as Takeda’s natural position, Right Mid-Field, is currently occupied by Koya Kazama, so who drops out to shoehorn in this electric player? Will he be used primarily to spell Koya near the end of games to keep both players fresh and lethal in the attack? Or will Higuchi try something bold and use him in RB position, much like he did with Tanaka starting in 2020, to overload the attack and go all out for promotion this season? There is no time for hesitation or playing it safe these days.

4. 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. Work harder than Kitakyushu. Likelihood 4. What else you want me to say? We’ve beat them 3-0 just 5 games ago and there is nothing there to be concerned about. Other than our now persistent switching off after scoring, but even then, Kitakyushu looks a mess.

5. Prediction

Giravanz have been shutout seven times at home this season, four in a row leading up to tomorrow’s match; they have only won once at the Mikuni World Stadium in 2021, and have conceded multiple goals in half of their home games. I think the introduction of some new players into the Ryukyu lineup, coupled with Nakagawa’s resurgence, could see FC Ryukyu take this one 3-1 tomorrow. Season Record 6-6-11.

6. Round 24 in J2

League leaders (1) Kyoto Sanga FC take on (7) FC Machida Zelvia this round with (2) Jubilo Iwata traveling to (5) Ventforet Kofu, which is also the Free broadcast on the J-League International YouTube channel this week. (3) Albirex Niigata restart their season at home to (22) Omiya Ardija and elsewhere there are some bottom of the table clashes with massive relegation implications with (22) SC Sagamihara hosting (17) Tochigi SC and (18) Thespakusatsu Gunma welcoming in (20) Ehime FC for a six point swing contest.

Click>>> J.League International YouTube Channel

7. Conclusion

FC Ryukyu need a quick injection of confidence and there is no better way to do that than earning a win on the road. They’ve had three weeks to prepare for this game, as did Giravanz, so there really should be no excuses for the offense not scoring goals, the defense meshing to prevent the lapses that have sunk us the past few weeks and someone stepping into the captain’s role while Uesato is recovering from injury. Got to have it tomorrow lads, got to have it!

Match Day 14 Preview: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (16) Tochigi SC 5/15/21 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu will look to get back to winning ways this week as they face off against Tochigi SC on Saturday. Dating back to their time in the J3 in 2016, each side own an even split of 2 wins, 2 losses, and 4 draws. FC Ryukyu swept the series in 2019 with Tochigi SC getting the better of Ryukyu last year with a 2-2 draw and a 4-1 drubbing of Ryukyu at home. Both of these sides enter the match on the heels of 1-1 draws on the road but Tochigi SC have not won in their last 7 matches. Each side is hungry for a win, and it is vital that Ryukyu leave this game with all three points.

FC RYUKYU VERSUS TOCHIGI SC PREVIEW
  1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Info
  2. Previous Match Day Highlights
  3. Team Previews
    • FC Ryukyu
    • Tochigi SC
  4. Keys to Victory
  5. Prediction
  6. Round 14 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from the Club

Not bad, for here at least.

Okinawa has extended the priority prevention measures until May 30th so no visiting fans and all kickoff times are moved back to 1800.

Click>>> Match Day Info from FC Ryukyu

2. Previous Match Day Highlights

Ehime FC 1-1 FC Ryukyu
FC Mito Hollyhock 1-1 Tochigi SC

3. Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: I may have been a bit premature to sound the alarm on Ryukyu’s recent drop in shots on target after reading a tweet from @Data_Swan who indicated Ryukyu own the second best shot rate just behind league leaders Albirex Niigata. While this has certainly calmed some of my own fears, I’d still like to see them pound the net against the teams that sit lower than them in the standings. As we all witnessed last week, if you allow teams to hang around in games, you run the inherit risk of letting them right back into it, which results in dropping points along the way.

I assume most of the outfield players recovered from the three games in eight days from last week and are match fit for this round. FC Ryukyu have not totally escaped the injury bug this year as right back Makito Uehara tore is hamstring a couple weeks back and is another six weeks away from retuning to training. But Dany Carvajal is looking good in his recovery from a stress fracture so that bodes well. Abe was seen leaving the pitch last week with his leg heavily wrapped but we’ve all seen him recover from worse looking injuries and that was probably more maintenance than anything else. If Abe is truly no worse for wear, than this game sets up well for him to snap his goalless streak as Tochigi have plenty of holes at the back for Abe to exploit.

This round comes down to whether or not Numata and Tanaka can provide the service that Abe needs inside the box. As I’ll discuss in the Keys to Victory Section, Tochigi allow plenty of dangerous crosses into the box, and so long as Ryukyu can break Tochigi’s high press, this should lead to plenty of goal scoring chances for Ryukyu. Ryukyu knocked on the door all game last week but couldn’t find the second goal that would have decided the game. I think with the extra day to prepare, and since Ryukyu are playing at home, we should see a return to the type of performance that has gotten us to this point.

