2019

Match Day 17 Information: (H) FC Ryukyu versus Zweigen Kanazawa (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium 06/08/2019, Kickoff 19:30

Weather Forecast: Wet and Windy. This game will be played in less than ideal conditions with rain starting earlier in the day and continuing through the match. Bring rain jackets, towels to wipe the seats and an umbrella.

Match Day 17 sees FC Ryukyu attempting to push their unbeaten streak at home to 30 while taking on 8^th placed Zweigen Kanazawa. The last time these two faced each other was during the inaugural J3 season in 2014 when Zweigen won the league and was the first ever J3 side to be promoted to the J2. Ryukyu enters this match fresh off a 2-1 loss on the road to Yokohama FC that saw them lose Danny Carvajal to a sprained foot that will sideline the Costa Rican goalkeeper for at least a month. Kanazawa drew 0-0 against Tokushima Vortis at home and are looking very eager to end the Ryukyu run of unbeaten games this Saturday. One bit of good news for FC Ryukyu is that this match should see the return of Okazaki at Center Back and provide some leadership and skill to cover the new FC Ryukyu goal keeper, Ishii.

Zweigen Kanazawa

The 4 matches I reviewed for this preview for Kanazawa included tilts against FC Gifu, Nagasaki, Yamagata and Tokushima. Against Gifu Kanazawa were able to grab a late winner after Gifu clawed back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the match. Kanazawa then went scoreless against their next three opponents and ended up losing one of those matches at home to Nagasaki to round out the 4 games with one win, two draws and a loss. Despite the fact that Kanazawa have scored 21 goals so far this season, 12 of those goals occurred within 3 matches and they have also been held scoreless 5 times. 3 of their scoreless games have occurred during the past 3 weeks leading up to this match versus FC Ryukyu and may very likely come to an end with the change at GK for Ryukyu and the overall approach to defending by FC Ryukyu.

Likely lineup & formation for Kanazawa. Note: # 2 will be out on suspension.

Kanazawa Players to Watch

Kanazawa have 4 players that have scored 3 goals so far this season with a majority of their goals coming from the strikers. There was not many highlights to watch in the 4 games so I am forced to make judgments on what players to watch based on the stat sheet.

#13 FW Ryuhei Oshi. 3 goals and 1 assist this season. Against Gifu he made a very nice play on a ball that was heading out of bounds and sent a dangerous cross into the box that nearly was directed into the back of the net. Likely that Oshi plays on the Left side behind the two strikers in the 4-4-2 formation.

#11 MF Kyohei Sugiura. 3 goals and 2 assists. Despite being listed as a MF on the JLEAGUE website, he plays up front in a forward position for Kanazawa.

#22 FW Giovanni Clunie. 3 goals and 2 assists. The Costa Rican striker has not featured in a match since week 12 against Fukuoka and is strangely not listed on the Japanese website I use to track injuries. He is a tall 6’3” (193cm) striker that would most likely give Okazaki, Masutani and Fukui fits at the back so I hope he doesn’t feature for Kanazawa this weekend as it looks like the goal less drought by Kanazawa has coincided with Clunie’s absence from the lineup.

FC Ryukyu

Likely lineup & formation. FCR will be without Danny Carvajal at GK.

FC Ryukyu face a stiff test this week as they look to increase their unbeaten run at home to 30. They will need to do so without the services of one of the team’s MVPs this season, Danny Carvajal. This means that FC Ryukyu will turn to Ryo Ishii to man the net during Danny’s absence and that means that FC Ryukyu really need to tighten up defensively at the back. Ryukyu failed to do this in the last 25 minutes of the Yokohama match and allowed Yokohama to take advantage of our misfortune by grabbing two quick goals shortly after Danny’s substitution. It was a shame too as Suzukii added an absolute top-notch strike to put Ryukyu out in front and it looked as if Ryukyu were going to grab a second before the injury. Regardless, FC Ryukyu are going to need to do all they can to grab maximum points at home with their current road form.

FC Ryukyu have 13 home matches left this season and need approximately 20-23 points to reach relative safety outside of the relegation zone. With a total of 39 points up for grab at home, that means FCR can only afford to drop points in 6 of those matches, or about half the games remaining. 4 of these home matches will be against teams in the top 6 with some of the other matches against teams that have already beat FCR this season.

FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory

1.) Do not allow Zweigen Kanazawa to exploit Ishii at the back. FCR needs to adopt the mentality of “total team defending” for this match. I agree that it goes against the team’s current ethos of attack, attack, attack, but the FCR attack has gone limp for some time now and we are most likely going to need to grind out some low scoring matches. Total team defending will mean our attacking players, Tanaka and Tomidokoro, must commit more to helping out in defense by providing top cover to Tokumoto and Nishioka. Tokumoto and Nishoka must also track back quickly when there are changes in possession to clog the channels and reduce the amount of space that Zweigen attackers can run into and occupy. Finally, we will need to be able to get the ball back and quickly turn to the counter attack led by Suzuki and Kazama as they’ll be the only two who can push forward if the attacking mid fielders in Yu and Keita are helping out on defense.

2.) Do not allow Zweigen to gain any momentum. They either score goals in bunches or simply cannot score.

3.) Exploit Zweigen’s defense on set pieces. One trend that emerged in the game film the past 4 matches for Kanazawa was the fact they concede a fair amount of opportunities and goals from set pieces, particularly corner kicks. While corner kicks are not the strong suit of the FC Ryukyu game, if FCR are able to earn enough of these set pieces, it is likely that FCR will score. It should also be noted that Kanazawa will be without the services of their starting LCB, #2 Yamamoto, who is out with a suspension. FCR should do all they can to exploit the new defensive pairing at the back for Kanazawa.

Match Prediction

2-2 Draw. FCR surrender goals too often and with a new goal keeper it is likely that the defense exposes Ishii and he concedes. I also believe FCR will score twice this week with the second goal leveling the match and keeping the streak intact.

Conclusion

Ishii flashed some skill in the Yokohama match despite conceding two early goals. Those were not totally his fault as the team in front of him provided no real support. During that match he made, at least what looked to be, some pretty spectacular saves. This could mean he was either slightly out of position and had to make a dramatic play on the ball to make up for poor positioning or, Ishii is actually that good. We will find out this weekend.

See you all out there this Saturday and do your best to stay dry in what could be a very wet, very sloppy affair at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium.

