21 #FC琉球

Intro

Ryukyu shook off their first loss of the season by defeating Ventforet Kofu for the first time in the team’s history 2-0 on Sunday evening. A late, some might say controversial, goal by Ren Ikeda in the 90th minute was all that Ryukyu needed to see out the three points. The win keeps FC Ryukyu three points above Kyoto in the automatic promotion slot while also restoring some of the confidence that may have been lost at Machida.

Match Highlights
Man of the Match
Review of the Keys to Victory
Prediction
Talking Points
Round 10 in J2
Conclusion

1. Match Day Highlights

2. Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu Mid Fielder Kazumasa Uesato: Kaz was one of Ryukyu’s better passing players and it was his initiative to try a long distance chip over the Kofu goal keeper that led to the Ikeda goal on the ensuing corner kick.

3. Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Defend the left, but watch the right on quick counters. Likelihood 3. Yes. Ryukyu seemed aware of how Kofu prefers to break down their opponents, and though Kofu had many cracks at the Ryukyu goal from the left, Ryukyu held firm.

2. Take the attack of life support and give it a jolt with a defibrillator. Likelihood 2. Sort of. It was much better than the last effort but still lacks punch.

3. Play like you’re the second-best team in the league, because you are. Likelihood 3. Indeed. Ryukyu put in a much better shift this weekend compared to the midweek at Machida. The defense was back in fine form and they secured their 6th clean sheet of the season.

4. Prediction

I tipped Kofu to take this game 2-1 and I am happy to take the L this round. Season Record 5-1-4.

5. Talking Points from Match Day 10

1. Dodging some bullets. Kofu had 3 clear cut chances to take the lead in the first half and Ryukyu were a bit lucky to escape that half level. Kofu’s first shot from a corner kick just happened to be directly at Koya Kazama who was in the right place at the right time to prevent a goal. I don’t think Taguchi would’ve been able to get down to that low hard shot headed for the corner. Ryukyu then got pulled apart on some quick passes by Kofu which allowed a free look on net for the Kofu attacker who luckily sent it right towards Taguchi. The third chance was a corner kick where the Kofu attacker either missed timed his jump, or was just slightly out of position, for which he had a free header at the Ryukyu back post.

2. Limited shots on net. Ryukyu have been getting by with limited shots on target while playing some stout defense. It didn’t work out at Zelvia and when they run into tougher competition that can light up the scoreboard, they will need to do more. Ryukyu had 1 shot on target in the first half, and it was a good one from Shintaro Shimizu, but only managed 3 total shots in the second half, all of which occurred in a span of 30 seconds. The Uesato long distance chip, the initial header from the corner kick from the chip and the rebound shot from Ikeda for the goal. Otherwise, there was roughly 51 minutes of zero shots on goal by Ryukyu in the second half.

3. Ryukyu responded well to their first loss. It was a much better performance as a whole as the passing was better and Ikeda played a much better game compared to the one at Zelvia. It won’t always be pretty when Ryukyu need to exorcise some ghosts of years past and the win was hugely significant for their promotion hopes. At lease we have seen how Ryukyu can respond in the face of adversity to avoid some of those long losing streaks we’ve become accustomed to here in Okinawa.

4. A matter of opinion on whether or not you feel Okazaki interfered with Okanishi on the Ikeda goal. I think we’ve all see similar plays called as a foul, and while it may sound a bit bias, I didn’t think there was much there from Okazaki to warrant a call. It almost seemed as if the Kofu keeper was playing for the foul instead of the ball. The ugly scenes that unfolded after the goal were not good as the entire Kofu bench surrounded the linesman in a last ditch effort to reverse the goal and the referee was always going to issue a yellow card to the Kofu keeper who was probably posturing to add more time inside of extra time.

6. Round 10 in J2

Albirex Niigata maintained their grip on the top slot by beating Ehime FC 2-0 in the lone Saturday game. Kyoto Sanga FC continues to put some distance between themselves and 4th placed Iwata with a 2-0 win at Renofa. Iwata, Nagasaki and Kofu all suffered some set backs this round while Zelvia and Akita bagged some nice wins.

7. Conclusion

Ryukyu move on to face SC Sagamihara this weekend before a massive 6-point tilt with Kyoto the following Wednesday. Often times teams may overlook their next opponent knowing that the following opponent is much tougher with match having more at stake. Ryukyu cannot afford to overlook SC Sagamihara this week as a wobble there will pile on even more pressure for Ryukyu against Kyoto. It was great to see Ryukyu get back to the brand of football that has given them the most success this season, but there is still room for improvement as they near the quarter mark of the season.