So yeah, it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride the last few games for Ryukyu as they’ve conceded more goals in their last five games than they did in the previous eight. They’ve scored three less goals than their opening seven fixtures and eared two fewer wins while suffering their lone loss of the season. Granted they’ve played one fewer game in these comparisons between rounds 1-7 and 8-13, but Ryukyu can right the ship with a strong performance on Saturday against Tochigi. Ryukyu have two home games in a row, have a great opportunity to put some separation between themselves and the rest of the pack, while the other top teams tear each other part over the next two rounds, and that means generating some momentum with wins before heading into Niigata.

Tochigi SC: Tochigi SC have experienced a bit of a see-saw season to date as they opened the 2021 campaign with three losses, followed by three straight wins, and then reeled off four draws in a row. That seven game unbeaten run pulled them out of the relegation zone, however, those are Tochigi’s only wins to date. Tochigi SC are not the same defensive side they were last year when they went twenty games before conceding their 16th goal, a number they have already matched inside 13 games. Though the defensive partnership of Tashiro and Yanagi was broken up with Tashiro’s departure to Sagan Tosu in the offseason, Yasutaka Yanagi made his loan move from Albirex Niigata permanent and is now the captain of Tochigi.

Tochigi went three draws with two defeats in their last five games. Tochigi played to a spirited 2-2 draw with Albirex Niigata after surrendering the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time. Tochigi did not look overmatched against the current table toppers and in fact, looked a bit better than their guests that night. They followed the Niigata draw with yet another draw to Kanazawa where Tochigi came storming back in the second half. There was a slight half chance at the end of that game for Tochigi to win it but the attacker was pressed for time and had to get a shot off quickly from distance.

Tochigi’s third game in a row against a top half team ended in a 3-2 defeat to Iwata despite Iwata losing the lead on two occasions. On loan Juninho provided the most memorable moment from that day with a half court shot into an empty net after Iwata failed to clear their lines. Then, Tochigi lost their early lead thanks to a stunning freekick by the guests, before nearly winning it in stoppage time when the saved shot popped out just past Rimu Matsuoka legs. But Tochigi went on to suffer the indignity of giving up a late winner (95′) after two minutes later. Tochigi’s last game with FC Mito Hollyhock ended in one all draw from a Kenya Onodera own goal, which was a bit harsh. Truth be told, Mito should’ve won the game a lot earlier when Mito’s Masato Nakayama missed a close in chip and then later hit the woodwork.

Kisho Yano is a tall striker that can get onto balls in the box and is a player Ryukyu need to watch out for on Saturday. The same could be said for midfielder Toshiki Mori who leads Tochigi in scoring with 4 goals, and left back Yukuto Omoya who leads the team in assists (3). But Tochigi are averaging one goal a game and have been prone to dry spells this season.

4. 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. Bombs away. Likelihood 4. Tochigi surrenders more goals from set pieces (5) than crosses (3), but both Numata and Tanaka should have plenty of time and space to pick their spots this week. In their five prior games, Tochigi were affording their opponent every opportunity to score from crosses and that is Ryukyu’s strength.

2. Follow up the shots that are saved with more shots. Likelihood 3. There were a couple of times when Tochigi failed to clear a ball after set pieces which allowed their opponents to follow up with shots and goals. Tochigi seem to move slow after the initial cross after a set piece is blocked so Ryukyu need to remain engaged and hurry to all loose balls.

3. Play it safe when playing out from the back. Likelihood 3. Tochigi somehow are better defensively in the opposition’s half than their own. The Tochigi forward players press really well and cause all sorts of turnovers that allow Tochigi to execute quick counter attacks. Ryukyu, who prefer to play out from the back, cannot afford any wayward passes or turnovers leading to cheap goals.

4. Don’t forget about the old Route 1. Likelihood 2. Tochigi allowed two goals in consecutive games in the matches I watched where the opposing striker literally drove right down the middle of the Tochigi defense and scored. Hopefully we see Abe do the same on Saturday.

5. Prediction

Last week Tochigi scored three goals in their two road games and own a better goal scoring record away from Tochigi, but they also concede the same amount of goals regardless of location. Ryukyu have only conceded twice while playing at home and were just off the mark the last two rounds. I think Ryukyu gets back on target and takes this one 3-1. Season Record 6-2-5.