“The Fighting Pheasants” Match Day 14 Preview: Fagiano Okayama vs. FC Ryukyu

Match Day 14 Preview: (H) Fagiano Okayama vs. FC Ryukyu (A) at the City Light Stadium, Kickoff at 1700 5/19/2019.

Weather Forecast: Temperatures will be in the low to mid 70s with what looks to be rain early in the day and possibly continuing up to and through kickoff. Winds of 10-20 MPH are expected so this could be a very nasty, very messy match played out on a wet pitch. The rain is expected to end sometime in the early evening but I’d prepare for the worst and bring my wet weather attire for this game.

The match up this week features two evenly matched teams in Fagiano Okayama and FCR. Okayama return home after two weeks on the road that saw them lose both matches against Yamagata and Kyoto. FC Ryukyu on the other hand, are coming into the match having just handed Mito Hollyhock their first loss of the season which subsequently knocked them out of first place.

Fagiano Okayama: 12^th in J2 with 16 points 4W4D5L Current Form: DWDLL Typical Formation: 4-4-2

GF15 GA 16 = Goal Difference -1; Scored 11 goals at home while conceding 9 this season.

Home Record: 3W3D1L

Record against Common Opponents of FCR: (8 games) 2W2D4L

Fagiano where an interesting team to scout this week as I see a lot of similarities between them and FC Ryukyu. The teams are only separated by 4 points in the table, each has earned victories via shutouts only twice this year and they have both been kept off the score sheet only a handful of times. It would seem that this match will feature some scoring as each side scores and concedes plenty of goals.

In match day 10, Okayama was able to overcome a sluggish start and quick goal from a Vortis PK to win 2-1 behind goals from #9 Lee Yong Jae and #19 Hayato Nakama. Okayama nearly handed the match to Tokyo Verdy the following week when they gave up a late PK but Verdy were unable to convert the PK or follow on shot. Against one of the top seeds in J2 this year, Yamagata, Fagaiano conceded a first half goal but nearly pulled out the draw after #19 Nakama was able to win the ball back in the Yamagata end and send a cross to #9 Jae, whose header glanced off the crossbar. Fagainao’s last match against Kyoto saw them cede an early own goal to the hosts (though it wasn’t credited as such) followed by a very late goal in the 84^th minute that handed them a loss.

Okayama never looked out matched or outgunned in any of the 4 matches I reviewed for this preview. If anything, Fagaiano has started out a little sluggish only to come on later in matches and this is something that FC Ryukyu needs to exploit this week.

Okayama Players to Watch:

# 9 Lee Yong Jae FW. Leading Goal scorer on Okayama with 8 on the season, 6 in his past 6 matches and is the second leading scorer in J2 this year. Lee is a big, powerful forward that FC Ryukyu will struggle against. What separates Lee from other larger strikers in J2, like Jefferson Biaino from Yamagata and Olunga from Reysol, is his pace. His quickness was evident against Tokushima and when combined with his strength, makes Lee a formidable forward. Lee is also good at finding space in the defensive back lines of teams and can rise to meet crosses in the box. He is in top from right now coming into this match and FCR had better watch out.

#19 Hayato Nakama MF. Nakama is the second leading scorer on Okayama with 4 goals and one assist on the season. Together with Lee, these two represent 80% of the goals scored for Okayama on the year. Nakama is quite the playmaker with a very lethal left foot. In the four games I watched, he and Lee, are in synch with one another and seem to find the other often in the opponent’s end.

FC Ryukyu: 8^th in J2 with 20 points 5W5D3L Current Form: DLDLW Typical Formation: 4-2-3-1

GF 19 GA 15 Goal Difference of +4; FCR have scored 7 goals on the road and have conceded 9.

Away Record: 1W2D3L

Record Against Common Okayama Opponents: (8 games) 3W3D2L

FCR travel to the Okayama prefecture after having handed Mito Hollyhock their first loss of the season in a very tightly contested match. FCR were able to shut out an opponent for only the second time all season thanks in large part to the efforts by Danny Carvajal between the sticks. FCR scored early against Mito from an absolute bullet header from Koji Suzuki for his J2 league leading 9^th goal and he nearly doubled his tally shortly thereafter only to see his shot deflect over the top of the goal. Tokumoto nearly put the game out of reach late in the second half, which would’ve been a tremendous feat as Mito have yet to surrender multiple in goals in any game this year, but his shot hit the post and the resulting Tomidokoro rebound went high and wide. Nonetheless, FC Ryukyu earned a hard-fought win against the top team in J2 and secured that elusive 5^th win that has evaded FCR for the better part of 2 months.

FC Ryukyu will have some serious questions to answer this week after Okazaki picked up his fourth yellow card this year resulting in a one match ban. As I’ve mentioned on several occasions, the depth of the FCR back line is of great concern. Masutani has been forced to fill in the past 7 weeks at RB while Nishioka recovers from what I assume was an MCL, PCL or LCL sprain. I am not sure what FC Ryukyu’s plan will be for this week because we only have 3 healthy CBs, one of which is filling at RB, and haven’t tried any other player on the roster at RB in Nishioka’s absence. Does FCR slide Masutani back to his CB role and push #16 Arai into the RB slot, or, do they instead opt to start #30 Nishikawa at CB -who is always on the reserves for FCR matches – and keep Masutani at RB? These are tough questions for Higuchi to contemplate.

FC Ryukyu keys to victory:

1.) Stop the Okayama attack in the form of Lee and Nakama. Easier said than done in my mind. These two are wreaking havoc on the opposition as of late and in light of injuries and suspensions to the FCR back line, these two may prove fatal to FCR on the day. Nakama plays down the left which means he will run into either Masutani or Masutani’s replacement on Sunday. Nishiokoa was seen participating in warm ups last week but he had a large knee brace on. I doubt he is match fit and won’t be for another 2-3 weeks. I’d prefer that FCR start Masutani at RB as his speed should at least cover the quickness of Nakama. Nakama is a powerful player in his own right so Masutani must fight for positioning against Nakama at all times. I worry that so much of the FCR attack comes from our Right and Left Fullbacks that FCR could be severely punished on all counter attacks down the left.

As far as Lee is concerned, he must be marked on all set pieces. He can be seen taking some long runs into the box on set pieces to generate height and power for headers and FCR must get in the way of those runs. If you combine Lee’s ability to rise and meet headers with FCRs inability to defend set pieces, and now lack of height and experience at the back with Okazaki suspended, this seems like a recipe for disaster.