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

Intro

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

Weather Forecast & Match Day Info
Previous Match Highlights
Team Previews
- FC Ryukyu
- Ventforet Kofu
Keys to Victory
Prediction
Round 10 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Forecast & Match Day Information from FC Ryukyu

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

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

Click>>> Match Day 10 Information from FC Ryukyu

2. Previous Match Highlights

FC Machida Zelvia 3-0 FC Ryukyu

Ventforet Kofu 2-0 SC Sagamihara

3. Team Previews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

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

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

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

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

5. Prediction

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

6. Round 10 in J2

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

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

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

7. Conclusion

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

Match Day 31 Recap: (6) Ventforet Kofu vs (18) FC Ryukyu 11/4/20 #FC琉球

Intro

The fourth consecutive loss in a row to Ventforet Kofu was a bitter pill to swallow last night. The fact that many of the top teams show little respect to FC Ryukyu, and why should they, by playing “second stringers,” coupled with our inability to produce any results against these weakened squads, is tough to deal with as a fan.

Ryukyu survived an early barrage (and by that I mean Dany Carvajal) from Kofu but ultimately, the deciding goal in the second half came off a deflection from both Yong Jick and Suzuki (befitting of this team I guess). After the Kofu goal, FC Ryukyu pressed hard but the closest they would come to an equalizer was a shot off the wood work by Numata.

Match Day 31 Highlights

Source:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmjubrtPJr8

Source: https://www.transfermarkt.com/spielbericht/index/spielbericht/3467933

Man of the Match

FC Ryukyu: Dany Carvajal. Dany was far and away our best player last night and once again rose to the challenge put in front of him. He was pressed into service very early on and made three nice saves to keep the score level. He got a bit of luck when a shot rifled past him and hit the post but was not so lucky when a series of deflections, which he got his toe too as well, made it into the net. His play has really elevated since that random benching 3 games ago and is so crucial if FC Ryukyu wish to surpass their point tally from 2019.

Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Have some early Success. Likelihood 3. Indeed we did as we frustrated Kofu’s attack early and created a few chances of our own outside of the large spells of possession by Kofu in the first half.

2. Ruffle the Feathers of Kofu. Likelihood 2. There were some visible cracks but no major breaks in the emotions of Kofu. Dudu got a little worked up in the second half and it was refreshing to see the referee wave off Dudu’s dive near the end of the match.

3. Catch Kofu Napping. Likelihood 4. We did not as some of the players that Kofu started yesterday were of the reserve caliber which meant they were giving it their all to impress the manager.

4. Score from Dead Ball Set Pieces. Likelihood 2. Well we didn’t score so it is a big no for this one. Though Ryukyu did have plenty of opportunities to score from set pieces yesterday.

Match Day 31 Prediction

I said 2-0 to Kofu so I have to be somewhat pleased that it didn’t reach that score line but still disappointed that FC Ryukyu did not get their first ever point against Kofu.

Match Day 31 Takeaways

1. The play of Yong Jick. There were the inexcusable turnovers in our own end in the early part of the game when Kofu was pressing hard for a goal and dominating the possession. And then there was the lackadaisical effort throughout much of the match when it came to putting in challenges and then recovering back to his spot after he missed the challenge and was out of position. I started to hone in on Yong Jick after I saw him gingerly jogging back to the box after he whiffed on a challenge and then so many more incidents like that came to light.

It is not fair to Dany to have to endure Yong Jick playing in front of him, and not fair to this team with 10 other players giving it their all. Talent can get you so far in this game, but so can effort. The perfect example is Tanaka who never played RB in his life and has transformed himself into an integral part of this team within a short span by simply giving maximum effort.

I hope these remaining 11 games are the last we see of a player who is solely relying on name brand recognition to maintain employment.

2. Koizumi’s introduction late in the game swung the momentum in the direction of Ryukyu. Maybe Higuchi realized that Kofu were going to press us early and that Koizumi’s fresh legs would take advantage of some tired Kofu legs late on. Whatever the case, Koizumi was electric on the ball and should have been apart of the first substation in the 62’ minute instead of the 77′ with so little time left to play and assert his influence.

3. Tanaka made a welcome return to the lineup. It is good to see one of our better players get some limited action so he can get back to full match fitness for a brutal November slate of games.

4. Kawai is struggling for form. There is no way to sugar coat this, he hasn’t looked like the player we saw last year or even at the start of the season back in February. It is possible that he doesn’t fully trust his body after a lengthy spell away with an ankle injury but whatever the case, we are not seeing that sudden burst and blistering pace we’ve become accustomed too from Kawai. It maybe time to start Motegi at LM, but seeing how Motegi didn’t even feature last night, I am starting to believe the effects of CV19 are lingering on for this talented player.

Match Day 31 in J2

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

V-Varen Nagasaki was unable to make up any ground on leaders Tokushima and Fukuoka as all 3 of the tops sides won this Wednesday.

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

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEwv98wqfj4

For all you international readers, check the J-League International Channel in a few days for all the goals of Round 31 in J2.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmQp6ZaAejJKKkXc_Y_lh1A

Conclusion

Ventforet Kofu have now become the fourth team this year to defeat FC Ryukyu twice, joining JEF UTD Chiba, Albirex Niigata, and Montedio Yamagata. I thought that FC Ryukyu had a good shot at earning at least a point yesterday, and nearly did if not for thee woodwork, but those are the breaks sometimes. Time to shrug this one off and regroup for the match against 21st place, Renofa Yamaguchi, this Sunday so as to avoid Renofa becoming the fifth team this year to defeat FC Ryukyu twice.