6. Round 14 in J2

All Times Listed are Japan Standard

There should be plenty of fireworks this week as 6 of the top 8 sides face off against one another. (1) Albirex Niigata have a real test on their hands this week as they travel to face (6) FC Machida Zelvia for the curtain closer on Sunday. This is also the start of three games in a row against top six sides for Niigata. (3) Kyoto Sanga FC has no easy pass this week either as they welcome in plucky (7) FC Mito Hollyhock. Mito is currently unbeaten in their last 3 games but that pales in comparison to Kyoto’s run of 8 games without tasting defeat. (4) Jubilo Iwata is the only other team inside the top 8, Ryukyu included, who face off against lower seeded side in (20) Thespakusatsu Gunma.

(5) Ventforet Kofu need to be careful of giant killing (8) Mito Hollyhock who are unbeaten (1 win/1 draw) against top six sides, which could’ve been two wins if not for a late stoppage time goal by Iwata last week. Finally, (17) Montedio Yamagata will host (18) Ehime FC on Sunday for the free J-League International YouTube broadcast. Link can be found below the infographic.

Click>>> J-League Int’l YouTube Channel

7. Conclusion

A big week inside the top half of the table and an important one for FC Ryukyu as there could be plenty of shifting around them in the standings come Sunday night. Rested, motivated, and ready to bust out. That’s what we all want to see on Saturday.

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

Photo Credit: @cafedecampnou

Intro

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

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

1. Match Highlights

2. Man of the Match

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

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

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

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

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

4. Prediction

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

5. Talking Points from Match Day 12

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. Round 12 in J2

Transfermarkt

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

Transfermarkt

7. Conclusion

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

Match Day 11 Preview: (16) SC Sagamihara vs (2) FC Ryukyu 5/01/21 #FC琉球

Intro

Storied past with these two? Sure. Should Ryukyu be worried? Slightly. Can Ryukyu get the job done? Great question. Sagamihara has the knack for showing up for big games this year but they are 16th for a reason right? This match is the very definition of a “trap game” for Ryukyu as they are playing a lower seeded team just in front of a massive tilt with Kyoto the following Wednesday. However, Ryukyu cannot afford to overlook SC Sagamihara as any dropped points this weekend will severely dent their promotion aspirations.

  1. Weather Forecast & Match Information from the Club
  2. Match Day 10 Highlights
  3. Team Previews
    • SC Sagamihara
    • FC Ryukyu
  4. Keys to Victory
  5. Prediction
  6. Round 11 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Information from SC Sagamihara

Looks like some it could turn nasty this round. Be prepared if you’re going.

Visiting Ryukyu fans are allowed into the match. Details can be found by clicking the link below.

Click>>> Match Day 11 Info from SC Sagamihara

2. Match Day 10 Highlights

JEF United Ichihara Chiba 0-1 SC Sagamihara
FC Ryukyu 1-0 Ventforet Kofu

3. Team Previews

SC Sagamihara: As I mentioned in the introduction, SC Sagamihara has the ability to play well against some of the better sides in the league. They’ve moved past their rocky start to the campaign where they didn’t score a single goal for the first three matches. I wouldn’t necessarily say that SC Sagamihara are one of the better defending teams in the league, but they do have 4 clean sheets to their name which is only 2 behind Junto Taguchi of Ryukyu.

Sagamihara went 1-2-2 in their last five games with the lone win occurring at Chiba this past weekend which also happened to be Sagamihara’s first road win of the season. Despite conceding early on at home to Niigata, Sagamihara managed to turn things around following a PK and breakaway goal and took the league leaders to the brink before conceding the equalizer in the 61st minute. Sagamihara had plenty of chances to win this game but fell just short. The following match at Tochigi ended 0-0 and is best summed up by saying that both sides missed several chances to score.

SC Sagamihara put in another good shift against a tough opponent in Iwata despite what the score line (2-1 loss) indicates. Similar to the Niigata match, Sagamihara was able to quickly answer the opening goal from their opponent, look dangerous at times, came close to taking the lead, but ultimately surrendered late in the match. At Kofu in the midweek, Sagamihara made some changes to the lineup with the most noticeable being Juri’s removal from the starting eleven. They didn’t look as dangerous as they did against other opponents and fell 2-0 on the road.

The match with Chiba was shaping up much like the 0-0 match with Tochigi SC before a 52nd minute goal from Tatsuya Shirai put Sagamihara in front. The goal stemmed from a corner kick and ensuing chaos in front of the JEF keeper when rebounds were blocked and not fully cleared. They were also aided by JEF offering very little in the attack that day.

Sagamihara has earned the same exact amount of points, 5, in their past five games as they did in their first five games of 2021. They have fared better in the goals scored department in the latter five games, but have also conceded more than they did in the first five games. Fumitake Mura has vacillated between a couple of different formations in their last five games where he started out in a 3-3-2-2; switched briefly to a 3-5-2 against Iwata; reverted to a 3-4-2-1 on a short week at Kofu; before returning back to a 3-5-2 this past week at JEF.