2.) Stretch the pitch laterally and pull the back line of the Okayama 4-4-2 apart. One of the easiest ways to create scoring opportunities against the 4-4-2 lineup is quick changes in direction. Tomidokoro, Tanaka and now Kazama up front need to be quickly passing it off down the flanks as this will create the mismatches in defensive coverage. From there, crosses into the box for Suzuki or over the central defenders to the other attacking Mid Fielders of Ryukyu should open up plenty of shooting lanes for the Ryukyu attack.

3.) FC Ryukyu need to start fast and get out to an early 2 goal lead. This will allow FCR to deal with the Okayama onslaught from Lee and Nakama and open up Fagiano for a 3^rd goal.

Match Prediction: Seeing how I am like 1-12 on the year so far with match predictions there really is no point in providing any educated guess. All I will say is that FCR could really benefit from their second road win of the season as the matches will get tougher from here on out for the boys from Okinawa. I like both teams to score and see this match ending 1-1.

For those of you staying in Okinawa to watch the match, please join me at the Arcade Resort Okinawa or Café Camp Nou (if it is open) to catch the game. Good Luck boys!

Golden Week Special #1: Reinventing the FCR Attack!

Golden week special #1 will focus on the FC Ryukyu attack, or better yet, what has happened to the FC Ryukyu attack the past few weeks. We will examine some possible formation changes and see if FCR has the personnel to execute any of these proposals.

1. The FC Ryukyu 4-2-3-1.

You are probably accustomed to this formation now even though it has some of its pieces swapped out over the course of the first 11 games. The were only a couple of times this season when we got a glimpse of what could’ve been with this formation. The opening match against Avispa Fukuoka saw the lineup that Higuchi was hoping to run out each week. It featured the starting 11 above and cruised to 3-1 victory. Week 2 against Omiya saw the first change due to a Tomidokoro injury but no one really noticed as Nakagawa and Uejo were on fire that day. We’d eventually get Tomidokoro back into the lineup but not before Nakagawa departed for Yokohama F Marinos. All in all, we had 1, just 1 match this season with the original 11 starting lineup.

In subsequent weeks FCR had to find replacements due to a Nakagawa transfer,
injuries to Uejo, Nishioka and Tanaka and the short week match up against JEF that required some much-needed rest for some of the starters. Because of all these factors FCR has only scored 8 goals over the last 8 matches compared to the 9 they scored in the first 3 games of 2019. Higuchi promised to continue the attacking style of play that FCR was so famously known for when he took over this off season, well now he needs to find a way to restore it to its former glory.

The remainder of this article will focus on some of the well-known formations that exist in football as well as those that may not, and how FCR could employ them. A football team cannot simply change their formation at a moment’s notice and expect it to net results right away. This is due in large part to the facts that the manager usually has a preferred style and sets his team up to support that style in addition to having conducted so much on the training ground in the preferred formation. Keep in mind, this is the real world, not FIFA19, you cannot alter formations and starters and drop the difficulty settings to achieve the results you want. Instead, I am proposing that the club to take a hard look at the assets they have on hand, or could possess later, and really think about how to make the FCR attack lethal once more.

2. 3-4-3

Uesato would drop back slightly to support the back 3.

“Using a 3–4–3, the midfielders are expected to split their time between attacking and defending. Having only three dedicated defenders means that if the opposing team breaks through the midfield, they will have a greater chance to score than with a more conventional defensive configuration, such as 4–5–1 or 4–4–2. However, the three forwards allow for a greater concentration on attack. This formation is used by more offensive-minded teams.” Straight out of Wikipedia and sounds exactly like FCR. We rarely keep clean sheets so there should be little concern about conceding as it seems every team has been attacking our original 4-2-3-1.

I think FCR could set up with a back 3 of Fukui, Okazaki and Masutani. The MF would consist of Tokumoto on the left, Uesato slightly deeper as a holding MF, Uejo pushed slightly forward to control the attack and finally a player like Koizumi out wide to the right. Up front would see Tomidokoro, Suzuki and Tanaka. Tokumoto and Koizumi would bear the most responsibility when it comes to back tracking and assisting in defense but this seems logical as Tokumoto already plays in an RWB role in the current formation and Koizumi has not had a lot of playing time this season so his legs should be fresh. It is unrealistic to ask the skill players of Tanaka and Tomidokoro to take on the task that Tokumoto and Koizumi will play and Uejo has just become a full 90-minute match fit this past weekend. Since FCR conducts so much of their attack down the flanks anyways, we could run Tokumoto and Koizumi ragged for about 60-75 minutes before bringing on Kawaii, Nishioka or Ochi to keep the attack fresh. There are several variations to this formation that FCR could tinker with but I believe FCR should only bring a player like Kawai on later in matches so we can maximize his speed.

A more traditional 3-4-3 set up. Tanaka drops back to provide service to the attacking players. Koizumi comes in as RWB/RMF to provide a spark.

3. 3-3-2-2

I have not seen much out there on this set up so I am not sure of all the nuances for players responsibilities but from the small visual representation here, it seems FCR would have to be very careful with possession in order to prevent too many counter attacks. Also, this formation may already exist under a different numbering system but boy do I like the way it forces FCR to lean into the attack.

I believe FCR would need to start with the speedy players and then alter or change their set up later in the match. This formation seems to send the message that you want to get out in front quickly in order to build a lead and then continue pounding the net until the players are exhausted.

I think in this formation we’d ask our back line to hold their positions and for players like Kawai and Tokumoto to “pinch” into the Central Mid Field areas when defending.

4. 3-4-1-2

This formation may see Tomidokoro providing better crosses/passes into the 18-yard box.

“3–4–1–2 is a variant of 3–5–2 where the wingers are more withdrawn in favor of one of the central midfielders being pushed further up field into the “number 10” play maker position.” Wikipedia again with this quote.

The last two formations have seen FCR put an additional forward up front to provide some relief to Suzuki. There is no doubt he is outstanding at the holdup play but someone needs to be making dangerous runs into the box so Suzuki can start finding open space in which to operate. By dropping Tomidokoro a little bit farther back I think FCR gains a play-maker that can put some very dangerous crosses and passes into the box.

5. 3-2-3-2

If FCR wanted to get out on the front foot quickly.

In this set up FCR would sacrifice some of the speed required for defending in order to put maximum pressure on the opposing defense. We would deplete the energy levels of Uejo and Tokumoto rather quickly as they’d have so much to do when tracking back on defense but this puts all of the FCR play makers forward in the attack.

