It seems that no amount of goals scored by Ryukyu are enough to protect any lead. Ryukyu once again surrendered a late goal that led to another draw at home with points dropped in an extremely tight relegation battle. Not even the usual, momentum shifting, goal right before halftime was enough to carry us over the line. There are just twenty three (23) games remaining this season and Ryukyu will almost need to take 25 points from those matches if they hope to survive.
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. Execute shots from distance, pepper Vortis with crosses into the box, and for god’s sake, score from a set piece. Likelihood 1. We did and we still didn’t win. The set piece was a PK but both shots from Nakano and Tomidokoro were from distance. It was so great to finally see goals of that quality scored in front of the Ryukyu supporters section and just a shame they were wasted in another draw.
Match Day 19 Takeaways
1. Ryukyu played one of their best games of the season and it still wasn’t enough to get the win. This game was a six-goal thriller with a little bit of everything that included multiple PKs and four nice goals during the run of play. The match was evenly contested by both sides with each team having really good looks on goal. There were also some good player battles between Shinya Uehara and Caca, as well as Keita Tanaka and Kazuki Nishiya. In the opening half, Vortis looked more lethal with their shots on net, but Ryukyu were controlling large portions of play and knocking on the door. After trading PKs in the first half, Ryukyu, for the first time in a long time, were playing some spirited football in the opening twenty minutes of the second half.
Ryukyu were rewarded with a spectacular goal from Nakano on the edge of the 18-yard box. Ryukyu followed this up with three close calls on net (Tanaka, Uehara, Kanai) but failed to push the lead to two goals before Vortis equalized in the 85′ minute. But then out of nowhere, Yu Tomidokoro sent an absolute screamer from about 25-yards out into the top corner of the net to once again give Ryukyu the lead. Unfortunately, and so indicative for how the season is going for Ryukyu, they surrendered a goal from a CK on the very last play of the game.
Ryukyu have been extremely poor when it comes to defending, and scoring, from CKs this season which shows us that they haven’t learned much during their time in the J2. It isn’t a matter of defenders not defending, but rather midfielders defending set pieces. Poor Yu, the hero just moments earlier, was caught in no man’s land on the last shot and didn’t know whether to track a runner on the outside or the man directly in front of him who found the space to score. Probably something that stems from the multiple set piece goals conceded by Ryukyu this season were opposing players are constantly getting free near our defensive lines. Heartbreaking for the fans in attendance.
2. Another injury to deal with. Ryukyu finally put out a lineup that seemed to work and work well but Lee Yong Jick, who was having an off night thanks to a foul leading to a PK, was carted off in the 80th minute following a kick to his lower right leg/ankle in the 77th minute. He carried on for a bit but it seemed he was in too much pain to see out the match. No coincidence that Ryukyu conceded a goal a few minutes later and hopefully it is nothing more than a knock that will just be sore for a few days. In the mean time it is back to the drawing board to figure out another lineup. If Yong Jick is set to miss anytime, that leaves with just one healthy CB on the roster, Omori, which could force Makito Uehara, or never used Yusuke Murase into the lineup. Not what we need right now despite the owner promising some offensive reinforcements when the transfer window opens up on July 15th.
3. When results wane, anger and focus shifts to external factors that seem to be acting against you. Ryukyu have found themselves at the mercy of the referee in three consecutive matches. First, they were not allowed to execute a CK at the end of the Kofu match. Second, the blatant handball no-call at Omiya near the end of that game. And lastly, the Vortis CK after the 5 minutes of allotted time had expired. Sure, had anything other than a Vortis players scoring would’ve probably drawn the whistle, but luck is not on our side right now. If we can’t even catch a few breaks along the way, I am not sure we will be able to stave off relegation. Just some consistency from the leagues referee’s would be a welcome sign.
Round 19 in J2
FC Ryukyu got the help they needed from teams at the top of the table, but Tokyo Verdy couldn’t get past Omiya Ardija, who looked the far better side in the second half of that game and should’ve won. Albirex Niigata continued their push for promotion but handing Montedio Yamagata their first loss in nine (9) matches. Lastly, Zweigen kept Morioka at the foot of the table with winner in the 80th minute.
Conclusion
More injuries and questions but the same amount of concern and frustration. It must feel as if the weight of the entire world is on the shoulders of everyone at the club and since we haven’t exactly put ourselves in a position to succeed this year, we are leaving it very late for a miracle. Enter the Emperors Cup match with Omiya on Wednesday. Not sure who is going to play with our current injury crisis, players out on international duty and no news from the club on the status of some of our players. Just what we needed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Weather Forecast
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
Tokyo Verdy
FC Ryukyu
Rivalry Week
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 40 in J2
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.