In any event, the player to watch out for this week is forward Juri Mamute who is SC Sagamihara’s leading scorer and points leader (2 goals & 1 assist). Juri is a powerful forward who is not easily moved off the ball and is often moves around the pitch to create mismatches with smaller defenders in order to allow the two attacking midfielders from Sagamihara to run into space.

FC Ryukyu: Can they maintain this pace? The question on every Ryukyu supporter’s mind as well as that of J-League fans. Ryukyu have a penchant for seeing out games in very dramatic fashion these days as most end up with Ryukyu securing a clean sheet and all three points. But how long can that last? I for one have no idea as we are squarely in uncharted waters. This is by far Ryukyu’s best start to a season ever and they continue to surprise us at every turn despite so many calls to the contrary.

But, and it is a big but, we need the offense to start clicking. I for one buy into the mantra that offense wins games, defense wins championships, but there is always going to be a give and take to that saying in any season. So far Ryukyu won out games, albeit untraditionally, in very fine defensive fashion. The fact that we have nearly equaled the amount of clean sheets in any year since we’ve entered the J-League by this point in the season is simply outstanding. Trust me when I say I used to feel that FC Ryukyu’s best defense was an unrelenting offense but that is simply not the case in 2021, and that is a good thing.

All catch phrases aside, this team needs a serious injection of life into the offense as the defense can only hold so long before they begin to buckle under the pressure, and that pressure desperately needs a release valve. So what can be done? It is not as if the front line players have been underperforming, but rather they need to introduce what some would call daring and creative flavor.

Well the good news is that Ryukyu have the depth to call upon in these tough times. I have, and will continue, to call for Nakagawa to regain his place at the table. Ren Ikeda has excelled this year in the CAM role, but Nakagawa is a special player and the more he grows into this side with minutes, and let’s be honest, players of his quality require opportunities to unlock the potential, I think you will all see why I rave about this player when he is given the opportunity. That was his biggest downfall when he left Ryukyu in 2019 as he could never crack the starting 11 on a consistent basis anywhere. So, let him regain that swagger he had from 2018/early 2019. Let him show you why he was a coveted asset of J1 sides as he shreds defenses and turns Abe, like Koji in 2019, loose. We are playing a game with house money right now so there is no need to be coy.

And yet there is more, one more player to be specific. Shunsuke Motegi has proven himself fit, and as someone who believes FC Ryukyu basically stole from Mito Hollyhock pre CV19, deserves his time in the limelight. Now, if you think Tanaka’s ability to reinvent himself at RB is outside of Motegi’s realm of possibilities to do the same at LB, or you think Numata doesn’t need a breather back there, then you’d be mistaken. He may not usurp Kiyotake at the moment but his time will come and if Tanaka and Yu Tomidokoro are any indication for how players can change their stripes (look for Yong Jick to possibly do the same at CDM) then Motegi at least deserves a shot.

4. 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. The razors edge. Likelihood 2. First, Ryukyu cannot, should not, overlook SC Sagamihara in advance of Kyoto Sanga FC. But you can be smarter than the last time we played a midweek match.  Wholesale changes at RB. LB, CM, MF, CB and FWD are warranted and almost encouraged. If we don’t give these guys a breather then we are edging closer to injury and burnout territory. This doesn’t come without risks as we could do this and absolutely get manhandled by Sagamihara, but you need to take some risks in any given season and risk management mitigation screams, take it now!

2. Contain Juri. Likelihood 3. As stated, Juri is a powerful forward who uses his body well to shield defenders in and around the box. You often see him drifting to the edges of the box to try and establish a mismatch with some of the opponents’ full backs. Both Tanaka and Numata will have their hands full if this happens on Saturday and if Ryukyu instead opt to send Chinen or Okazaki to mark Juri, Uesato and the other central midfielder will need to be on top of their game to fill the void in the center of the Ryukyu defense.

3. Pile on the shots. Likelihood 4. SC Sagamihara might be the only team in J2 that has fewer shots on net than Ryukyu. That means Ryukyu should see some large spells of possession but need to end the attacks with accurate shots on net. SC Sagamihara has only eclipsed the double-digit mark for shots once this season while Ryukyu has managed it four times. This would be the perfect opportunity to get some of our guys firing before heading into a tough match with Kyoto.

4. If we do score, maintain focus in the minutes that follow. Likelihood 4. SC Sagamihara has shown the ability to quickly to respond to goals scored by their opponents as they did against Niigata and Iwata.