6. 3-1-4-2

Allow some space for Suzuki and Uejo to run into.

Assuming we could cover and prevent all counter attacks with a back 3 and Uesato over top, FCR could play to its strengths by attacking from the flanks. By dropping Suzuki and Uejo back slightly from the more forward wingers in Tomidokoro and Tanaka, we may see better service into the box for our attackers. As evidenced by this past weekend, when Tomidokoro has time to pick out players in the box he can deliver and this formation will push him and Tanaka slightly wider to provide a little more precise crosses to Suzuki and Uejo.

The other option would be to swap Suzuki and Uejo out wide to where Tomidokoro and Tanaka were at in the previous formation. We know how lethal Tomidokoro and Tanaka are and this may free up some space for Suzuki and Uejo to create some mismatches running laterally into the box.

Allow Suzuki and Uejo to attack the 18-yard box from the flanks.

7. 3-2-2-3

That;s a lot of firepower orientated forward.

FCR would be asking Kawai and Koizumi to track back on defense while allowing Tomidokoro to pick out the runs made by Tanaka, Uejo and Suzuki up front. Assumption would be that Uesato still provides top cover to the back 3 and doesn’t get sucked into the attack without recovering back on defense.

8. 2-1-4-3

End of the match and FCR need an equalizer or the all important winner.

This formation is probably best reserved for some serious last-ditch efforts on net instead of how you want to start the match. 5 attackers are really 7 with the support provided by Tokumoto and Kawai down the flanks. Those two would need fresh legs to support all the defensive back tracking requirements so again this is probably best left to the end of matches when chasing an equalizer or winner. With that said, there are 5 of the best FCR players up front who can score from anywhere.

It was great experimenting with some of the formations FCR could employ with their current squad and I want to leave you all with one more. This one requires a transfer fee to be paid, contract to be signed and for those funds to be available.

So please bear with me as we travel down this fantasy path.

9. Defending set pieces with a player that has serious height.

Joao Gabriel is an interesting player for SC Sagamihara. He has all the traits you look for in an outfield player but if we think bigger than that, we see a player that can help see out tough match ups as well as provide chances at equalizing games or winning them very late. Keep in mind, Gabriel is not a direct replacement for either Suzuki or Wada, rather, he is there to provide a certain skill set that FCR desperately requires. It is obvious a lot of our matches will come to last minute equalizers, winners and losing goals so this guy could either prevent or provide those required services.

Imagine what it would be like defending corners or set pieces late with Joao’s presence. Suzuki could drop back into a counter attacking position,and since he is one of our best finishers, he should be the one getting on the end of counter attacks instead of having to start all of them.

Nothing like a little height at the back that can feast on high crosses sand clear them out of danger.

10. Set pieces late in games with the same player.

Instead of having to be pinpoint accurate with all the crosses coming into the box, FCR just has to be in the “general area.” What I mean by that analogy is that there is a lot more forgiveness in the errors of the cross if it is too high or off target with a player of Joao’s height roaming the area. FCR could be more inclined to send crosses into the box at higher elevations vice trying to maneuver into the box and attempt one more pass that may prove to be one more pass too many and derails our attack.

Set piece delivery from Tomidokoro or Uesato, That front line looks menacing to defend with Joao’s height up there.

Could prove difficult for teams to defend late in games and gives FCR a chance to equalize or win late.

Again, this was enjoyable but I don’t know if any changes will occur down here in Okinawa to revitalize our attack. Until the next time, enjoy your Golden Week.

Match Day 8 Preview: FCR vs Kashiwa Reysol

Match Day Info: 04/07/2019 (H) FCR vs Kashiwa Reysol (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium (Comprehensive Park) Kickoff at 1600.

Weather Forecast: Excellent! Temperatures will be in the high 70s (25C) at kickoff and pretty much remain constant throughout the entire match. It is expected to be slightly overcast with a 5mph wind. If you are sitting in Section A, I strongly encourage bringing a hat and or sunglasses for when the sun breaks through the clouds as you’ll be looking directly into the sun.

Match Day 8 sees former J1 club, Kashiwa Reysol, make their first ever visit to the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium. Match Day 8 is a culmination of 3 games in 8 days for both sides with each club entering the match from different perspectives. FCR lost its mid-week tilt against JEF United Chiba 1-0 while Kashiwa easily brushed aside V. Varen Nagasaki 3-0. This match will feature the #3 & #4 teams in J2 and was one I earmarked as a potential “thigh rubber” a few weeks back. This should be a very enjoyable match to watch so I hope to see a lot of people out there as I expect the Reysol fans to show in large numbers today.

Kashiwa Reysol: 3^rd in J2 with 15 points. 5W0D2L. Current Form WWLLW. Typical Formation 4-2-3-1.

Kashiwa required late goals against both Nigata and Kyoto to secure victory and they didn’t look particularly threatening in either case. Their loss to Okayama the following week at home could’ve turned out markedly different if any of the 3 shots that rattled the posts or crossbar had gone in, but ultimately, they allowed Okayama to hang around and push a late goal past them.

#26 Olunga for Reysol made his return to the lineup against Tokyo Verdy, a team which lost in the promotion/relegation playoffs last season to Jubilo Iwata. Verdy came out on the front foot and shell-shocked Reysol with 2 quick goals that were only 2 minutes apart in the first half. Reysol created a few more chances that match but they were not able to recover from the quick Verdy start or put one past the Verdy Keeper near the end of the game.

Against V.Varen Nagasaki, the other J1 cub that was relegated to J2 from last season, they looked much more lethal. The score line ended 3-0 in favor of Reysol but it could have ended much worse for Nagasaki as there was an offside goal called back for Reysol as well as several near misses that could’ve seen a score line closer to 6-0.

Players to Watch: #9 Cristiano FW. I can recall the first time I saw Reysol playing while living here in Japan was an Asian Champions League match back in 2015. Cristiano featured on that squad and ultimately that side made it to the quarterfinal of the ACL. My how the mighty have fallen and Reysol’s tumble out of the J1 should probably serve as a cautionary tale for many J League organizations. But back to Cristiano, he is the key play maker on Reysol. He is able to take part in both the build up of plays as well as finish plays off by putting well aimed shots on net. FCR would do well to know where he is at during all times.