FC Ryukyu opened this year’s series against Mito with a 2-0 win at the K’s Denki stadium back on Match Day 7. Two goals in quick succession from Shintaro Shimizu and Koki Kiyotake allowed Ryukyu to break the deadlock in a tightly contested affair in which both sides had numerous chances to take the lead. FC Ryukyu have had the better of Mito Hollyhock to date as they’ve won the last three matches; scored multiple goals in all of those games; and shutout Mito twice. Ryukyu also own the series with 4 wins to Mito’s 1. But Mito’s lone win over Ryukyu came at a time when Ryukyu were dealing with several injuries, most notably at GK, in which Inose, at 19 years of age, made his J2 debut in net against Mito in 2019. Ryukyu ended up losing that game 3-1. What I am trying to say is that this game, unlike the previous three where Ryukyu had their full complement of starters, is shaping up much the same way as that 2019 loss.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Previous Round Highlights
Team Previews
FC Ryukyu
FC Mito Hollyhock
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Prediction
Round 25 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast and Match Day Information
A calm evening to enjoy football from the comfort of your home while Okinawa is under a state of emergency.
FC Ryukyu: Three wins in their last five, 10 points from a possible 15, yet only one clean sheet during that time. Actually, Ryukyu have only mustered two clean sheets in their last twelve matches so it seems we’re heading back to our roots. Sure, much of this is contributed to the bevy of injuries, but with Dany Carvajal now healthy, will Higuchi turn to the man who was once the Ryukyu #1?
Inose has proven himself a worthy fill in for both Taguchi and Dany during their injury spells, but I feel we need to get Dany involved these next few games heading into the crucial month of September. Inose has started eight games amassing four wins, two draws and two losses. He has conceded 8 goals during that span and recorded two shutouts in the process. Decent enough numbers when you look at the won/loss record I suppose, and it’s not realistic to think that any keeper can keep a clean sheet every match. This is a team game of course. But luckily for Ryukyu, Inose’s starts coincided with a rather easy schedule: Kitakyushu twice, Omiya, Sagamihara, Akita, Kanagawa, Matsumoto and Okayama. Somehow those win/loss numbers do not look so great as they once did. With Taguchi set to return to Ryukyu in the coming weeks (training at least), I think it would pay some dividends to get a healthy Dany into the lineup, get him some playing time, especially before Ryukyu, and Inose, face their toughest opponent in Montedio Yamagata next week.
One thing that isn’t in doubt is the impact the new signings have already made at Ryukyu. Kanai was asked to play out of position last game, and though it wasn’t the best of outings for a player coming off of limited usage at Kofu, it is something to build on. Strange that Ryukyu have plenty of options at RB these days, with a glaring hole at LB, and Higuchi opted to start Kanai and Uehara, but on different sides of the pitch from which they are familiar with, and have played in the past. Play to your strengths, and don’t get cute, at least that’s what I am thinking in this case.
Someone who epitomizes that sentiment is Hidetoshi Takeda. In his first game, first half really, for FC Ryukyu, Takeda was a handful for the Giravanz defense. He came close to leveling the match on a header following a shot from Koya Kazama, and followed that up with an absolute stunning free kick goal. It is amazing how lucky so many teams can be to have a talent like this on the books and yet find them excess to the cause. No matter, as I hope to see more of Takeda doing what he can do out there on the pitch, with the possibility of seeing him start at LM in the near future.
FC Mito Hollyhock: Mito have one more away victory than at home this season where they’ve scored, and conceded, roughly 60% of their total goals to date. They also seem to either win, or lose, on the road as they have a single draw away from the K’s Denki stadium. In their last six games Mito have shutout their opponents three times while also suffering three shutouts of their own. Perhaps they are a bit streaky.
Whereas Ryukyu have scored ten goals their last five games, Mito has managed only three. They drew 0-0 at both Albirex Niigata and at home to Renofa Yamaguchi. Against Niigata, at least up until the 70′ minute, Mito wasn’t really affording many opportunities to one of the top sides in J2 this season. Then the flurry of activity between the two sides saw each trading multiple chances back and forth with the closest being a Koji Suzuki shot that hit the side netting. It was much of the same at home to Renofa but the Mito GK should’ve been booked for a foul resulting in a PK, but it wasn’t awarded and then it was Mito’s turn for a bit of bad luck when their last shot just missed at the end.
Mito looked much better the following week at Zelvia where they controlled the opening 20′ of the match and took the lead from Shota Fujio’s first goal of the season. Then Zelvia took over, scored two goals, from a long through ball that caught the defense flat footed and another from a redirected clearance, before Mito finally came to life in the 90′ minute. It was to late though as the game ended in a loss for Mito but they were able to carry a bit of that momentum at the end of the Zelvia match into the game at Matsumoto Yamaga. Fujio doubled his yearly total with his second goal in consecutive games, this one also coming within the first 20′ of a match. Though Mito dominated Yamaga the entire game, they weren’t able to carry that strong performance though to the next round at home to Verdy.