“Head Games” Match Day 31 Preview: (6) Ventforet Kofu vs. (18) FC Ryukyu 11/4/20 #FC琉球

Intro

Here we are once again, nearly a full year removed, from FC Ryukyu trying to derail Ventforet Kofu’s promotion dreams once more. The last time FC Ryukyu tried to accomplish this feat, we had to do so with a severely depleted squad after having already secured our place in the table safe from relegation and ended up losing 2-0. But things are a little different these days. Kofu do not possess nearly the same firepower they had last year when Utaka was leading the line. FC Ryukyu have retained the services of many of their quality players, who for the most part, are relatively healthy and match fit. And then there is rigors of the reshuffling of the schedule due to CV19. I take no joy in playing the role of spoiler, as I’d much rather be looking down at teams in the table, but you make the best of what you got.

Match Day 30 Recap: Ventforet Kofu vs Tochigi SC (0-0)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kQsjfb1nVM

Match Day 30 Recap: FC Ryukyu vs Omiya Ardija (3-0)

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbt-yVbtPhA

Team Previews

Ventforet Kofu: Kofu enter match day 31 having won 3 out of their previous 5 games that included victories over Kitakyushu, Tokushima and Zelvia. Their only loss came at the hands of Gunma while they played to a 0-0 draw against Tochigi SC this past weekend. Kofu are rounding into form at just the right time after having suffered a winless spell of 7 games during the months of September and October. They will need to continue their strong play as they currently sit 13 points outside of the top two promotion spots, but the upcoming schedule sets up well for Kofu.

Over the next four rounds, Kofu will play teams in the bottom half of the table starting with FC Ryukyu this Wednesday followed by Omiya, Mito and then Ehime before facing Iwata, Kyoto and Yamagata in quick succession this month. 12 points from these next four games would provide a massive boost to their promotion ambitions and set them up nicely to gain ground at the expense of those teams around them in the table later.

FC Ryukyu: Fresh off a 3-0 road victory over Omiya, FC Ryukyu will look to continue their momentum against 6th place Ventforet Kofu. In their previous 3 meetings with Kofu, FC Ryukyu have suffered three defeats while being outscored 9-3. While FC Ryukyu have got back to winning ways of late, 3 wins in their last 4 matches, Kofu will be a stiff test on a short week with a lot of travel mixed in for FC Ryukyu.

Abe continues his march to the J2 Golden boot with a pair of goals this past round brining his season total to 13. Good enough for 3rd overall and 6 behind leader Peter Utaka of Kyoto Sanga FC. Abe has been a rock for Ryukyu this season as he has featured in 28 out of the 30 games the club has played this year. He rarely seems to tire and continues to display his ability to create time and space for shots.

Koya Kazama also seems to be in good form by following up his goal against Kyoto Sanga FC with 2 assists against Omiya. Both Koya and Abe will need to be on point this week as Ryukyu have always had a difficult time penetrating the Kofu back line.

Outside of our top two scorers Abe and Koya, FC Ryukyu will need to energize the remaining mid-filed combinations of Ikeda, Kawai, Koizumi and Motegi. In the case of Motegi, he has yet to score or provide an assist, since his return from COVID-19. I hope he is no longer experiencing the effects of the disease but he has been used primarily as a substitute since his return in September. He could provide a much needed boost to the attack if/when he gets back to his pre-CV19 form.

Last week’s paring of Yong Jick and Suzuki at CB worked well enough to shut down the Omiya attack though Omiya was able to get several dangerous shots off through the middle of the defense last week. It was only due to the excellent play of Dany Carvajal that none of those shots found the back of the net.

Finally, Keita Tanaka was able to return to the bench this round as an unused substitute and in his place, Makito Uehara scored his first ever goal for the club. As I’ve said on several occasions, he is a raw talent that needs match experience and coaching in order to develop into a top player for this club. Personally, I feel he is better suited at CDM than RB with his size/speed combination.

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

Let’s state the obvious first.

-Kofu’s strengths, both in the attack and defense, line up well with the weaknesses of FC Ryukyu.

1. Have some early Success. Likelihood 3. While a goal or two would be nice, success could come in the form of creating quality chances, challenging the Kofu goalie with well aimed shots, or stifling the Kofu attack. We’ve seen what happens to the Ryukyu attack if it cannot find any shooting lanes or generate any real pressure and momentum early. It simply stalls out. This maybe the only time that I advocate trying some shots from distance as Kofu can defend decently in and around their box. And no, I am not talking about the Yong Jick postage stamp shot from 50 yards out.

