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

Intro

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

Weather Forecast and Match Day Information

Hopefully the weather holds off for the traveling Ryukyu fans.

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

Team Previews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

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

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

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

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

Round 33 in J2

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

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

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

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

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

Conclusion

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

(21) FC Ryukyu vs (6) Thespakusatsu Gunma #FC琉球

Intro

This game for Ryukyu begins a stretch of matches where they will play six (6) games inside of twenty three (23) days. Make no mistake, this is a hugely important run of games for both Ryukyu, and their manager Kina. Because if they don’t come out of this with a decent amount of points, then we may see the earliest managerial change for in the history of Ryukyu. On the other hand, Gunma is enjoying one of their better starts in the J2 this season on the back of some impressive defensive performances. They are probably feeling pretty confident this week and will look to continue their current winning streak against a side that has yet to win at home all season.

Weather Forecast & Match Day Information

Cloudy, no too hot, but always the prospect of rain on Okinawa despite the low probability of it actually raining. I usually try to post these previews about 48 hours out from the match and though I’ve been wrong on the weather before, rightfully called out on this – thanks @stuartcw and sorry about the YFC weather lol – if I could predict the correct weather I’d also predict our scores each week. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst is the safe bet.

Click>>>> Match Day Info from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: By the time this run of games is over, Ryukyu will have played more than one-third of their matches this season. Can we realistically expect Ryukyu to earn double digit points over their next six games? Would we consider it a failure if they didn’t? It will be no easy task as Ryukyu’s next four games are all against teams currently ranked 4-7 in the table, followed by one of our longest road trips of the season during the mid week, and finally against a team inside the top 10 that is enjoying the new boy bounce in the J2. It seems like a very large ask of Ryukyu to earn a decent amount of points over the next three and half weeks.

There is no doubt we are in a bit of striker injury crisis at the moment but that is not to say that Kusano cannot do the job while awaiting the return of those who are injured, or so we suspect are injured sine we have no news from the club on their status. Kiyotake has also been playing really well on the offense side of the house but has that unfortunate thing going for him where he seems to be indirectly involved in the areas where the opposition scores their goals against Ryukyu. Kanai played well against Yokohama FC, obviously as he scored our only goal and had another lovely chance, and perhaps that is because we cannot find a way to get both Ikeda and Kiyotake into the lineup at the same time. Ikeda never looked comfortable playing out wide in the 4-4-2, and is better suited as a CAM, but Kiyotake is doing so well there these days it is hard to imagine him being unseated if we stick to a 4-2-3-1.

One thing for certain was we definitely needed to see a change at LB as I think the days of Numata as a regular starter have come to an end as what we really need there is a little more pace and stamina to support us on both ends of the pitch. Now, what do we do in the central defending areas of Ryukyu? We made a change in central defense following the loss to JEF when the young duo of Nakagawa and Omori were replaced with a combination of either player and Okazaki, but we do not know if that was due to injury or lack of confidence in those players by the manager. We haven’t even seen Nakagawa since the Renofa match and Omori seems to only be an emergency central defending substitute at this point.

Sure, Yong Jick has put forth the effort, but as I said at the start of the season, we cannot replace Chinen’s skill, but we can replace his tenacity and drive. And I believe that is what we have with the young defenders on loan. The problem is we (Kina) haven’t shown any faith in these players through the growing pains that will naturally occur to allow them to develop into better players. And to what end? It is not as if we are shutting down teams on a consistent basis to see out leads for wins with our current central defending pair. A change at CB must be made to allow Omori and Nakagawa to develop, which will not be an overnight change, as we already know what we’ve got back there these days based on the last five games. Then again, Nakagawa may be injured and since the club has released zero injury news this season for any of our players and therefore this might just be wishful thinking.

Thespakusatsu Gunma: Gunma started the season with a win and two draws before a streak where they had two straight games with a 1-0 score line (1 loss and 1 win), followed by consecutive 2-3 defeats, but then won two (2) games in a row heading into their matchup with Ryukyu. All four of Gunma’s wins this season have been by one (1) goal and they have already recorded four (4) shutouts this season. Gunma are a team similar to Okayama in that they haven’t scored a lot of goals – zero games with more than 2 goals scored – but they certainly don’t surrender a lot either.