#26 Olunga FW. He is a very tall, very powerful striker that will cause problems all day for FCR. As we’ve seen against other powerful strikers this season, think Baiano from Yamagata, FCR has a tough time dealing with their speed and power. I hope Okazaki and whoever else is at CB for FCR are well rested as this will certainly be a test. Olunga is 6’3” (1.90m) and he can rise really well for headers on set pieces so this will also challenge the FCR defense. Granted, his brace against Nagasaki saw some woeful defending by the guests and Olunga was able to freely roam the box and was unmarked on his headed goal.

#18 Yusuke Segawa MF. Segawa makes very nice runs in and around the 18-yard box and is an excellent complimentary piece to the aforementioned attackers for Reysol. He is powerful in his own right and will test both Tokumoto and Nishioka down the flanks all game. He has one goal on the season but has registered 24 shots in all competitions.

FCR: 4^th in J2 with 14 points. 4W2D1L. Current Form WWDDL. Typical Formation 4-2-3-1.

FCR is coming off their first loss this season after their mid-week match against JEF. The game featured several changes to the FCR lineup with the notable switch to RB for Masutani. FCR was unlucky to convert some of the chances they had for a goal but it was an encouraging performance by the boys on the road.

Considering this is the 3^rd game in 8 days for FCR there may be some lineup changes for this match as well. Uesato didn’t feature this past game and I hope it wasn’t due to injury. We will absolutely need him out there today to command the midfield for FCR. Tomidokoro and Uejo came off early against JEF so I fully expect to see them in the starting lineup today. I do not know if we will see both Suzuki and Tanaka start as they both played the full 90 minutes on Wednesday.

Keys to FCR Victory: 1.) Shock and Awe approach. If FCR can get out to an early lead it maybe all they need against Reysol. All of Reysol games this season have featured them either winning by shutting out their opponent or losing by failing to score. There is one exception but I am not counting the Levain Cup matches. In games that Reysol lost, they were unable to unlock the opponents defense and lacked a bit of creativity. An early lead could prove massive for FCR.

2.) FCR must play within themselves. If they are facing a deficit, FCR needs to approach the match in similar fashion to JEF. Reysol is not the best defending team, as some of their score-lines would suggest, and opponents have been able to get in behind the back line and create problems for Reysol. Depending on the FCR injures and lineup, Kawai’s speed down the flanks could prove troubling for Reysol and it will be interesting to see how we employ him this match.

3.) Full team effort on defense. Reysol has some serious firepower in Olunga, Cristiano and Segawa and while it is impossible to cover all 3 at any one moment, FCR would do well to have their MFs drop back in support of the Left and Right defensive backs. Tokumoto and Nishioka will be tested and we can certainly assume that Okazaki and either Fukui or Masutani will be dealing with Olunga which leaves Cristanio open as the CAM. Strong defensive play through the middle of the pitch will be key for FCR and we will need to limit the number of crosses into the box as Olunga’s height may prove too much for our CBs.

Game Prediction: Unlike some of Reysol’s previous matches in J2, I don’t believe this one will be a shutout and I see both teams scoring on the day. FCR may get lucky and see Reysol rest some of their notable players due to an approaching mid-week fixture in the Levain Cup but we will have to wait and see. Reysol has played two more games than FCR this season with the Levain competition and the only other time Reysol made wholesale changes to their lineup was the first round of the Levain competition back in early March. Personally, I’d love to see a player like Cristiano, who has featured in every minute of Reysol’s past few matches, take a rest today but again, we’ll have to wait and see.

I hope that the FCR faithful and Okinawa community show up in full force for this match as I fully expect the Reysol fans to turn up in large numbers. This will make for a great footballing atmosphere and exciting match. See you all out there!

Match Day Recap: FCR 2 – 2 Renofa Yamaguchi FC 3/30/2019

FCRs first match of 3 in 8 days was another tightly contested battle that required a late goal by Koji Suzuki to secure a point. On a day that saw FCR dominate the possession, as well as the shots on net, FCR were unable to come away with the full 3 points.

FCR came out in their typical 4-2-3-1 with one notable change up front. Uejo started in the CAM role and Tomidokoro started out wide as he did earlier this season. Unfortunately for FCR, Renfofa employed the same CB paring from their last match that limited the freedom of movement in the back that so many of Renofa’s earlier opponents enjoyed.

Once again, the first 15 minutes of this match saw FCR starting slowly and affording Renofa all the early opportunities to take the lead. FCRs best chance in the opening half happened in the 18^th minute when Uejo was set loose from a pass by Tanaka but he couldn’t get it past the GK while getting closed down by the Renofa DF.

FCR started the second half quickly by creating multiple chances on net followed by the opening goal of the game in the 52^nd minute. This was the 6^th time this season, and 6^th in a row, that FCR scored first. The play started with Uesato sending a cross field pass to Nishioka, who then did a very nice step over to get past the Renofa defense, and then sent a cross into the box. The cross landed near Tomidokoro, whose shot was deflected by the Renofa Defense but eventually ended up on the head of Suzuki. There have been multiple occasions this year when FCR was on the wrong end of deflected crosses/shots and it was nice to see us capitalize on the misfortunes of our opponent. This joyful feeling would be short lived as Renofa quickly equalized.

Just 4 minutes later Carvajal had a momentary lapse in judgement and casually turned the ball over to a Renofa FWD while attempting to fool the Renofa player,instead of clearing it. The Renofa player easily slotted it home in a wide-open net. In America, this would be called a “brain fart.” Renofa was able to add to their lead 2 minutes later when Nishioka made a horrible giveaway in the MF and then followed that up by failing to track the run of the Renofa FWD who was able to get past him and put a header past Carvajal. This would be the first time all season that FCR would be forced to play from a deficit.

Uejo nearly tied the match in the 66^th minute when a fortuitous bounce landed at his feet with only the Renofa defender on the line to beat for an equalizer. However, his shot went right to a defender and FCR was still down 2-1 requiring the boys to press for a goal.

When your football team is forced to play from behind, you always hope that the team has the ability to score. This is hardly the case with several teams in the J2 this year, and is a massive strength for the FCR team. I know that no matter what, FCR has the firepower and skill, to press for goals when called upon. This will inevitably lead to some matches where FCR will over commit and get caught out but also allow FCR to grab a late equalizers and winners. This could be considered the “Razors Edge.”