2. Ruffle the Feathers of Kofu. Likelihood 2. As far as I could tell in their highlights, Kofu plays with much more visible emotion than most sides. This could work in favor of Ryukyu if they are able to take advantage of any misfires and mistakes from Kofu. Remember, Kofu is in the midst of a promotion push whereas Ryukyu have nothing but pride left to play for in 2020. Though I wish the roles were reversed, it is what it is at this point. The easiest thing to do is to frustrate a side, who is under massive pressure to win, by getting under their skin. I’d deploy Chinen or Suzuki in place of Yong Jick to mark Dudu, and while not aiming to hurt the player, put in a few hard fouls to get him off his game. Even a Tanaka “professional foul” would work as Dudu seems like a player to react and lash out to that type of treatment. You could always swap out a defender later at the expense of disrupting the engine of the Kofu attack by getting him off his game.

3. Catch Kofu Napping. Likelihood 4. Kofu are one of those sides that seem to play down or up to the level of their competition. The most recent loss to Gunma indicates as much. FC Ryukyu must be clinical on whatever opportunities are afforded to them on Wednesday as this could force Kofu’s hand to press for the equalizer or winner late on and really open things up.

4. Score from Dead Ball Set Pieces. Likelihood 2. Kofu are very adept at seeing out low scoring affairs since they’ve only scored more than 2 goals this season on 4 occasions and yet sit 6^th in the table. This game could very well be decided by a set piece and hopefully FC Ryukyu can convert one or two of them for goals.

Match Day 31 Prediction

There are a handful of teams in J2 that always seem to have FC Ryukyu’s number. In the 3 meetings with Kofu; FC Ryukyu surrendered a 2 goal lead for a 5-2 loss; closed out 2019 with a less than full squad resulting in a 2-0 loss; and scored their only goal against Kofu this year from the penalty spot. It’s hard to see FC Ryukyu getting over their woes against Kofu this year and this one is likely to end 2-0 in favor of the hosts.

Round 31 in J2

Tokushima Vortis hosting Jubilo highlights this round and it will also be the free YouTube broadcast on the J-League International YouTube channel.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsqUUwnU0c0

Conclusion

There can be no doubt that Kofu are a stronger side compared to FC Ryukyu as their record and place in the table highlight that very point. When facing a strong side on the road, after a rigorous season filled with ridiculous amounts of travel in very short succession, the match is no longer a test of strength, but rather a test of wits.

So, how can FC Ryukyu overcome some of the issues that have tormented them in their previous three games against Kofu and achieve their first every victory over their opponent? Well for that, I’ll reference the Cooper Color Code of the Combat Mindset.

Source: https://kravmagamindset.wordpress.com/2018/05/30/coopers-color-code-and-the-combat-mindset/#:~:text=Cooper’s%20original%20code%20consisted%20of,to%20include%20Gray%20and%20Black.

Both Ryukyu and Kofu will start out in the YELLOW state at kickoff but Ryukyu need to propel Kofu into the RED and then BLACK categories, skipping over ORANGE quickly, by thwarting Kofu’s attack and agitating some of their more emotional players. Think stuff like this doesn’t occur in sports? Just think about how well Diego Costa would frustrate many of the Arsenal players during his time at Chelsea. It emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, and is an area I think Ryukyu could exploit.

As I stated earlier, Kofu have it all to lose while FC Ryukyu do not have nearly as much at stake on Wednesday night. It is time that we play some “Head Games” with Kofu instead of trying to match them strength for strength.

Come on Boys!

“Turn ‘Em Loose” Match Day 11 Preview: (17) FC Ryukyu vs. (8) Ventforet Kofu 8/12/20 #FC琉球

Intro

FC Ryukyu will host their third mid-week match of the season tomorrow when they welcome in Ventforet Kofu. If you recall, it was Kofu who ended FC Ryukyu’s 36 game home unbeaten run last year and then defeated us 2-0 at their place on the final day of the 2019 season. Both teams enter the match with winning streaks with each looking to get their first home (FC Ryukyu), and first road (Kofu), win of the season. One note, this game will be played behind “closed doors” as the CV-19 virus continues to rage here in Okinawa.

Weather Report
Match Day 10 Recap: FC Ryukyu
Match Day 10 Recap: Ventforet Kofu
Team Previews & Injury Report
Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu
Match Prediction
Match Day 11 in J2
Conclusion

1. Weather Report

A very pleasant evening to watch football. Too bad there will be no fans there to enjoy it.

2. Match Day 10 Recap: FC Ryukyu

https://fcryukyublog.home.blog/2020/08/10/match-day-10-review-16-tokyo-verdy-vs-17-fc-ryukyu-8-8-20-fc%e7%90%89%e7%90%83/

3. Match Day 10 Recap: Ventforet Kofu

4. Team Previews & Injury Report

The 2020 debut of everyone’s favorite Big Board

FC Ryukyu: The boys showed some grit and determination last week against Verdy where they were able to earn a win thanks in part to a foolish penalty in the box by a Verdy defender late in the game. Ryukyu had plenty of chances to take the lead in this game with the most notable being the Ren Ikeda header that hit the post from a corner kick.