It was Mito’s turn this time to surrender a goal within the first 20′ of a match but they were able to recover and score the equalizer near the end after some woeful defending by Verdy. To date, Mito have not defeated a team that currently sits inside the top six of the table. They’ve played six games that have resulted in one draw and five losses, managing two goals scored, while conceding eight. They’ve also been shutout in five of those games. Ryukyu will once more need to contain Masato Nakayama, but they’ll also need to keep a keen eye on Fujio who is starting to catch fire.
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. Attack the flanks of Mito. Likelihood 4. Mito do not defend particularly well down either side of their defense, especially down their right, as they, or more specifically Koichi Murata, has looked pretty bad. That means that either Kiyotake, Shintaro, Takeda, and possibly even Motegi, could really have a field day on their defense.
2. Defend the right with all you got. Likelihood 2. No doubt that Yong Jick, and whoever is playing RB for Ryukyu tomorrow, will have their hands full with the Mito attackers as they are extremely strong down the left side of their attack. I for one hop Higuchi chooses to not start Kanai out of position at RB, and instead opt for a more experienced RB in Torikai or Uehara. I fear that when Fujio enters the match, he will be able to exploit Yong Jick with his speed and power, and cut right through our defense alone on goal.
5. Prediction
As with the current state of FC Ryukyu – trying to mesh new players into the lineup – this game could go either way. Sure, Mito hasn’t exactly lit up the scoreboard lately, but Ryukyu sometimes go long stretches without asserting themselves in a game. If Ryukyu can start fast, and score, I think this game takes on a whole new trajectory with a Mito side that seem far more aggressive on the road compared to home. I’ll say it ends 2-1 to Ryukyu. Season Record 7-6-11.
6. Round 25 in J2
Leaders (1) Kyoto Sanga travel to (16) Matsumoto Yamaga FC who are coming off a big 4-1 victory over (13) Blaublitz Akita. (2) Jubilo Iwata return home after their 2-2 draw with Kofu to face (9) Tokyo Verdy. (4) Albirex Niigata, like Iwata, will look to rebound from their Round 24 draw when they head out on the road to face (10) JEF United Chiba. (5) Montedio Yamagata, unbeaten in 11 with 10 wins during that span, are on the J.League International YouTube channel this week (Click>>> J.League Int’l YouTube Channel) when they travel to face (7) V-Varen Nagasaki who, are possibly well rested from their round 24 match with Zweigen Kanazawa being postponed. (6) Ventforet Kofu will also look to continue their unbeaten run of six games at bottom side (22) SC Sagamihara.
Another week, another set of important games for those sides facing relegation as (19) Ehime FC host (21) Giravanz Kitakyushu; (20) Omiya Ardija host (13) Blaublitz Akita; and (17) Tochigi SC host (18) Thespakusatsu Gunma.
7. Conclusion
Ryukyu have their second chance in consecutive weeks to sweep an opponent in 2021. But we’ve had this chance twice so far this year and only managed to come away with one series sweep. Though Ryukyu haven’t hit double digit points since April, nor exceeded eight points in a month since May, a win tomorrow will set them on a path to achieve their highest monthly point total in quite some time.
FC Ryukyu moved into third place in the table with a come from behind 2-1 victory over Giravanz Kitakyushu last night. Ryukyu started this game really slow and made many of us wonder how, with three weeks to prepare for this game, could they look so bad? The game seemed destined for disappointment when two Ryukyu shots from Koya Kazama and Shintaro Shimizu, hit the post early in the second half. But newly signed Hidetoshi Takeda put his stamp on the game when he leveled the match for Ryukyu on a spectacular free kick, followed by a rising header from Shintaro Shimizu to put Ryukyu in the lead for good.
FC Ryukyu GK Kosuke Inose: Inose may have been caught leaning the wrong direction on the lone goal he conceded, but he was in really good form last night. That included a diving one hand save to keep FC Ryukyu in the match, while also not surrendering a second goal from the other 15 shots Kitakyushu managed to put on net.
3.Review of the Keys to Victory
1. Work harder than Kitakyushu. Likelihood 4. It certainly didn’t start out like that as Giravanz was in complete control of the first half after only 5-minutes. They held Ryukyu to just 2 shots (1 on target) and things were looking grim for Ryukyu fans. But Ryukyu turned things around in the second half and looked the better side the remainder of the match.
4. Prediction
Went with a 3-1 score line for Ryukyu, that they nearly achieved, but it is wins for everyone this week! Season Record 7-6-11.