Gunma has three (3) wins and two (2) losses over their last five games. In two of those losses they surrendered three (3) goals in consecutive matches. Which is roughly three quarters of the entire goals they’ve conceded all season. Masatoshi Kushibiki was outstanding in net versus JEF where he made save after save to give Gunma the win after an early 7th minute goal. Gunma’s defending let them down the following week in which Niigata jumped out to a two goal lead within the opening twenty minutes. This was followed by both sides trading goals and then a stoppage time goal by Gunma to finish 2-3.

It was almost a similar story the following match against Nagasaki where Gunma found themselves in similar territory being down two goals by the twenty minute mark. But Gunma were able to draw level midway through the second half before a mishandling of a Cristiano shot by Kushibiki found its way over the line. Gunma were able to turn things around after the two heavy losses in quick succession the following week against Mito. Gunma opened the scoring before a handball by one of their defenders allowed Mito back in the game with a PK goal. Gunma utilized some excellent penetrating runs from their attackers, which seems to be an enduring trait of this side, to grab an 80th minute goal for the win.

Gunma’s most recent win came on the road at Morioka where Kushibiki regained the good form he was enjoying against JEF when he made a beautiful double save to keep the score level before an 89th minute goal secured the victory for Gunma. So what can we expect from Gunma this match? If you fail to run at them, in order to find space in their defense, an instead opt to slowly build your attack, Ryukyu will most likely suffer the same defeats of JEF, Mito and Morioka. Gunma looked good defending set pieces in some of their recent games and if Kushibiki is once again in form, it will make life very difficult for Ryukyu. If you attack them like Niigata and Nagasaki did, with diagonal passes and quick changes in direction, we should be able to create enough chances on net to score goals. But keep in mind, the same things can be said about Ryukyu’s defense and we could easily see Gunma tearing apart our backline with the quality runs into the box by their attacking players.

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. Maintain Focus. Likelihood 1. Definitely the most important one as when Ryukyu check out of games, goals are scored, momentum is lost and points are dropped. Ryukyu’s preferred style of playing it out from the back seems to invite more pressure on a team that already concedes loads of possession and chances to the opposition. In fact, it feels as if there are large stretches of games where Ryukyu barely touches the ball and affords their opponents multiple chances on net with no Ryukyu answer in return. Starting fast and finishing strong our extremely important in games, but right now it seems that Ryukyu need to win the middle third of matches where they seem to be the most vulnerable right now.

The Hot Seat

Last week I wondered if Ryukyu failed to win against Okayama, would it be their worst start to any season since joining the J-League in 2014? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding yes. Even if Ryukyu win the match on Saturday, it is their lowest point total in the opening ten fixtures of any season and the first ever season to register less than double digit points by this point of a season. Also, a win would only tie the least amount of wins in the opening ten fixtures for any year they’ve spent in the J2.

Ryukyu’s lowest win total to open any season was two (2) back in 2020 but they did manage to earn ten (10) points by their 10th game in a non relegation year. Ryukyu’ previous point totals in ten matches since 2014: 11 points (2014 and 2015), 18 points (2016), 13 points (2017), 15 points (2018) while in the J3, but the stakes were not nearly as high as there was no fear of relegation, and the competition was not nearly as tough. Ryukyu grabbed four (4) wins from their opening four (4) fixtures in 2019 and had reached sixteen (16) points by match day ten, but managed only five (5) more wins the rest of the season. And we all recall the blistering pace Ryukyu were on in 2021 when they had twenty four (24) points by match day ten. Basically, Ryukyu are in some unchartered waters these days.

The point mark that usually symbolizes relative safety in the J2 hovers between 40-42 points. 2020 was an anomaly as there was no relegation that year but that total would’ve needed to be closer to fifty (50) points. Ryukyu currently sit on five points and don’t necessarily end seasons on the highest of highs. In fact, we usually succumb to a mid season slump which, if were repeated this year, would be the final nails in our coffin. There are thirty three (33) games remaining in which Ryukyu must somehow make it to at least 42 points. And when you are struggling for wins at this point of the season, there is no such thing as a let up in your schedule based on your opponents current standing in the table.