FC Ryukyu made a switch back to the 4-1-4-1 after sustaining injuries to Ono and Koki in addition to Shunsuke Motegi testing positive for CV-19. The change really allows FC Ryukyu to develop forward thrust but they need to be better with their finishing. Oddly enough, Higuchi opted to bring only two attacking players with him last week in Kawai and Uehara as he dressed three defenders that went as unused substitutes. Perhaps he is giving a break to Koizumi for the short week where he can maximize his speed but that is Ryukyu’s only other healthy mid fielder in the reserves at the moment.

Abe started the match a bit off his game as he was guilty of several missed passes and turnovers but quickly turned things around in the second half. Another player displaying excellent work rates and skill is Keita Tanaka who has been simply on fire after his switch to Right Back.

After two matches as a substitute, I think we may see Kawai make his first start since the opening round back in February. It is time Higuchi allows Kawai, Koizumi and Ikeda to start together for the first time all year. And by that I mean, “to turn ’em loose” on the opposition. But with five games in fifteen days for Ryukyu it is anyone’s guess as to how Higuchi will rotate the squad.

FC Ryukyu Injuries & Suspensions: Lengthy spells on the sidelines for Shinji Ono and Koki Kazama who are dealing with injuries to their knees as well as Okazaki who tore a tendon in his leg. No indication that Motegi or Chinen have been cleared to resume training after their positive CV19 tests.

Ventforet Kofu: The best way I can sum up Kofu is that you know what you’re going to get every time. They will have their peaks and valleys that include some beautiful goals and breakdowns at the back. They seemed to display a penchant for this last year before finally turning it on late in the season for the playoff push.

They completely came apart against Verdy last month, which happened to be the last time they lost, before defeating Omiya and JEF at home the following weeks. They have since gone on to draw against Mito, Yamaguchi, and Fukuoka. Their most recent three games were without one of their most important players, Dudu, who did not feature. To be honest, they should’ve lost to Mito but were saved by an incorrect offside call before finally surrendering the equalizer shortly thereafter.

A majority of the goals that Kofu scored the past six matches stemmed from set pieces or broken plays resulting in favorable rebounds. That is not to say they didn’t score any goals from open play but that is what stuck out to me when watching their highlights. In defense, the trend seems to be exposing the back three defenders when the two wing backs/mid fielders fail to track back or mark players properly thus leaving gaping holes for attackers to exploit. It often results with a look of confusion on the faces of the defenders, rather than anger, as they cannot fathom how things transpired to lead to an opponents goal.

While I fully expect Kofu to come to Okinawa and curl the back of our net once, maybe twice, they can get caught out in the counter attack by the speed of the Ryukyu players.

Ventforet Kofu Injuries & Suspensions: There are no injuries to any of the starters or players that have featured this season though strangely enough Dudu hasn’t made an appearance the past three games for Kofu. There is no word that he is dealing with an injury and this same phenomenon happened last year leading up to the final match day of the year against Ryukyu before he made a miraculous recovery and appearance.

5. Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

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

1. Own the Flanks. Likelihood 4: Ryukyu need to get the edges of the Kofu defense and follow it up with quality runs into open spaces from the central mid fielders. There is plenty of open space between the Kofu defenders when you stretch them laterally as the wingers/outside mid fielders for Kofu are not great at defending or closing down attackers. That should allow some space and time for Tanaka, Numata, Kawai, and Koya to deliver some quality crosses into the box.

2. Defend set pieces with some tenacity. Likelihood 2: Kofu are lethal on corner kicks and from dead ball kicks. Ryukyu need solid performances out of the two CBs and two full backs tomorrow. We really need Yong Jick and Suzuki to shut down all runs into the middle by getting to the ball first and we need not let our guard down on any short corners/low crosses.

6. Match Prediction

Kofu has drawn and lost their two Wednesday matches this year. Both of those were also away games whereas FC Ryukyu have drawn at home both times they’ve played on a Wednesday against far better competition. Factor in the short week and associated travel for Kofu and I can see FC Ryukyu pulling this one out 2-1.

7. Match Day 11 in J2

(2) Omiya Ardija hosting (6) Jubilo Iwata features two teams inside the top 6 as most of the other games pit top teams against those in the middle and bottom of the table. The (3) Giravanz Kitakyushu versus (11) Zweigen Kanazawa could be a feisty one as well. In any case, if you are a neutral, there is a solid 3 hours of football for you on Wednesday if you can manage to flip back forth with the three staggered kickoff times in this round.

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

8. Conclusion

FC Ryukyu are in the first meat grinder session of the new J2 2020 schedule with matches every three days for the next two weeks. These weeks will definitely test the depth of the squad and the skill of the coaching staff to rotate players as Ryukyu are dealing with several key injuries and CV-19 suspensions. There has been no indication that Ryukyu will dip into the summer transfer market for reinforcements, or recall Ramon from his loan spell at Gainare Tottori, so they are simply going to have to make do with what they got and hope to avoid any future injuries or suspensions due to CV-19.

On that note, I hope that many of you continue to take precautions as you go about your daily lives and continue to do your part in stopping the spread of CV-19. While it is easy to become overwhelmed in these times, especially when the prefecture you live in decides to reopen schools during the largest amount of infections to date; I for one am glad that we can take a break from all the stress and enjoy a game we love. Stay safe.