5. Talking Points from Round 24
1. The debutants. Higuchi switched back to the 4-2-3-1 formation that Ryukyu used for a majority of the season until injuries decimated the squad. Nakagawa was back in his natural CAM role with newly signed fullback, Takashi Kanai, making his debut at right back. I am not sure what prompted Higuchi to move Kanai from his natural, or main, position of left back to right back, while still starting Uehara in defense on the opposite side. That’s two players playing in different positions for the first time this season and probably why Kitakyushu had their way with the Ryukyu back line. FC Ryukyu have three right backs, Torikai, Makito, and Tavares, to go along with Shinya who played right back the previous two matches, who should be healthy and could have easily allowed Kanai an easier transition into the lineup. I really don’t agree with this move by Higuchi though Kanai did his best and a had a few nice crosses into the box last night.
However, the man who made the most impact during his debut was Hidetoshi Takeda who opened his scoring account with Ryukyu after only 20-minutes on the pitch. Takeda sent a beautiful curler past the Giravanz keeper to provide a much-needed injection of confidence into the side last night. It should be exciting to watch this player over the course of the remaining 18-games.
2. Turned it on right when they needed it the most. Ryukyu were completely outplayed and under serious amounts of pressure from Giravanz during the first half. Kitakyushu tallied 16 shots, 9 on target, to that of Ryukyu’s 2/1. Inose was about the only player doing much of anything that first half and was a big reason why Ryukyu were able to see out the win. Takeda’s introduction came at the expense of Nakagawa, but it wouldn’t be right to say that Kazaki had a bad game as nobody was doing anything for this side in the first half. The sudden uptick in play by Ryukyu coincided with the two changes Higuchi made with the aforementioned Takeda and Shintaro Shimizu returning to the lineup after serving his one game suspension for violating the team’s rules during COVID-19.
3. Abe is becoming more valuable as a set up man than a goal poacher. Abe registered his second assist in as many games, bringing his total to five in his last five games, with a tremendous cross that seemed to hang in the air for days to allow Shintaro to rise and get on the end of it for Ryukyu’s second goal. The man hasn’t complained at all since not scoring in what is going on two and a half months now and never shows any real frustration at the lack of service, he is accustomed to receiving. Perhaps we could see him drop back to just behind the striker in more of a central attacking role to free him up a bit.
4. FC Ryukyu need to get Mizuki Ichimaru more involved. Koki Kazama and Yu Tomidokoro started the match yesterday but none of their performances really stood out. I think Ichimaru deserves a start and we should rotate Yu and Koki until Uesato’s return from injury.
5. A vital 3-points following a rough stretch of results for Ryukyu. Ryukyu needed this win, one which I hope will allow them to course correct and get back to some winning football. Many of the top sides have dropped points the past three rounds and the real shame is to think where Ryukyu would be in the standings with even one of those games against Omiya or Sagamihara ending in a win instead of a loss and a draw.
6.Round 24 in J2
Kyoto Sanga was able to escape their game against FC Machida Zelvia with a 2-1 win, but both Jubilo Iwata and Albirex Niigata surrendered extra time goals and ended up with draws. Niigata’s was particularly brutal as they took the lead in the 94′ minute only to concede sixty second later. Kitakyushu’s loss to Ryukyu drops them from 19th to 21st as the other bottom five sides all drew on Monday night. The Zweigen Kanazawa versus V-Varen Nagasaki match was called off due to inclement weather and I don’t have a date for when it will be rescheduled.
Job done and now the boys return home, to another empty stadium, to take on 11th place FC Mito Hollyhock. Every victory Ryukyu can earn until a majority of their front line starters return is so important. Of the remaining three games this month, the biggest test will come in the form of Montedio Yamagata away, but Ryukyu have been clawing for results for awhile now which makes the home game in just four days a big one.
One point from a possible six against the bottom two sides of J2 in consecutive weeks. Let that resonate as FC Ryukyu completely tripped over their own laces the past two rounds by failing to defeat either of these sides. Once more it was the switching off shortly after taking a lead in a game that led to an Omiya equalizer within 30 seconds of Akamine’s goal, and yet another disappointing result for this club. It is hard to view this as anything more than a failure by Ryukyu to secure 6-points these past two rounds and one that is likely to prevent them from securing promotion in 2021.
FC Ryukyu MF Kazaki Nakagawa: The man might not have made the score sheet but his impact was felt all over the pitch that Sunday night. He rang the crossbar in what could’ve been the opening goal for Ryukyu and then followed that up with some fine passing and defensive efforts. Getting Nakagawa going in the second half of the season is crucial for this side.
3.Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Respond to Omiya’s fast start: Likelihood 3. Yes, in fact it was FC Ryukyu that started off strong inside the opening 12 minutes before Omiya took over for the remainder of the half.