The next six (6) fixtures should really determine the fate of Kina as it is probably too condensed of a schedule to make a managerial change inside of that run of games, but does leave enough (hopefully) time in the fixture list to find a suitable replacement. Any replacement will likely need at least 5-7 games to install their system but will still have the opportunity to seek reinforcements in the summer transfer window. That is assuming the club is thinking the same thing and preparing to do as such.

J2 Round 10

So we get a taste of a top of the table clash between two of last seasons relegated teams when (1) Yokohama FC take on (4) Vegalta Sendai at home. And it also happens to be the featured match of the week on the free J-League International YouTube channel. What a treat! For the rest, it seems like a pretty straight forward fixture list of teams in the top half of the table against those in the bottom half with a few games interspersed among teams close to one another in the table. (17) Tokushima Vortis lost their first game of the season last week, have not scored a goal in four (4) games and face (20) Mito Hollyhock on the road in a game that some Ryukyu fans will probably be keeping a close eye on the results.

***Click>>>*** Yokohama FC vs Vegalta Sendai

Conclusion

We can hope, pray, and wish Ryukyu to victory all we want as fans but at the end of the day it comes down to the physical and mental preparations of the team as well as the desire and will of each member of the squad to succeed. Players may have great performances individually, but the entire team must put forth a good effort this weekend. Turnovers are inevitable in any game, but cannot be costly due to players losing focus. Conceding goals will happen, but cannot be treated as if we’ve already lost the game. Leads can, and have been, lost in games so we should never get complacent regardless of the score line. What we need is for a few veterans, on a team full of veterans, to take charge on both ends of the pitch. Yeah, the low point total sucks, but you need to start the climb up and out somewhere. We put our foot on the first rung of the ladder last week. Let’s take the first step up it this week.

(10) FC Ryukyu vs (19) JEF Chiba United #FC琉球

Intro

I think all of the Ryukyu fans are chomping at the bit to get another look at this team following a spirited performance on the road at Zelvia last week. In the initial preview of the season I mentioned there were several questions about this side that we as fans wanted to see answered. Well, we now know that Ryukyu is employing a 4-4-2 and doing so with six new members of the team in the starting roles. The formation, and those playing inside it, worked real well, but manager Kina noted in his pre-match interview that some players missed training time recently, but outside of a select few (Tanaka/Abe), I hope Kina doesn’t tinker with that which is not broken for the sake of legacy players.

Match Day Info and Weather Forecast

Looks very favorable for this weekend.

Click>>> Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

Team Previews

FC Ryukyu: Despite not winning, or scoring at Zelvia, Ryukyu need to build on the positives from that game. It would be nice to believe that some of the players feel as if they could have won that game and are motivated to come out win the season opener in front of the home crowd. But first they’ll need to tighten up the passing that was slightly off in the opening round as a they couldn’t quite connect on the key passes in and around the 18-yard box when it mattered most. There were more than a few occasions were Ryukyu also turned the ball over cheaply in some very dangerous areas to fuel a short Zelvia counter attacks and some nervy moments.

So let’s discuss some of the questions we had heading into the ’22 campaign. First, who would start in net? It seems as if Taguchi has retained his spot as the first choice keeper to begin the season. Second, what combination would Kina employ at CB? Well, I would say this was a total shocker when Kina started So Nakagawa (22) and Rio Omori (19), and they looked damn good! There are sure to be some up and down moments with these two but there is no way you can put those genies back in the bottle after their performance on opening day. Would there be a change at FB? These remained largely unchanged from last season and I just wonder when we will see the return of Tanaka on the right.