And…………………..

Go get it boys!

J1/J2 Playoffs Round 1 Preview: (4) Tokushima Vortis vs (5) Ventforet Kofu

Intro

The second installment of the J1/J2 playoff preview looks at the match up between Tokushima Vortis and Ventforet Kofu. This is probably the tastier of the two matchups this round as both teams enter this game in good form, unlike the other matchup between Omiya and Montedio. These are two evenly matched sides with some firepower to light up the scoreboards and this should be a very entertaining match to watch as a neutral.

Tokushima Home Record vs Kofu Away Record

Both sides hold a nearly identical record when it comes to wins, draws, losses, goals scored and goals conceded when comparing Tokushima’s home record and Kofu’s away form. I guess that favors Kofu more than it does Tokushima as this means Kofu are well suited to grab wins on the road. It was pointed out to me that if the match were to end in a tie, the victory goes to the home team. No shootouts and no extra .5 for any away goals. That means if Kofu wishes to advance, they must walk away with the victory on Sunday.

In 22 away matches this year, Kofu has achieved that feat 50% of the time. They have drawn 5 times and lost 6 times but the fact that they won over half their matches on the road speaks volumes for their chances at advancing to the next round. Over their past 5 road games, Kofu has won 3 and lost 2 and conceded 7 goals in all competitions. One of those was an emperor’s cup match and they may not have been playing their strongest lineup so if we removed that result, and only counted J2 fixtures, they would’ve had 4 wins while only conceding 5 goals over that span.

On the other side, Tokushima also hold an impressive home record. They won over half of their matches while only losing 5 out of 23 games this season. One of those losses was very recently but it was to newly promoted Yokohama FC to the tune of 1-0. The other occurred way back in August to none other than Kofu. This means that Tokushima have only lost two times at home over the past 4 months. They’ve been shutout at home on 4 occasions, 5 when counting the emperor’s cup, and have scored multiple goals 9 times at home. They’ve conceded multiple goals only 5 times at home while shutting out their opponents 6 times.

Over the past 5 games at home Tokushima have won 4 times and lost once as previously mentioned. During that span they’ve maintained a 3:1 ratio for goals scored to goals conceded. While offense can win games, defense wins championships and if Tokushima wish to advance to the next round, they’ll need to blunt the Kofu attack on Sunday.

Previous Meetings this Season

Match Day 20 June 15^th 2019: Ventforet Kofu 0-1 Tokushima Vortis. Ken Iwao scored in the 11^th minute off a punched clearance by Kofu goal keeper Kawata, that came right to him inside the 18-yard box. His point-blank shot on the volley went screaming past Kawata for a 1-0 lead that Tokushima wouldn’t relinquish. Kofu had some goal scoring chances but nothing materialized.

Match Day 27 August 10^th 2019: Tokushima Vortis 0-2 Ventforet Kofu. Kofu returned the favor 2 months later when they went to Tokushima and dug out a 2-goal victory. Utaka opened the scoring in the 19^th minute when his power and pace where on full display. He pushed the ball past the Vortis defender, beat him with speed to create a shooting lane and then powered a shot past the Tokushima goal keeper. Vortis had a nice opportunity to tie the match in the 73^rd minute but the Kofu Keeper made a equally nice save. Finally, Uchida added an extra time goal to seal the game.

Leading Scorers

Player Injuries

Tokushima Vortis: FW #15 Takeru Kashimoto fractured his ankle against Yokohama FC and is out. He has chipped in 6 points this season for Vortis but hasn’t been on the score sheet since late June.

Ventforet Kofu: None listed but I know that a couple of their leading scorers were recently cut to include; Yusuke Tanaka (3pts), Shigeru Yokotani (7pts) and Koichi Sato (5pts). Dudu was also on the bench last week agaisnt FC Ryukyu meaning he is back to full health.

Match Prediction

Here are the facts:

1. Ventforet Kofu have won 4 in a row coming into this match while only conceding once.

2. Kofu are unbeaten in 11 out of their last 12 matches.

3. Since late July, Kofu have only lost 4 times in the J2 league.

4. While Kofu started hot this year, and were near the top of the table, they’ve hovered between the 5^th and 8^th spot for most of the season.

5. Tokushima Vortis had a 12-game unbeaten streak prior to their loss against Yokohama FC 2 weeks ago.

6. Vortis have only lost once in their past 15 games and those 36 points saw them rise from 12^th in the table on August 10^th, to 4^th by the end of the season.

7. Vortis have shout out their opponent at home 6 times this season. Kofu have been shut out only 3 times this season as the away side, with their last shutout occurring back on July 20^th on Match Day 23.

8. Vortis have scored multiple goals at home this season 9 times. Kofu have scored multiple goals on the road 10 times this season. One of those was against Tokushima.