2. Help Abe out: Likelihood 2. Unfortunately no.
4. Prediction
Said this one would end in disappointment for Ryukyu, and though they didn’t lose, I can’t view it as anything else. Take a draw as Omiya at least reached the 2-goal tally. Season Record 6-6-11.
5. Talking Points from Round 23
1. Each side had chances to win this game. Both hit the post, both called the opponents’ goalies into action on a couple of occasions, and both spoiled some good opportunities.
2. Injuries once again. FC Ryukyu lost Kaz Uesato to an MCL sprain when he landed awkwardly in the first half and could not continue. Add him to the ever growing list of Ryukyu players that will miss extended time over the next few months. FC Ryukyu’s injury list heading into the break is in the link below though it doesn’t include Tanaka, Ikeda, Dany or Taguchi. Click>>> FC Ryukyu Injuries
Iwata’s 14 game unbeaten streak finally came to end with both Kyoto and Niigata playing to a 1-1 draw meaning Kyoto go top based on goal difference. Elsewhere, Kofu, Yamagata, Zelvia and Nagasaki all won to move that much closer to the leaders.
The race at the bottom took some twists and turns with some surprising results for Gunma, Ehime and Omiya which now makes it a six horse race for the drop as SC Sagamihara slowly wither away.
FC Ryukyu have a tall ask in front of them the next few months if they wish to stay in the promotion hunt. Riddled by injuries to several key players, and facing the daunting month of September, I am not sure they can replicate the fast start to the season that saw them earn 12/10 points in the months of March and April that propelled them to the top. Next up is a trip to Kitakyushu for Ryukyu on Monday August 9th.
FC Ryukyu got their first win over Zweigen Kanazawa in seven years when they defeated the hosts 2-1 on Saturday night. Ryukyu looked destined to drop points this round as they started a bit slowly in the first half and were committing some egregious turnovers in the second half. Takuma Abe provided the initial spark with a beautiful piece of dribbling inside the Zweigen 18-yard box that allowed him to pick out the on rushing Kaz Uesato for the opening goal. Then it was Kazaki Nakagawa scoring his first goal in 9-months, and on his 26th birthday, when he came off the bench and redirected Shinya Uehara’s header on net. Zweigen managed to nick a goal back with only about 7′ minutes remaining but Ryukyu were able to see out the victory and move into third place.
FC Ryukyu CB Tetsuya Chinen: Several players made the short list for man of the match but Chinen’s overall performance on Saturday stood out the most. He made a massive clearance in the opening half to keep the score level and was all over the pitch cutting down players and ending Zweigen attacks. The thing that me and my friends constantly yell when we watch Ryukyu games is, “Chinen is always there whenever Ryukyu need someone to step up and make a play.” Unless you watch the game in its entirety, you won’t be able to see Chinen’s highlight reel as most of what he does rarely appears on tape or in the box score outside of Ryukyu keeping a clean sheet. I just hope we can retain his services for the remainder of this season.
3.Reviewing the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
1. Start the festivities early. Likelihood 3. FC Ryukyu did not get off to a fast start as their first goal came just after the start of the second half. Luckily Zweigen’s shots were way off the mark in the opening period though Ryukyu did have one good chance to open the scoring inside the first 15′ minutes.
2. Defend the Right side. Likelihood 2. As we suspected, Makito Uehara got the start at RB with Tanaka out injured. Makito did well but was eventually subbed off near the end of the match to which the lone Zweigen goal did come down our right side after Koya blocked a Zweigen shot which saw the ball sit up in a very advantageous position for Kanazawa’s Oishi to smash it past Inose.
4.Prediction
Predicted a 2-2 draw so I’ll have to take the loss here. Season Record 6-5-10.
5.Talking Pointsfrom Round 21
1. Missed chances by both sides. Both Ryukyu and Kanazawa had plenty of opportunities to score on Saturday night with Ryukyu missing twice on the doorstep in the first half, and Kanazawa returning the favor in the second half. Abe nearly opened the scoring in the 8′ minute when the ball dropped right to him inside the 18-yard box. And then Numata called for the ball from Abe near the end of the first half, but he took a poor first touch which popped the ball up to his weaker right foot and allowed the defender to close him down before sending the shot high and wide. Zweigen had multiple chances in the first half but couldn’t find the target and then they were gifted some short counter attacks thanks in part to several Ryukyu turnovers in the second half. Zweigen hit the woodwork in the 58’ minute before a wayward pass by Inose caught Yong-Jick in an awkward position withthe Zweigen attacker easily overpowering Yong Jick and sending a perfectly weighted cross into the box where the wide open Kanazawa player put a header on net. Luckily Inose was able to recover in time and made a fine save by diving back across his momentum before a Ryukyu player cleared the ball off the line.