5. Prediction

SC Sagamihara are 0-1-4 with 4 goals scored and 10 conceded against top 6 competition in 2021. FC Ryukyu are 4-1-0 with 8 goals scored and 2 goals conceded against those near the relegation zone. Granted, Sagamihara are close, but not in, the relegation zone at this point. But I still believe FC Ryukyu see this one out 2-0. Season Record 5-1-4.

6. Round 11 in J2

Leaders (1) Albirex Niigata get (13) JEF United Chiba this week with (3) Kyoto Sanga FC facing (19) Ehime FC. (4) Jubilo Iwata will hope a Kyoto stumble in their match so it can help them close the points gap when they play (10) Tochigi SC at home this week. The marquee matchup this round is (7) Ventforet Kofu hosting (6) Zweigen Kanazawa who both dropped points last week. (5) FC Machida Zelvia host (20) Renofa Yamaguchi FC and could turn this into a 5 team race for promotion depending on the outcome of the Kofu v Zweigen match. Finally, (8) Blaublitz Akita will try and take advantage of (12) Fagiano Okayama who are coming a rough month of April.

We have to wait for awhile until the J-League English Twitter feed drops the game for this month.

7. Conclusion

What more can I say other than…

Match Day 10 Preview: (2) FC Ryukyu vs (6) Ventforet Kofu 4/25/21 #FC琉球

Intro

The big thing on everyone’s mind this weekend is how will FC Ryukyu respond to their first loss of the season. Ryukyu’s 8 game undefeated streak was snapped this past Wednesday at Machida with an uninspiring performance where the offense went missing for long stretches of time. Kofu enter Round 10 with a 3 game undefeated streak following a win in the midweek and two previous draws and have had their way with Ryukyu every single time. FC Ryukyu have never earned a single point off of Kofu in the four matches they have played in the J2.

  1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
  2. Previous Match Highlights
  3. Team Previews
    • FC Ryukyu
    • Ventforet Kofu
  4. Keys to Victory
  5. Prediction
  6. Round 10 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

Favorable weather is in the forecast as the typhoon that was milling about Okinawa on Friday and Saturday has now moved on.

With the surge of COVID-19 cases in Japan, and a modified State of Emergency here in Okinawa, clubs, including FC Ryukyu, as well as those in the hardest hit areas of Japan, are not allowing visiting fans into games, and possibly no fans at all in some areas. News of “playing behind closed doors” for many of the clubs in the Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo has been floating around the Japanese media today and it looks as if this is where the entire J-League is heading. Be safe and do your part to limit the spread of CV-19 at any match you intend to attend.

Click>>> Match Day 10 Information from FC Ryukyu

2. Previous Match Highlights

FC Machida Zelvia 3-0 FC Ryukyu
Ventforet Kofu 2-0 SC Sagamihara

3. Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: Wednesday’s game was a let down for many of the Ryukyu faithful as it was such a steep drop off in performance by Ryukyu when compared to their first 8 games. There were breakdowns in passing, attacks and communication all over the pitch which led to the drubbing at the hands of Zelvia. Basically, nothing worked all night. Ryukyu has relied heavily on defense and the strength of their goalkeeping throughout the year but when that too failed, Ryukyu were done in.

We’ve discussed on several occasions for how Ryukyu utilize crosses from the fullbacks and midfielders to score goals. Though they tried mightily do conduct the same tactic at Zelvia, Zelvia was able to sure up the back line with up to 5 defenders at a time which restricted the runs of any of the Ryukyu attackers. It didn’t help that some runs weren’t even being made to get onto the end of crosses by Ryukyu, and it also didn’t help that when they did make these runs they were often missed by the player in possession. There were far to many lateral and backwards passes on Wednesday with no real thrust made on net by the offense.

Higuchi kept the same lineup from the win over Verdy the previous weekend but did use all 5 substitutes in an attempt to change up the flow of the game. Obviously it didn’t pay off and now Higuchi and Ryukyu are faced with enacting some sort of squad rotation for the Kofu match as some players looked tired at the end of the Machida game. It starts near the top as Kazaki Nakagawa has finally featured for the first time all season and with a drop in the play from Ikeda this week, it might be a good time to see what Nakagawa can add to the attack from the start of a game.

There shouldn’t be any changes to the back four though Numata could definitely use a breather. That means Higuchi should deviate from his normal stance of dressing 4 forwards, Abe, Uehara, Akamine and Shimizu, and consider dressing Motegi (MF) and possibly Reo Yamashita (LB) to spell the tired legs of our players. Ryukyu gambled at Zelvia by sticking with the lineup they’ve played all season and it simply didn’t pay off. Now they need to adjust slightly in the short time between games so as to avoid fatigue, burnout and risk of injury to some of the senior players in the squad.