Third, will there be a new formation or new combination of midfielders? Yes, no longer employing Higuchi’s 4-2-3-1, Kina was able to bring some experienced players into the fold that would otherwise of had to compete for one of the two fullback positions. The two central midfielders for Ryukyu were also new players to the team with converted LB Takayuki Fukumura and Kazuto Takezawa, who made his J-League debut on Sunday. Fukumura looked very crisp with his passing and on set pieces and many people are raving about the performance by Takezawa. Ren Ikeda moved out of his central attacking MF role and over to the left with Yuki Omoto, who also converted from his normal RB spot, to man the right. Ikeda looked up for it early but then began to press the situation a little too much which led to some costly missed opportunities. But that is nothing that cannot be fixed within a short span of time.

Finally, who will lead the Ryukyu attack? Shinya Uehara and Yuki Kusano toed the line up top with both strikers bringing something different to the attack. There is no telling if Abe is currently dealing with an injury or was one of the players that missed time earlier due to CV protocols, but it will be interesting to see where he fits in when healthy.

It is only game and we should not get too far out in front of our skis but the initial signs are quite encouraging. If the Ryukyu lineup can be one based off of strength down the spine (GK-CB-MF-FWD) we will all be pleasantly surprised at the heights they could achieve. They will still need to answer the question of, can they avoid the number, and severity, of injuries that has plagued this team for the past three seasons and avoid the consistent mid-season slump? But that is for another discussion.

JEF Chiba United: If you think Ryukyu has something to prove on Saturday, JEF has even more at stake. JEF signed some notable free agents this offseason, including the former Ryukyu man in Koya Kazama, which made it seem, on the surface at least, that they may have assemble don of their strongest teams in recent memory to make a push back into the J1. And then splat! JEF were done in by newly promoted side Iwate Grulla Morioka 0-1 in front of the JEF home crowd.

I am not sure if JEF simply underestimated Iwate or they are going to struggle all season. Much like Ryukyu, there is only one data point to go on at the moment but that was not the most inspiring performance from JEF. Sure, they seem to be the brunt of many jokes and calamitous moments that have only served to fuel these jokes, but they could barely muster an attack against Iwate.

Iwate was dictating the pace of play early on and was rewarded with a spectacular opening goal from a set piece and they continued that trend throughout the game and nearly scored a second with JEF finally mounting an attack in the second half. The JEF players looked visibly upset after the opening goal and even more dejected as the final whistle blew. I think they were really unprepared for an opponent they didn’t know much about, but I don’t believe that will be the case this Saturday against Ryukyu.

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

Get after JEF early and often. Likelihood 3. JEF were on their heels all game and didn’t really respond to the pressure that was being applied. Possibly due to a new backline consisting of three CBs that have never played with another before or just a lack of clear direction from the manager. Either way, Ryukyu will need to tighten up the passing in the attack but could find even more space for which to operate with this opponent.
Maintain the aggression. Likelihood 4. Ryukyu were much more physical than we are used to seeing and will need to be just as aggressive against JEF. JEF may have one over on us in the height department this game but after watching Nakagawa and Omori deal with some of the stronger, more seasoned, strikers from Zelvia, I like our chances. This also includes set pieces when we get these two involved. JEF didn’t look particularly good defending set pieces against Iwate whereas Ryukyu looked a completely different side with their deliveries and finishing. There is no clearer example of this than seeing Nakagawa almost hammer home the opening goal of 22 for Ryukyu following a corner kick. Ask yourselves, when was the last time we saw a Ryukyu defender involved like that on a set piece?

Round 02 in J2

Fagiano Okayama vs Tokushima Vortis, along with Yokohama FC vs V-Varen Nagasaki, stand out as two of the bigger matchups this round though some will want to see how Iwate follows up their win at JEF when they travel to face FC Machida Zelvia. Much like Akita last year, and this year as well, Iwate will have to spend the first month of the season on the road due to concerns over the temperatures in those parts of Japan. At least for Iwate they will not have to travel to Okinawa during the high heat summer months as they head this way for Round 3.

Conclusion

Time to find out if Ryukyu can put in consistent, strong, performances week in and week out as well as to welcome back Koya Kazama who was a fan favorite during his time here at Ryukyu. Each side enters this match from a different perspective with JEF trying to prove that the first game was just a fluke and Ryukyu wanting to build on a solid performance and show everyone in J2 they mean business this year.