Strangely enough the coach opted to sub out Tanaka (70’), Uejo (76’) and Tomidokoro (88’) prior to the equalizer. This indicates to me that the JEF United match may see these guys as short-lived starters or late subs so as to save their energy for Kashiwa. Either way, Koji Suzuki’s second goal of the match, and 8^th on the season, was an absolute gem.

Kawai, who came on for Tanaka, sent a beautiful cross into the box that Suzuki was able to run under and then put a header past the Renofa GK. This was definitely considered a “strikers’ goal” and was so massive for the squad and the 3,800 people that showed up for the match. From them on, Carvajal was called upon to make several nice saves to keep the draw intact.

Match Takeaways: FCR came close to taking the lead on several occasions but couldn’t capitalize. FCR also had some serious lapses in judgement when it came to defending and passing. Carvajal was guilty of the first blunder but Nishioka was very culpable on the second goal. If FCR wishes to do anything, mental errors need to be squashed as we need every single point we can get.

Looking back to my match preview article I hinted at a few keys for this game: 1. Suzuki should feast, and did with 2 goals! 2. FCR should control the MF and they did with 60% possession. 3.) The Renofa GK has an injury that FCR should exploit. FCR did not exploit as much as I was anticipating. 4.) This could be a trap game for FCR and it was. No doubt we should’ve taken 3 points so we are only left to wonder what could have been.

Well I hope the boys are already on mainland Japan and getting some rest for the quickly approaching fixture vs JEF. I am very interested in the starting lineup next match and will put this out there for any followers. If you predict the starting lineup with greater accuracy than me, I’ll make a $100.00 donation in your name to a charity of your choice. There are 11 players you need to select correctly on a short week so choose wisely. I’ll provide mine on Monday with the JEF match preview so please DM me on Twitter or post to this blog.

See you in a few days.

Match Day 6 Preview: FCR vs Renofa Yamaguchi FC

Match Day Info: 03/30/2019 (H) FCR vs Renofa Yamaguchi FC (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium (Okinawa Comprehensive Park) Kickoff at 1800.

This week’s match-up pits table toppers FCR vs bottom of the table Renofa Yamaguchi FC. The last time these two teams met was during the 2015 J3 season where Renofa beat FCR three times, outscoring the Bengara Boys 11-3, during their march to the J3 title. However, that is in the past and these are two different teams in the 2019 J2 season.

Overall Series Record: Renfoa Yamaguchi FC W3D0L0 – FCR W0D0L3

Weather Forecast: The rain should subside in the early morning giving way to partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the low 70s (22 degrees Celsius) for kickoff. There will be a 10-13 mph wind during the entirety of the match so bring a light jacket. There is only a 5% chance for rain during the game but having lived here for so long, the weather could change quickly so be prepared.

Renofa Yamaguchi FC: 21^st in J2; W1D0L4 Current Form: LLWLL Typical Formation 4-1-2-3

The start of the 2019 J2 season saw Renofa lose a hard-fought battle, 2-1, against Kashiwa Reysol at home. Renofa created several chances that game and from the limited highlights I saw on YouTube, it looked to be a very pacey end to end match. I am not sure of the circumstances surrounding the change at GK after this match but Renofa opted to drop #17 Yoshimitsu for #33 Yamada. To be honest, I didn’t see much justification for this so we have to assume that Yoshimitsu got hurt or has been outperformed on the training ground by Yamada.

Yamada’s first start against Kofu is one he would like to forget. He had two howlers that led to two goals for Kofu. The first was at the 2^nd minute mark of the game when he was casually attempting to clear the ball from his own end and was closed down by Utaka of Kofu. Yamada really took his sweet time attempting to make this clearance and it allowed Yutaka to make up ground and deflect the ball into the back of the net. Kofu scored shortly thereafter when the two CBs were ripped apart by Utaka who then rounded Yamada and slotted it home. Yamada’s second blunder was similar to his first, he was attempting a clearance, was closed down by the Kofu player, slipped and sent the ball directly to a Kofu player on the edge of the box who easily shot past him and the Renofa player on the goal line. Kofu would score one more time, on what could’ve been called a hand ball, but it didn’t matter as the game was already out of reach for Renofa.

Match day 3 saw Renofa playing in their second consecutive match with a 5-2 score line, but this time they would be on the better end of the outcome against JEF United. JEF United didn’t do itself any favors at home as their GK had his own blunder that led to a Renofa goal and that was quickly followed by a JEF player being sent off for a very poor challenge. However, it took Renofa 33 minutes to add to their score line despite the man advantage. JEF was able to pull within 1 goal of Renofa before an 88^th minute corner kick by JEF quickly went the other direction and Renofa scored. The play was one of those ones where JEF had committed so many men forward in hopes of tying the match but got caught on the break with their goalie way out of position because most of the JEF outfield players where in the box for the corner. The Renofa player took a long shot from just over the halfway line that bounced off the post and rolled back to the waiting Renfoa player who tapped it in. Renofa would score one more time at the feet of #4 Takai who scored a brace on the day.

Versus Ehime on Match Day 4 all the action took place in the first half. All 3 goals scored by both sides occurred within the first 36 minutes where Renofa conceded the first two on a PK and a breakdown at the back. Renofa’s goal was also a breakdown at the back by Ehime but other than that, there was not much in this game.

Finally, Renofa’s most recent match versus Tochigi was the first game this season that Renofa was unable to score. Tochigi capitalized on the 3^rd PK given up by Renofa this season and that was is it as far as goals for this match. Renofa did make one major change to their lineup this game in that they dropped the Center Back pairing of #15 Doston & #13 Kusumoto in exchange for #49 Kikuchi & #2 Tsuboi. Doston and Kusumoto have been brutal all year and they were constantly being beat and exposed down the middle so it was obvious that the coach needed to make a change. While Renofa didn’t concede a goal from open play during the match, the CBs performed only slightly better than the original pair. There were a couple of occasions where the Tochigi forwards were able to get behind the Renofa CBs but nothing came of these opportunities.

Renofa Yamaguchi Players to Watch:

#24: Keita Yamahita FW. Leading goal scorer for Renofa with 3 so far this season. He had a brace against Kofu as well as one against JEF but he also moves very well in and around the 18-yard box. He’s probably the one-man FCR needs to mark throughout the match.

#4 Kazumi Takai MF: Second leading scorer on the team with 2. These goals came at the end of the match versus JEF so I wouldn’t read too much into it other than the man can finish when called upon.