9. Kofu have earned 7 points off the playoff contenders on the road this season by defeating Vortis and Yamagata while drawing with Omiya. Tokushima have only earned 1 point off these same opponents at home having lost to Omiya and Kofu while earning a draw against Yamagata.

10. Kofu have beaten Tokushima at home 2-0.

Really no way to separate these teams. This will be a heavyweight, blow for blow, knock down, dragged out fight to the very end. Most people see the surging Vortis squad as the front runner to win the playoff bracket and take on whoever finishes 16^th in J1. I think, we could see an upset on Sunday because of how good Kofu has been on the road.

Let me explain. In the National Football League in America, there are playoffs at the end of the year, similar to what we ‘ll see these next 3 weeks. In that sport, successful playoff teams are those that have proven they can win tough games on the road. In fact, you must be able to win on the road as only 2 teams have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. There are plenty of instances where the road team, obviously a lower seeded side, pulls off the upset and wins. I feel that this will happen on Sunday.

I think my dark horse to win this playoff and achieve J1 promotion is Kofu. I think they can defeat Tokushima on Sunday and then go on the road to defeat Omiya, or, if it were truly in their favor, defeat Yamagata at home before traveling to the J1 16^th placed team with promotion/relegation on the line. Kofu were very sluggish against FC Ryukyu this past weekend and FC Ryukyu dominated the possession battle and goal scoring opportunities, but Kofu capitalized when it mattered most. If Kofu can weather the Tokushima attack and strike them on the counter, where they are so lethal, Kofu will march on to the second round.

Ventforet Kofu 2-1 Tokushima Vortis.

Conclusion

Getting my popcorn ready as they say for this one. Nothing more needs to be said. Tune in and enjoy.

“Swift, Silent, Fierce & Impregnable!” Match Day 19 Preview: FC Ryukyu vs. Ventforet Kofu 6/22/2019

Match Day 19 Preview: (H) FC Ryukyu versus Ventforet Kofu (A) at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium, Kickoff at 1800, 6/22/2019.

Weather Forecast: Thunderstorms starting earlier in the day with scattered thunderstorms throughout the match. It will most likely be raining the whole time during the match so come prepared with ponchos, umbrellas, towels and bags to keep you items dry.

Yuck! The weather forecast will not help the Ryukyu attendance numbers

Intro

Kofu enter match day 19 after suffering a 2-0 loss at home to Tokyo Verdy. Kofu looked sluggish in that match and they rarely generated much going forward. FC Ryukyu, on the other hand, enter this match having come from behind twice to Kyoto on the road that saw Ryukyu earn a draw and return home with a point. I initially though this was going to be a very tough match-up for FC Ryukyu to walk away with any points, but the game footage for Kofu tells a different story.

Ventforet Kofu

Kofu come to Okinawa having won 3 out of their last five matches, in convincing fashion mind you, as well as earned a draw against Yamagata by coming from behind twice with one of those goals occurring very late in stoppage time. This team was firing on all cylinders prior to the Verdy match but since then, Kofu have suffered key injuries to their attacking front line.

Against Yamagata, Kofu had to sub off Dudu mid-way through the first half due to what looks to be a dislocated shoulder or damage to one of the ligaments. Dudu didn’t dress for the last match and I am not sure if he’ll be healthy enough to face Ryukyu tomorrow. The following match against Verdy saw the second strike partner up front, Soneda not even dress. That was massive as Soneda and Dudu have accounted for 9 of Kofu’s 26 goals, roughly one third, and pair nicely with Utaka up front. Their absence was very noticeable during the Verdy match as the once potent attack of Kofu has stalled out.

There are basically 3 scenarios facing FC Ryukyu tomorrow. First, if Dudu and Soneda do not dress, then we can expect to see a similar performance against Verdy from Kofu. If either Dudu or Soneda dress, then we can expect a back and forth match and will need to pay very close attention to Utaka. Finally, if both play, then Ryukyu face an uphill battle as these players will be well rested and this is a team that scored 9 goals in the four games prior to the injures. If scenario number one holds true tomorrow, then FC Ryukyu stand a very good chance of taking all 3 points in the match since the Kofu defense is rather poor and they lack any real attack. If either of the last 2 scenarios comes to fruition tomorrow, then FC Ryukyu are in a real tough spot with injuries to Carvajal and Tokumoto, as well as the suspension for Tanaka.

Kofu Players to Watch

I have already mentioned what Dudu and Soneda bring to the table for Kofu so let’s turn our attention to some other notable players in the Kofu squad.

#9 FW Peter Utaka. Leading scorer for Kofu with 8 goals and 1 assist so far this season. He seems to have a penchant for scoring braces as he’s had 3 games this season with 2 goals. He can overpower weaker defenders and will punish any stupid mistakes by the defender during open field challenges for the ball or in 1v1 situations. FC Ryukyu need to know where Utaka is at all times when he is in the 18-yard box.

#18 FW Koichi Sato. Comes on a substitute for most matches but has scored 4 times this season as a sub. More on that later. Can add some height to the Kofu attack and there is an outside shot he starts tomorrow.