In any event, what is needed is a massive injection of offense. Abe continues to execute the hold up play that makes him a vital cog in the Ryukyu offense, but isn’t getting the service a striker of his quality deserves. Kofu has scored 6 goals over their last 3 games and while the defense and Taguchi need to regain a bit of the confidence that was lost this past round, the offense needs to switch on and carry the load for Ryukyu this game.

Ventforet Kofu: Kofu enter this round on a slight upward trajectory compared to Ryukyu who are attempting to arrest their recent slide in the midweek. Kofu have an impressive four wins from four over Ryukyu in their recent history. Kofu was the side that ended Ryukyu’s home undefeated streak in 2019 and have outscored Ryukyu 10-3 in all the games played between the two sides.

Kofu started the year fast by drawing once and then winning three in a row. Then they ran into some tougher competition in Machida Zelvia and V-Varen Nagasaki where they lost twice in a row. They got back on track with two consecutive draws with Giravanz Kitakyushu and Matsumoto Yamaga FC before grabbing their first win in a month when they beat SC Sagamihara on Wednesday.

Kofu faced many of the same problems that Ryukyu did in their match with Machida with their attack being completely snuffed out. They allowed a quick goal to Nagasaki before pulling one back on a nice back post set piece but after ringing the post a few times, Kofu allowed Nagasaki to score from a set piece near the end of the game. Kofu took the lead over Kitakyushu on a fast break where Izumisawa rounded the keeper but returned the favor to Kitakyushu by allowing them to execute their own fast break leading to the equalizer. Kofu came close a few times to netting the winner but either hit the post or narrowly missed the target from close range.

In the rain soaked match at Yamaga, Kofu found themselves down early but equalized in the 16th minute and followed it up with another excellent back post header from a set piece. They then added a third goal just four minutes later. Everything was looking good while leading 3-1 but some panicky defending led to a Yamaga goal and then it was Kofu’s turn to have their keeper rounded on a fast break where Kunimoto Suzuki grabbed his third goal of the game which resulted in a draw. The two first half goals by Kofu were all they needed to swipe aside Sagamihara in the midweek.

While the box scores may indicate Kofu have turned a corner and are headed in the right direction, if we take a close look at the last five games there is a bit of pattern that may boost Ryukyu’s chances. The losses were suffered at the hands of two teams currently in the top half of the table with each of the draws were come from behind where Kofu allowed their opponents back into the match. SC Sagamihara sit near the bottom of the table so that is in line with the results that Kofu have achieved to date. But the script for this match reads much like the past match at Zelvia for Ryukyu so it may provide a little confidence to Kofu.

4. 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. Defend the left, but watch the right on quick counters. Likelihood 3. A vast majority of Kofu’s attacks flow through the left side of their offense, primarily Izumisawa. He has orchestrated many of the crosses, or has taken part in the build up play, that have led to Kofu’s goals. When on the counter attack Kofu streak quickly down the right so Numata is going to have fitness test on Sunday if Kofu breakout of any Ryukyu press. It will also require the CBs and MFs to keep a close eye on their marks as those players drift towards the back post, when Kofu is in possession down the left, as this is their signature goal these days.

2. Take the attack of life support and give it a jolt with a defibrillator. Likelihood 2. Ryukyu have scored 4 goals in their last 4 games but have been shutout twice in that time. We really need to get Abe firing again and that means better passing in the attacking end and acting like more of a threat across all three attacking lanes. Perhaps Nakagawa can breathe some life into the side, especially as the Ryukyu last line of defense was so easily penetrated last round.

3. Play like you’re the second-best team in the league, because you are. Likelihood 3. It’s all about confidence right now. May have lost it for a bit but it is time to regain that swagger that netted us five wins in a row and eight games undefeated. Let’s brush off the recent loss and get back to winning football.

5. Prediction

Considering that Kofu haven’t scored less than 2 goals in any game against Ryukyu but just once, and with their recent goal scoring outbursts, coupled with Ryukyu’s goal scoring drought and overall poor record against Kofu, it is hard to tip Ryukyu as winners this week. Hoping for a better outcome but not making the same mistake I did in the midweek to a similar type of opponent. Kofu win 2-1. Season Record 5-1-3.

6. Round 10 in J2

Times Listed are in JST

The lone Saturday game should be a good one. (1) Albirex Niigata, fresh off their last minute equalizer, travel to a resurgent (16) Ehime FC who haven’t lost since their managerial change. (3) Kyoto Sanga, (4) Jubilo Iwata and (5) Zweigen Kanazawa, and to some extent, (6) Ventforet Kofu have favorable matchups to exploit the promotion race.

It will be (22) Matsumoto Yamaga FC hosting (13) Thespakusatsu Gunma on the free J-League broadcast this round.