#19 Masato Kudo FW. Has one goal so far this season and it was against Ehime. Kudo has started the last 3 matches and adds a nice attacking element to the Renofa front 3. He takes quality shots on net so FCR will need to keep a close eye on him in and around the box.

#7 Paulo Junichi Tanaka MF. Seems to be one of their best play-makers and also takes quality shots on net.

#33 Genki Yamada GK. Genki was wearing a knee brace or his knee or it was heavily taped this past match. If that is the case this week it is safe to assume his movement will be hindered and FCR needs to test him early and often. Hard shots that require him to get low may prove very beneficial to FCR.

#15 Doston & #13 Takumi Kusumoto CB. If one, or both, of these guys are in then FCR should feast. Their play was so bad over the first 4 matches that there had to be wholesale changes at the back with both being swapped out. Again, if they are in, then there will be goals.

FC Ryukyu: 1^st in J2; W4D1L0 Current Form: WWWWD Typical Formation 4-2-3-1

FCR comes in to this match as the overall leader in J2. They were able to earn a hard-fought point on the road against Yamagata while contending with harsh weather and long travel. FCR did not score from open play that match but rather relied on a twice taken PK by #9 Suzuki for their loan goal. Yamagata was able to equalize at the end of the match in the 88^th minute in what could be called a busted play where the ball took several awkward bounces and deflections before it fell right on the head of a rising Yamagata player in the 6 yard box.

The prior 5 matches for FCR is really a tale of two teams. In the first 3 matches FCR scored 9 goals and their movement was excellent. Teams were finding life difficult handling the FCR thrust forward and it allowed the team many open running lanes and passing lanes. The last two matches however, the attacking prowess FCR once displayed has taken a back seat to a more controlled, defensive minded approach.

I don’t believe this was a tactical change on the part of FCR but rather just the way the past two opponents execute their game plan. Tokushima enjoys large spells of possession and Yamagata severely limits the amount of opportunities for their opponent. Both of those teams really crowded the MF and made it difficult for FCR to navigate out of that traffic and towards the net. This is not going to be the case with Renofa as there was nothing in the tape that I saw that indicates this team can stop the attack of FCR.

FCR Keys to Victory: 1. An absolutely unrelenting, unforgiving attack straight at the back line of Renofa. This game sets up very well for #9 Suzuki to feast in front of goal. However, that will require the FCR MF combination of #11 Tanaka, #14 Uejo and #10 Tomidokoro finding open passing lanes to set Suzuki free as well as provide quality service to the FCR striker. This can be done as the CBs are the weakest part of the Renofa defense. Renofa also concedes a lot of PKs because their defenders are out of position and are forced to make rash challenges to stop the pressure. Quick movements in the box by FCR could also prove fruitful.

2. Test the Renofa GK. I mentioned earlier that he may have an injury that could limit his lateral and/or vertical movement. Anyone who has played sports knows that there are some injuries you can play through but you will be limited physically and sometimes mentally out of fear of making the injury worse during the game. Press him every time he has the ball as he’s displayed his penchant for making bad decisions as well as turning the ball over way to easy.

Game Prediction: If FCR can control the pace of the game and continually test the Renofa GK then there is no reason FCR cannot win this game. FCR enters a very tough stretch of fixtures in a rather short period of time this week as they will play 3 matches within 8 days that includes traveling during the mid-week. This means the FCR manager must make a few tough calls in these games because the depth and talent of the FCR squad are sure to be tested this week.

I wrote earlier this week about sometimes getting ahead of yourself or setting expectations too high when viewing the fixture list. It is perfectly acceptable to do this as a fan because it’s just what we do, but for the club it is a very different story. As Ben Maxwell from “The J-Talk Podcast” (@JTalkPod) so rightly pointed out this past week,” the J2 is a marathon and not a sprint,” and therefore FCR cannot afford a trip-up this early that leads to them pressing for points and looking up to see that half the table has leaped over them in a matter of weeks. FCR probably has noticed that they are playing the bottom two teams in succession followed by the overall second place team in Kashiwa Reysol. The fixture lineup couldn’t be better but it will require not falling victim to the early “trap games” and then the titanic fixture next weekend.

Often there are times in sports when a far superior team falls victim to a lesser team because there is a much stronger team on the horizon. This is considered a “trap game.” This could occur because the powerful team has either overlooked or played down to the level of their competition and in the case of FCR, there are 2 such matches preceding the Kashiwa match. FCR needs to view each match separately and not as a combination of all three. It is critical that FCR continue to win points this early in the season and not concern themselves with the overall standings in J2.

Hopefully FCR can jump out to a big enough lead against Renofa and be able to rest certain key players. I have little doubt that there will be lineup changes over the first 2 matches because all 11 players cannot play all 3 matches. It comes down to a matter of where FCR thinks they can get maximum points versus their opponent. One strategy would be to target the Renofa and JEF matches and then rest players against Kashiwa so as not to risk injury. The other is to rest against JEF and come back with the same lineup against Kashiwa. Either works and it truly depends on the manager. As a side note, while JEF is bottom of the table and in turmoil with the recent managerial change, they could also bust out in a big way by taking advantage of the short week fixture at home against FCR. JEF had a lot of fight in their last match despite losing and I wouldn’t view them as “cellar dwellers” all season.

In closing, I want FCR to come out and pummel Renofa at home for the above reasons as well as because it would represent another historic moment for this club. 25 matches unbeaten at home is such an honor and would mean so much to FCR and its supporters. As always, I’ll be in the north end of the stadium right next to the England Flag so stop on over and say hi. See you at the #fortressryukyu!

Match Day 5 Recap: Montedio Yamagata 1 – 1 FCR 3/24/2019

FC Ryukyu was chasing history this week when they traveled to the Yamagata Prefecture to take on Montedio. Unfortunately, history will have to wait as the boys were able to earn a draw against a tough Yamagata side in less than ideal footballing conditions. Let’s not take anything away from the result because it is still positive points earned on the road in the early part the season that will pay dividends later this season. Also, it leaves FCR at the top of the J2 table when the other teams around them stumbled this weekend.

As mentioned above, the weather in Yamagata was around 40 degrees at kickoff with some wind and that’s pretty cold for a football match. For the first 15 minutes, FCR looked very sluggish while giving away the ball far too easily from bad passes. On the other hand, Yamagata looked up for it and created all the early chances in the match. I wrote in the match preview that #9 from Yamagata, Jefferson Baiano, would create all sorts of problems for the FCR back line and therefor it was Okazaki who drew the marking duties. While Okazaki performed admirably in the first half by keeping Baiano off the score sheet, it was evident that Baiano’s power would be too much for the two FCR center backs to handle all game.