2. The substitutions determined the outcome of this game. For Ryukyu it was the introduction of Shinya Uehara and Kazaki Nakagawa that combined for the eventual Ryukyu winner. For Kanazawa, it was the removal of Rodolfo and Shion Niwa in the 77’ minute as those two were causing fits for the Ryukyu defense, though Ryuhei Oishi did score the lone Zweigen goal a short time later. I am not sure if the Zweigen subs were brought in to introduce some fresh legs with speed to run at our defense as both Rodolfo and Niwa were playing really good up to that point.
3. Ryukyu can get by with that type of performance, for now. There were plenty of nervy moments and missed chances for Ryukyu on the night and luckily for them, their next few opponents – outside of Omiya who have changed managers once again this year- won’t punish Ryukyu for their mistakes like some of the stronger clubs in the table. That doesn’t mean we can afford to sleepwalk through the next two rounds but this side is slightly disjointed with the introduction of new players due to injuries to the regular starters.
4. A big win over a team Ryukyu have failed to beat in the J2. While you may think Zweigen seems out of place next to some of the other sides on the Points Over Expectation table, they were one of the many teams at the start of the season that Ryukyu failed to defeat during their time in J2. To me, it doesn’t matter where those teams sat in the table at the time of their matches as they all represented a mental hurdle that Ryukyu needed to overcome.
Jubilo Iwata are the new leaders at the halfway point of the season after defeating Albirex Niigata at home. Second place Kyoto Sanga FC were defeated by V-Varen Nagasaki at home which means there is a three point gap between them and Iwata, and only a point difference between themselves and third place FC Ryukyu. Niigata are now six points off the lead and two behind Ryukyu in fourth.
At the bottom of the table it was more of the same for the sides facing relegation. SC Sagamihara managed a scoreless draw at home to Kitakyushu but that result didn’t move the needle very much for them. Omiya, Gunma, and Ehime all lost but it was Matsumoto Yamaga’s 2-1 win over Tokyo Verdy that provided a little breathing room as we move into the second half of the season.
Ryukyu sit just outside the promotion zone at the halfway point of 2021 and have set themselves up for a nice run in by staying in the hunt despite the numerous injuries to key players. Ryukyu have two more games to go before a three week break for the Olympics during which they face both of the bottom clubs in the standings. Ryukyu need those 6-points to close out the unofficial halfway point of the season and then get healthy during their time off.
FC Ryukyu shook off their 0-3 loss to Fagiano Okayama the previous round by hammering Matsumoto Yamaga FC 4-0 this past Saturday. Kiyotake became the fifth (as far as I can find) player in FC Ryukyu history to score a hat trick in a game and nearly came close to equaling Yuta Togashi’s single game record for goals scored (4) when another one of his shots rang the crossbar. The only real shame was that none of the FC Ryukyu fans could enjoy one of this team’s biggest wins this season as they are still not allowed to attend games in person while Okinawa is under a state of emergency.
FC Ryukyu Mid Fielder Koki Kiyotake: Scoring a hat trick and getting Ryukyu a vital three points in the process.
3. Review of the Keys to Victoryfor FC Ryukyu
1. Just score more goals than Matsumoto. Likelihood 3. Nailed it! At one point in the game FC Ryukyu had three players sitting on two points each. Kiyotake with 2 goals; Koya with a goal and an assist; and Abe with two assists.
4. Prediction
Was hoping for a 1-0 win and they exceeded that expectation. Season Record 6-5-9.
5.Talking Points from Round 20
1. Possible Injury to Tanaka. Seeing how things went so well for Ryukyu, the only thing to discuss is the potential injury suffered by starting RB Keita Tanaka in the second half. Tanaka was subbed off for Uehara in the 56′ minute where he was seen describing an injury to his left leg while sitting on the opposite sideline. Tanaka was eventually carted off due to the injury and there is no telling what occurred, the severity, or the length of time he may miss. We’ve seen plenty of players both walk off under their own power, only to spend weeks recovering from injury, as well those that have been carted off and return the following week. Tanaka’s absence will be felt throughout the entire side as he is such a key member of the team. The likely replacements are Yuya Torikai, Makito Uehara, Felipe Tavares – individuals who all participated in the midweek Elite League Match at Avispa Fukuoka – and possibly Shinya Uehara. Though Shinya did play RB in 2019 when we dealt with injuries to the RB position, that would leave FC Ryukyu extremely thin at forward considering they are playing a 4-4-2 these days with both Shintaro and Abe up top.
Kyoto and Iwata both won to extend their lead over Niigata and Ryukyu to 3/4 points. Niigata’s 0-0 draw means Ryukyu are now within 1-point of Niigata. Zelvia and Kofu’s huge wins mean they both maintain their 4-point gap between themselves and FC Ryukyu. Omiya Ardija’s first win in over three months means they are at least within striking distance of pulling out of the relegation zone.