Click>>> LIVE | Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. vs Thespakusatsu Gunma | Matchweek 10 | 2021 | J2 LEAGUE – YouTube

7. Conclusion

As Ryukyu near the quarter mark of the season there are still some questions for which we need answers. Mainly, can the offense get going? As noted earlier it will be interesting to see how Ryukyu respond to their first setback of the season against a team that has always had the better of Ryukyu, so let’s hope for a positive response on Sunday.

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

Intro

FC Ryukyu travel to Machida Zelvia on Wednesday for their first of four midweek fixtures in 2021. FC Ryukyu have failed to beat Zelvia in their last eight meetings managing only 1 win and 2 draws in the 10 games these teams have played since entering the J3 back in 2014. The next big test for Ryukyu will be finding the right mix of squad rotation and defeating an opponent who has always had your number.

  1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information
  2. Match Day 8 Highlights
  3. Team Previews
    • FC Machida Zelvia
    • FC Ryukyu
  4. Keys to Victory
  5. Prediction
  6. Round 9 in J2
  7. Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information from the Club

A very pleasant evening to watch football.

It looks like visiting FC Ryukyu fans will be able to attend. Please not that there is no advance entry to hand banners.

Match Day Information from Machida Zelvia

2. Match Day 8 Highlights

V-Varen Nagasaki 0-3 FC Machida Zelvia
FC Ryukyu 2-0 Tokyo Verdy

3. Team Previews

FC Machida Zelvia: Zelvia have failed to win any of their home games this season and to be quiet honest, look a far better side when playing on the road compared to playing at home. Prior to the match at Nagasaki this weekend, Zelvia had only managed 1 goal in their previous four games. Zelvia seem to yo-yo between strong performances and very tepid ones. Many people viewed Zelvia as this seasons dark horse with the caveat that it would be their defending that lets them down. Unfortunately for Zelvia, they have been without the strike duo of Chong Tese and Dudu as Tese has picked up an injury that will see him miss at least 4 weeks with Dudu just completing his 14 day quarantine at the J-League bubble. I am not sure how quickly he will be incorporated into the squad but it seems likely that Dudu will get some playing time this Wednesday if he is fit.

Over their last five games Mito have won two matches while losing the other three. As mentioned earlier, the wins came on the road at Kofu and Nagasaki with losses occurring to Mito Hollyhock, Kanazawa and Kyoto Sanga. Mito found themselves in an early hole at Mito when two wind aided balls ended up allowing the hosts to jump out to a 2-0 lead by halftime. The final goal of that game was after a Zelvia turnover sprung Nakayama in the counterattack to which he finished superbly. At Kofu Zelvia looked much better and scored the games only goal in the third minute. Zelvia had control for most of this game with Kofu offering only about 20 minutes of any action in the Zelvia end.

Following that strong performance Zelvia looked dominant against Kanazawa but were unable to find the back of the net. All those missed chances ended up costing Zelvia as they were done in by an own goal in the 89th minute and went on to lose 1-0. The Zelvia defense had their hands full against Kyoto but still allowed Zelvia to stay in the game after they surrendered the lone goal of the match in the first half. Then, everything seemed to change at Nagasaki this week.

Ranko Popovic switched back to a 4-4-2 from the previous weeks 4-4-1-1 and Zelvia got off to a fast start once more. Two goals by Kaina Yoshio pushed Zelvia out front before a Hasegawa goal just two minutes after the second Yoshio goal put the match out of reach for Nagasaki. Once more Zelvia looked a different side when leaving the friendly confines of the Machida GION stadium, and though the offense went missing for a long stretch for Zelvia, they were able to breakout in a big way this weekend. Adding a good attacking player like Dudu into the mix is sure to help. But Zelvia, like Ryukyu, rely on some older veterans to prop the team up and they too will have to contend with some squad rotation this week.

FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu own a rather poor record against Machida Zelvia having won only once in their past ten matches, and that win came all the way back in 2014 during FC Ryukyu’s inaugural season in the J3. In the six games where Ryukyu have traveled to Machida, they’ve been outscored 11-4. Last season, Ryukyu lost the opening fixture 4-2 thanks to four first half goals by Zelvia. The score line was only brought close by a Zelvia own goal and late strike by Takuma Abe after the game was well out of hand. During the curtain closer for the 2020 season Ryukyu were defeated 1-0 at home by Zelvia in a very uninspiring performance.

But, this is a season unlike any other with Ryukyu putting to rest many of the ghosts that have haunted them from past seasons. The strength of this club is their defense as the offense has yet to get on track this year. That is not to say they are struggling for goals as everyone is chipping in these days, it’s just not at the level we’ve come to expect from a club predicated on attacking football. Abe has done so well this year in all facets of the game and it would be great to see him back on the score sheet after a slight absence these past three weeks.