FCRs first chance of the match came in the 18^th minute when Uesato found Nishioka on a cross from a corner kick but the ball took a weird bounce that seemed to surprise Nishioka and thus he couldn’t generate any power or accuracy for the header. A cheap giveaway by Montedio in the 21^st minute led to a long over the top ball from Uesato that was able to pick out the run of Suzuki. He initially split the two Yamagata CBs but his first touch took him out wide left and left him with a bad angle to shoot. He looked like he may have been fouled on the play but he was just losing his balance as his shot ultimately hit the side netting. Just one minute later, Yamagata was allowed to get one of their long balls over the top through to Baiano who overpowered Okazaki on his way to the net. Thankfully, he scuffed the shot and it rolled harmlessly wide to the right of Carvajal and over the touch line.

The remainder of the first half saw two more chances of note for FCR. First, Masutani was able to pick out Tokumoto on a very long cross from the FCR end. The Yamagata defender misjudged the ball in the air and this led to an opportunity for FCR. Tokumoto was all alone on his run into the left side of the Montedio box but instead of carrying the ball deep into the box, he opted to pass early back across the box and it was nearly intercepted by Yamagata. He was able to get the ball back but his cross was dealt with by Montedio. The second chance came from #6, Kazama, who had a ball fall to him near the top right part of the Yamagata 16-yard box but because of the bounce it took, he was only able to attempt a chip over the keeper that found the top netting.

FCR started the second half much better than the first and the game seemed to open up to both sides. Each side created a couple of chances in the first 15 minutes of the half but none threatened the goal. In the 62^nd minute, Tomidokoro was able to draw a foul in the box that gave FCR a PK. Before I go into the details surrounding the PK, I’ll admit that I didn’t see much in play that led to this being called a PK. The replays were not great from DAZN but I assume the Yamagata defender either pushed Tomidokoro from behind or took his feet out from underneath him, but I couldn’t see either. While I am a massive fan of FCR and it would be easy to simply not care since it ultimately led to my team being awarded a PK, I have to rightfully admit that it may not have been a penalty.

Things then took an interesting turn for both teams once Suzuki lined up over the ball. Suzuki’s attempt was a low shot just to the right of the keeper that the Yamagata goalie was able to stop. However, the goal keeper was yellow carded for coming off of his line too early and FCR was allowed to retake the kick. That call may have also been a bit harsh because I assume the referee could make that same call on 99% of all PKs taken but I’ve rarely seen it awarded. The ensuing chess match between Suzuki and the Yamagata goal keeper saw Suzuki shooting at the same spot, albeit a little harder, while the Yamagata keeper dove in the opposite direction. FCR 1-0.

This was the 5^th time in 5 matches that FCR was able to score first. Naturally, the match really opened up at this point and there were several chances by both sides. Baiano almost tied the game on a nice cross but his header went high over the bar. Kawai, who came on in place of Tomidokoro, miss hit a wide-open opportunity and then Uejo attempted a weak shot from the right side despite being sprung loose on a nice pass from Suzuki.

The last 7 minutes of the match were by far the most intense and saw Yamagata tie the match in the 87^th minute. A nice cross by #4 Miki wasn’t properly dealt with and a deflection came to Baiano, whose header bounced off the bar, and fell right to a Yamagata player, who was emerging from the carnage in front of Carvajal, who then calmly headed it into the back of the net. It was heartbreaking to concede a goal that late but that was the theme this weekend in the J2 were there were so many late goals that either sunk or saved a team.

Now, no one could fault FCR if they wished to secure the draw and see out the rest of the match by packing their own box and sending long clearances down range. To their credit, FCR never let up and they continued their attacking style of play that led to some of their best chances of the game.

In the 90^th minute Nishioka should’ve passed to a streaking Suzuki but he opted to shoot. Kawai had a chance in the 91^st minute but he could get any power behind his shot. Tanaka picked out #19, Ochi, whose header from a difficult angle surprised everyone when it hit the cross bar. Of course, these FCR chances came at a cost as Yamagata was able to create few of their own. The nerviest moment in stoppage time was a low hard shot on net by Montedio that was blocked and cleared out of danger. The final play of the match saw FCR streaking down the pitch on a counter attack with a serious man advantage but Suzuki took the shot himself and maybe missed Nishioka on his right who could’ve run free into the box and possibly passed to it someone who found themselves wide open. However, the Suzuki shot sailed high and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

There a few takeaways from the match that I noticed. First, FCR started very slow and their bad passing allowed far too many opportunities for Yamagata. I am not sure if it was the cold temperatures, the long travel or a combination of both but thank goodness this was the farthest trip East FCR will have to make all season barring any ridiculous scheduling for the Emperor’s Cup. Second, FCR did well to limit the amount of free kicks and corners by Yamagata but it was ultimately a free kick that once again was the undoing of FCR. Third, Baiano was a handful for the FCR defense and players with similar build and disposition will cause problems throughout the season for FCR. Fourth, Yamagata really attacked our left side today and was exploiting the lackluster performance on defense by Tokumoto. Tokumoto was rounded far too easily by the Yamagata mid fielders on several occasions and this led to multiple chances for the home team. Fifth, despite FCR having 59% possession on the day, a majority of that was in the FCR end. FCR, as predicted by me, created very few opportunities from open play and couldn’t exploit any of them for a goal. While this was to be expected from their opponent, it is a worrying a trend I see emerging. Yamagata really crowded the MF and FCR lacked any creativity to unlock Yamagata defense. On a much lighter note, the last thing I noticed was that Keita Tanaka is really good at employing the so called “dark arts” of football. Dark Arts are considered to be deception, diving and professional fouls and I enjoy watching him work every week. I say this because he was almost booked for simulation when he was able to make it look as if he was dragged down in the box but the referee saw Tanaka hook the arm of the Yamagata defender and bring him down on tip of him.

In closing, nothing but praise for a job well done by FCR who were able to get positive points on the road against a tough opponent in harsh weather conditions. It is easy to be critical of FCR for making mistakes but this is the path of a newly promoted team who has been consistently asserting themselves over stronger competition this season. There will be struggles for sure, but with those struggles comes experience, and it is better to be at the top of the table earning points than starring up at it from the bottom wondering where and when you will earn the points needed to stave off relegation.