FC Ryukyu are on one heck of a rollercoaster ride these days having won 3-0, lost 0-3, and then the recent 4-0 victory. Ryukyu have three more matches before they break for the Summer Olympics in which they will need to earn all 9-points. Only four points back from the leaders, and one off Niigata, Ryukyu are still in the hunt for promotion. But with Kyoto and Iwata showing no signs of slowing down these days, Ryukyu need to max out the points in these next three fixtures to keep pace with the top teams in J2.
FC Ryukyu travel to 14th place Fagiano Okayama tomorrow in what is shaping up as a must win game for Ryukyu. Ryukyu have done enough the past few weeks to stay in the promotion hunt, but really need to continue their forward momentum they built up last week at home to Kitakyushu. Ryukyu had a full week of preparation heading into this game whereas Okayama’s schedule was slightly disrupted with a midweek Emperors Cup match at Tokyo Verdy. However, Okayama won that match and now enter this game on a 2-game wining streak following their impressive, though slightly controversial, win on the road at Niigata last round.
Weather Forecast & Match Day Information
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
Fagiano Okayama
FC Ryukyu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 19 in J2
Conclusion
1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Info from Fagiano Okayama
Another round with no visiting FC Ryukyu fans, but the weather looks favorable.
Fagiano Okayama: Okayama may be suffering from a lack of goals due to the numerous injuries they’ve sustained this year, but they’ve more than made it up for it with their defense. But they are a strange side in that they’ve been both shutout 8 times while shutting out their opponent 8 times in 2021. Good for fourth in the league when it comes to clean sheets. In that same vein of being on either end of the spectrum, Okayama have won five out six games this season when they score first, but have only mustered one draw in nine games when they conceded the first goal. For the season, Okayama has a 1-0-3 record against those sides currently, who have been recently, inside the top six of the table with the notable win occurring at Albirex Niigata last week.
Fagiano Okayama went 2-1-2 over their last five games that included wins over Matsumoto Yamaga and Albirex Niigata; a draw with Omiya Ardija; and losses to V-Varen Nagasaki and Tokyo Verdy. Both sides had ample opportunities to score in the Omiya/Okayama match but neither could hit the target despite being right on the doorstep. Okayama saw a redirected ball break the deadlock in their match to Nagasaki but did come close to leveling the game at the end. Their first win five weeks came on the road at Matsumoto 3-1 when they decided to move Satoki Uejo into a forward role in a 4-4-1-1 formation, which was up from his normal attacking midfield position on the right.
Okayama looked far better in this game then they have in a long time and benefited from a failure of Matsumoto to clear their lines early in the second half for the opening goal. Then Uejo contributed a spectacular solo effort to push the score line to 2-0 before surrendering a goal to Yamaga, but then benefited once more from a Matsumoto turnover. The game against Verdy looked very similar to the one against Omiya in that both sides were trading chances, however, it was Verdy who succeeded in scoring during stoppage time. But the biggest prize in the last five games was the controversial win over Niigata.
Niigata had the preponderance of chances throughout the game but were just unlucky. Okayama took advantage of that bad luck when Uejo scored a goal, from a clear offside position, in the 68′ minute. Not sure what the linesman was looking at there but these things happen from time to time and often decide the fates of some sides. Okayama then withstood a flurry of activity by Niigata near the end that included a couple of goal mouth scrambles and a shot off the post.
On paper, Okayama looks to be a far more dangerous team on the road (5 wins and 3 draws) compared to at home where they’ve only won once, have lost three in a row, and have scored 3 goals in their 8 home games. But I think this side was buoyed by the win over Niigata as well as the recent strong performances the past three rounds. Uejo is someone you will always have to keep an eye on as he can strike, with power and placement, from just about anywhere on the pitch. It remains to be seen if Lee Yong-Jae, a forward who has given Ryukyu fits in the past, will make an appearance after missing the past 15 rounds due to an undisclosed injury. Kawamoto, on loan from Shimizu S-Pulse, pairs well with Uejo up top and Okayama, in an attempt to shoehorn in some of their better players into the lineup, are starting Shuhei Tokumoto at LM with the veteran Miyazaki taking over LB duties.
FC Ryukyu: Ryukyu may have stumbled the last time they went through a favorable schedule, mustering only 4 points from 3 games against Ehime FC, Tochigi SC, and Montedio Yamagata, but they cannot afford to do the same over their next set of features against Okayama, Yamaga, Kanazawa, Sagamihara, Omiya, and Kitakyushu. A seven game unbeaten streak, starting with the win over Giravanz, over these matches would not only allow Ryukyu to keep pace with the leaders, it could see them overtake them. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet as this side is still dealing with multiple injuries and at times, can play down to the level of their competition and drop points.