I think Ryukyu have benefited greatly from a more relaxed schedule this year compared to last season and it has allowed many of the veterans the recovery time between matches that they sorely missed in 2020. With that in mind, it will be interesting to see how Higuchi conducts the squad rotation with three games inside of eight days. I wouldn’t expect many changes, but utilizing substitutes earlier and possibly giving a run out to Motegi, Makito Uehara, Shinya Uehara and Akamine needs to be done to keep the squad fresh.

These next two fixtures are massive for Ryukyu if they wish to keep the field at bay. Their current lead over third placed Kyoto Sanga FC is just six points and Kyoto are starting to generate some serious momentum. Defeating an opponent that you have a historically poor track record against is the next step that the Ryukyu needs to make on their way to 80 points.

4. 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. Short passes in the Zelvia box. Likelihood 2. Zelvia are not the most impressive defensive unit in the league and a single goal maybe all that is needed for Ryukyu to see out a win on Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean they can take this opponent lightly as Zelvia have bested Ryukyu nearly every single time. Zelvia have conceded from crosses this season, but are far more susceptible to the short passes in and around the box. Ryukyu will need a strong performance out of Ren Ikeda and Takuma Abe as they can wreak havoc on the Zelvia back line with penetrating runs and quick changes in direction when in the oppositions box.  

2. Play to your strengths. Likelihood 4. A short week on the road could mean a low scoring affair, a situation that Ryukyu are very comfortable in, and another defensive masterclass by the CB pairing of Chinen and Okazaki, along with Taguchi in net, is exactly what Ryukyu need this match. Zelvia’s offense wasn’t exactly firing on all cylinders this year, but it is starting to generate some thrust. Blunting the Zelvia assault will allow FC Ryukyu to continue to play the style of football they’ve become accustomed to this season.

3. Finding the right mix in the squad rotation. Likelihood 2. Higuchi may not make any changes to this side for this match but that could have an effect later on this week when Ryukyu return home to face Kofu. Ryukyu currently roster four forwards each match so allowing Akamine to start this week may not be a bad idea. Yu and Koki Kazama seem to rotate fairly regularly and hopefully Ichimaru can spell Uesato for longer stretches over these next two games. We should not tinker with the current CB pair but Yong Jick coming in for either of the central defenders so as to keep them fresh is the smart move. Makito Uehara could provide some relief to Tanaka but it will be interesting to see how Higuchi addresses the left back position. Numata will almost certainly need a break these next few games and that means it comes down to either Fukui or Reo Yamashita, who looked good in his lone appearance in the J-Elite League last month.

5. Prediction

Zelvia have been shut out three times this year while Ryukyu have five clean sheets. Zelvia have hit the three goal plateau twice this season compared to FC Ryukyu’s one. Any changes to the Ryukyu squad might have some consequences, and though it is a bold move to predict a win for FC Ryukyu, who haven’t defeated Zelvia in well over seven seasons, that is what I am going to do. 2-1 win for Ryukyu in the midweek. Season Record 5-1-2.

6. Match Day 8 in J2

All Times Listed are JST

(1) Albirex Niigata will look to retain the top spot for another week when they travel to (10) Tochigi SC who are currently on an unbeaten run of 5 games. (3) Kyoto Sanga FC and (4) Jubilo Iwata will continue to chip away at the leaders with favorable matchups at (11) Tokyo Verdy and home to (15) Omiya Ardija respectively. Other interesting matches this round include (5) Zweigen Kanazawa hosting (8) Blaublitz Akita and the resurgent (22) Ehime FC hosting (16) Renofa Yamaguchi FC. It’s not quite time to push the panic button for (12) V-Varen Nagasaki, but another performance like this past weekend will at least warrant removing the safety cover for the panic button.

It is FC Ryukyu’s turn to appear on the free J-league International YouTube broadcast so please tune in and enjoy from around the world. Or at the very least, use a VPN if you live in Japan and you do not have a DAZN account. Click the link below the infographic to get the YouTube page for the match.

Click>>> LIVE | FC Machida Zelvia vs FC Ryukyu | Matchweek 9 | 2021 | J2 LEAGUE – YouTube

7. Conclusion

Well strap yourselves in for this one as FC Ryukyu will need to exorcise some serious demons to retain one of the two promotion slots in J2. It has been nothing but disappoint for Ryukyu when they play Zelvia so it will be really encouraging to see them net any points away from home on a short week. A win would show that this team has really turned aa corner in their development and provide a massive boost to the overall morale of the team.

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

Intro

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

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

1. Match Day 6 Highlights

2. Man of the Match

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

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

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

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

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

4. Talking Points from Match Day 6

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

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

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

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

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

5. Prediction

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

6. Match Day 6 in J2

Transfermarkt

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

7. Conclusion

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