#14 MF Shigeru Yokotani. Plays a central/defensive mid fielder role for Kofu and has 3 goals this season.

#39 DF Kenta Uchida. The defender has 3 assists on the season and can take a nice free kick for Kofu. I don’t know if Uchida is also the corner kick taker for Kofu but he can certainly deliver a nice ball into the box.

#26 MF Kazuhiro Sato & #28 MF Yuki Hashizumi. These two make the list as they are the replacements who have filled in for Dudu and Soneda the past 2 matches. Both have started 7 matches this year but do not offer the same upside to the attack that Dudu and Soneda do.

FC Ryukyu

FC Ryukyu are dealing with their own unique challenges this weekend so though it may seem they have the upper hand on paper, in reality, things are probably even between both sides. First, Tokumoto picked up a non-contact ankle injury last week against Kyoto that will see him miss 3-4 weeks. Second, Keita Tanaka will serve a 1 match suspension for the accumulation of yellow cards. This means FC Ryukyu will have to make 2 changes to a starting lineup that was starting to gel and get back to the scoring ways from earlier this season.

Tanaka will most likely be replaced by either Uejo, Kawai or Ochi but I am not sure who will feature on the bench for Ryukyu this week as I haven’t seen Koizumi’s name since Gifu. Tokumoto will be replaced by Fukui which means we will need to dress another defensive player this weekend. I appreciate that Fukui can play both in and outside defense but certainly FC Ryukyu has some real defensive depth issues if they are more willing to move both Fukui and Masutani to the FB position instead of leaving them inside and bringing up reserve FBs. I guess we will not only find out tomorrow but also during the Emperor’s Cup next month.

Aside from the unknown, Ryukyu are coming into the match having drawn twice, lost twice and won once in their last five matches. However, FC Ryukyu are a very difficult team to beat at home, as evidenced by the 30-game home unbeaten streak, and they just play better at the Tapista. Ryukyu’s last few home matches have seen them battle back against Kanazawa, overcome a late goal from Niigata to score one of their own to win and beat the number one team in J2 in Mito. This offers some hope going forward as Ryukyu is making life difficult for the visiting J2 sides.

Key Injuries or Suspensions

FC Ryukyu: MF Keita Tanaka (SUS), GK Danny Carvajal (INJ) & DF Shuhei Tokumoto (INJ)

Ventforet Kofu: FW Dudu (INJ) & MF Yutaka Soneda (INJ)

FC Ryukyu Keys to Victory

1. Press the Kofu back-line into making mistakes. The Kofu defense is not that great and #22, Yuta Koieda, is a pretty bad CB. FC Ryukyu needs to press the Kofu back-line when they are in possession as they are very unsure of themselves and often make poor decisions that can lead to turnovers . With so much attacking power on Kofu they have yet to learn how to play the ball out from the back and Ryukyu should exploit this weakness. The horrible mistake by the defenders last week against Verdy led directly to Verdy’s second goal.

2. Know where all the Kofu attackers are at, at all times, but especially when they are in or just outside the 18-yard box. The Kofu attackers have the uncanny ability to lose their markers at key times and then score goals. Ryukyu cannot afford to cede an otherwise easily defended goal to Kofu tomorrow. Kofu’s formation allows the squad to crash the box once they gain possession down either flank in the deep ends of the opposition which can then overwhelm the defense. Uesato and Komatsu have to stay on top of this tactic and aide the Ryukyu back line.

3. Attack the Kofu back line with speed and misdirection passes. Koji Suzuki should have his way tomorrow with Kofu defenders so long as Ryukyu feed him quality passes. Kofu defenders don’t seem to mark well which means Ryukyu players should find plenty of space to maneuver inside the Kofu box. Kofu also doesn’t defend corners all that well so this is another opportunity for Ryukyu to get on the front foot.

4. Mark Koichi Sato in the final minutes of the match. Sato has scored an eye popping 4 stoppage time goals this season as a sub. He has earned 3 points for Kofu in those 4 matches since 3 of the games ended in draws. FC Ryukyu must maintain their focus at the end of the match and not allow Sato any time or space in the box.

Match Prediction

If this was the same Kofu squad that was brushing aside opponents from earlier in the season than I would have predicted a loss for FC Ryukyu. However, this is a weakened Kofu side that comes into the match in poor form and lacking any real punch up front outside of Utaka. Sound defending by Ryukyu coupled with a ruthless attack should see Ryukyu prevail tomorrow. FC Ryukyu 2-1 Ventforet Kofu.

Conclusion

FC Ryukyu will once again be playing in less than optimal weather conditions this weekend. Thankfully Ryukyu are becoming accustomed to playing in such poor conditions as this will be at least their 6^th time this season that they have had to endure rain and wind in a match. That fact, along with Kofu’s injuries, recent poor form and not so great record for matches started in the evening hours, sets FC Ryukyu up nicely to grab all 3 points at home tomorrow and provide a massive boost to their point tally.

See you all out there tomorrow and let’s do our best to stay dry. Come on Lads!