Last week’s win over Kitakyushu was a start in the right direction. Inose flashed some real potential, Koya scored a brace, Tanaka added two more assists to his total points, and Chinen was doing what Chinen does best. The only downside to that performance was the loss of Ren Ikeda to a back injury and there has been no word on his status heading into the game on Saturday. I hope he misses no time as he has been one of our best young players this season, and when you factor in the disappearing act by Kazaki Nakagawa, Ryukyu cannot afford to have a gap in the central midfield for too long. Shintaro Shimizu will likely take over these duties for Ikeda in the interim, which means Higuchi will have to dress both Shinya Uehara and Shingo Akamine as the replacement strikers. It should also see Ramon return to the bench, though a start for him in the Ikeda role would be justified.
Ryukyu were also without Koki Kazama last week and no one is certain if he is dealing with an injury or it was a veteran rest week for the central defensive midfielder. It did allow Ichimaru to make an appearance and considering that we signed that young player on a full transfer from Gamba this season, I’d like to see more of him moving forward. There was news this week that a top player and staff member had contracted CV-19, but no others were deemed close contacts, so barring some changes to the lineup or reserves, we won’t have an idea as to who that was.
In the nine games that Ryukyu have played against sides in the bottom half of the table, they have earned six wins, three draws, and suffered zero losses. They’ve scored 20 goals, 2/3 of the entire goals scored this year, and have conceded 7 goals which is close to 50% of the total goals they have conceded. Ryukyu’s next six games, dependent on how Zweigen gets on of course, are all against teams in the bottom half of the table, with three of those games against sides in the relegation zone. This is a very critical moment of the season for Ryukyu as points dropped over these next few rounds would be killer to their promotion hopes. They’ve already achieved a run of five wins in a row, and 8 games undefeated this season. And they need another run like that right now.
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. Get that first goal. Likelihood 3. The stats tell us that all eleven of Ryukyu’s wins, and three of their draws, have come when playing with the lead. Ryukyu have won two games from five when they were playing from behind, but lost the other three. All six of Okayama’s wins have been a result of them scoring first in matches, with the lone blemish being the loss to Mito Hollyhock. But they have not won any of the nine games they’ve been forced to play from behind. It may just be as simple as that on Saturday.
2. No excuses this time if Okayama parks the bus. Likelihood 2. This game looks and feels a lot like the game Ryukyu had with Akita a few weeks ago. Both have a similar goal scoring and conceded record which means Ryukyu, more importantly Higuchi, should be prepared for a same set of events to play out. If Okayama’s defensive game plan is to bend, but not break, then our players need to be creative in the set-up play and accurate with the shots they do take. We saw what happened when Niigata missed ample opportunities against Okayama as well as what happened when Ryukyu switched off at the end against Akita. Do not let Okayama hang around to poach a goal or equalize. That means being only the fifth team this season to score more than two goals against Okayama.
5. Prediction
I am hesitant to predict a Ryukyu win as I’ve been dead wrong the past few rounds. I will say that Fagiano Okayama will score first, as they’ve done that in every game these teams have faced one another in J2, but I will also say that Ryukyu pull this one out 2-1 in dramatic fashion. Season Record 6-4-8.
6. Round 19 in J2
All Times Listed are JST
It is interesting that all four of the top sides, ranked 1-4, play four teams all ranked 11-14 in the same order (1v11, 2v12, 3v13, 4v14). Guess that means that no one side has an easier game than the other with the slight advantage afforded to (2) Jubilo Iwata who are at home (12) JEF United Chiba. (1) Kyoto Sanga travel to (11) Zweigen Kanazawa with (3) Albirex Niigata facing another tough test for goals on Monday night when they travel to (13) Blaublitz Akita. (5) Ventforet Kofu and (6) V-Varen Nagasaki will look to cut their deficit when they play (16) Renofa Yamaguchi and (15) Tochigi SC.
At the bottom it is (17) Matsumoto Yamaga looking to put some distance between them and the drop when they host (21) Omiya Ardija and then there is a very important game between (19) Giravanz Kitakyushu and (20) Ehime FC. This week’s free broadcast game on the J-League International YouTube channel will be between (18) Thespakusatsu Gunma and (7) FC Machida Zelvia.
With the race at the top ebbing back and forth, points are at a premium these days. Almost to the point where every game for the top four becomes a ‘must win game’ in order to keep pace with the pack. It took Ryukyu five halves of football before they finally scored their first ever goal against Okayama last year, but they were able to win on the road, and earn a draw at home, when they fell behind. We’d rather see Ryukyu jump out to a lead like we saw last week, and maybe the midweek Emperors Cup match for Okayama at Tokyo Verdy has disrupted preparations for this game. In any event, Ryukyu need to use their momentum from last week and take the three points on Saturday.
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