2019

Intro

FC Ryukyu lost a hard-fought battle to Omiya 3-2 this past Sunday at the Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium. Though the boys were not able to earn a positive point on the day, take nothing away from their performance. They played really well against a side seeking promotion. I think we all need to have some expectation management for the remaining 4 matches this season when it comes to FC Ryukyu. We will probably be without Dany Carvajal due to his lingering ankle injury that he picked up against Yokohama, as it probably has never fully healed. Why else would he not be out there after playing the full 90 versus Tochigi SC? I am assuming he’s played through tremendous amounts of pain and setbacks to get FC Ryukyu to this point and it has just become to much. Maybe he picked up an injury during practice but I’ve seen too many of Dany’s type of injury in the NFL to believe anything less and feel he was rushed back to service without proper healing time. But we’ll await word from the club as to what actually occurred. In any case, he was an absolute warrior for this club this season. Also, FC Ryukyu are likely without a true RB for another 2 weeks until Nishioka returns. Shinji Ono may also not feature again for this side with his own ankle injury and that would be terrible. But do not fret, the team is relatively safe and as I’ve said on numerous occasions; it is time we get a look at some of the youth in the squad with the remaining fixtures as we are already playing the 2020 season. If you think we’re not, then you do not understand sports.

Match Recap

FC Ryukyu could not have asked for a better start. Within the first 90 seconds the boys were on the board following a beautifully taken Uesato FK. Uejo earned the FK at the 13 second mark, and I was shocked that Omiya was caught flat footed again. Finally, and you all know what I mean when it comes to Uesato’s FKs (usually blasts into the wall), this time Uesato curled it over the top leaving the Omiya GK no chance. A dream start for the side not expected to do much on the day. Now, there was definitely a feeling that FC Ryukyu would eventually concede but at least we wouldn’t be blanked on the day. Also, Omiya’s cracks were on full display, and though they may well be promoted, they’ll have a tough 4 weeks ahead to ensure automatic promotion.

Omiya did respond, albeit 16 minutes later, when a Fukui giveaway let to a goal from Delgado. Then to make matters worse, FC Ryukyu failed to properly clear the garbage in front of their net and in the 43rd minute, a shot curled past Ishii for a 2-1 Omiya lead. FC Ryukyu headed into half time down 2-1 with many in the stadium of thinking the flood gates were about to open.

FC Ryukyu again started fast and were rewarded with another quick goal. This time, it was the efforts of Kawai, whose speed proved too much for the Omiya RB. He easily rounded the RB and then sent a dangerous low hard cross across goal were a diving Yamada pushed it past the Omiya GK to level the match. I pretty much came out of my shoes, and the stands, screaming that this is what Kawai does, day in and day out, and needs to be in the lineup all the time.

FC Ryukyu did well to resist the remaining Omiya pressure and too be honest, FC Ryukyu controlled a large amount of possession in the remaining minutes. Bedlam nearly ensued when Uejo finally had his first free look on net, but unfortunately, his shot hit the post and bounced out of bounds. Then, as many were dreading, Omiya scored late. A cross from Shinozuka found a streaking Simovic, who was able to get a foot to the cross and redirect it past a diving Ishii. Then, out of nowhere, the heavens opened up and it began to poor outside. FC Ryukyu tried mightily but couldn’t respond to the late Omiya goal and thus lost 3-2.

Man of the Match

#13 MF, Shuto Kawai. The man was simply awesome on Sunday. He needs to be a major part of FC Ryukyu’s 2020 plans, especially with the impending departure of Uejo, and we’ll really value/need his speed. He has now bagged 2 assists in 2 straight games and his speed, skill, and overall play is exciting to watch.

Match Day 38 Takeaways

1. An Omiya supporter, and friend of mine, said that Higuchi is too dogmatic when it comes to lineup selection and substitutions. My friend said he watched him at Omiya, prior to Higuchi’s trifecta at Yokohama, and he echoes my sentiments. Omiya made all 3 of their substitutions before FC Ryukyu made 1 this past match. We saw what Omiyta wanted to do, and had every opportunity to counter their moves with speed or skill, but instead we did nothing. In fact, we left the 3^rd substitute on the bench once more. Are FC Ryukyu not monitoring fitness levels of the players? Do they not track how many top speed sprints and runs each player makes before he’s not at optimum output? Criminal and unforgivable as we should’ve brought on an extra player to provide defensive cover.

2. There is no hiding the fact that we could easily end the season on a 5-game losing streak. We have lost Dany for the year, Shinji might be on the shelf, we have a makeshift back 4; though Uehara did a great job as a replacement player-playing out of place- but what is going on in the locker room/training ground? If Higuchi prefers Uehara over any one of the defenders in the reserves, then why do we keep any of them on contract? Are they hurt? Are they not that good? Are the training tactics/techniques so brutal that FC Ryukyu have too many injuries to overcome consistently to roster a full lineup? FC Ryukyu cannot afford to continue along this path with what seems to be only 16 players available for any given match. There is an underlying issue here that I will never fully unearth and one that seems to be a cancer for this side.

Reviews of the keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Start fast & Build a Multiple Goal Lead: PASS: Yeah, we never got out in front but we got out to fast starts, twice in each half.

2. Do not conceded many set pieces: PASS. Omiya didn’t score from a set piece.

3. Pick your poison: PASS. Yes, Omiya pressed us early, then trailed off where FC Ryukyu took control. No issues here as the boys did what was asked and responded well to each Omiya tactic.

4. Win the battle down our Right and Win the Match: FAIL. The last goal from Omiya came from this spot. In fact, we gave Shinozuka a ton of space, and freaking respect as if he was something special, who promptly sent a cross into the 18-yard box, to which, Simovic easily got past Okazaki’s halfhearted attempt at a clearance. Okazaki should’ve dived and got his head in there and at the very least, drawn a foul.

5. Clean up the Garbage in the Box: FAIL. The second Omiya goal is indicative of not clearing rebounds and/or stopped shots properly.

6. The Contrarian Play: Many factors were against this ever occurring. The most evident being that we’re not privy to injuries for FC Ryukyu. But most importantly, there is zero testicular fortitude in the head coach to just go for it any given week.

Match Prediction

I said that 2-1 was respectable and 3-2 is even more so. FC Ryukyu never looked outmatched at any point. Chins up, heads up, as this was a great performance for a side up against it.

Recap of the Notable J2 fixtures on Match Day 38

Conclusion

OK, FC Ryukyu lost. That is an inescapable fact. However, I enjoyed the heck out of my last 2019 Home Match for FC Ryukyu. The walk to the stadium; pre-game flag hanging; talking to Mr. Mikami pre-match; interacting with fans; seeing Bando; meeting people from Omiya and other FC Ryukyu fans from the main land; talking to support staff of FC Ryukyu; watching a great game; and of course, cheering the boys on the way out as they were true warriors on Sunday. It was all special. Good thing that I only have to wait about 120 days to experience that feeling again, but the season is not over, and I get to see the boys one more time in Kofu, which means the 120 is actually closer 96 days. I enjoyed seeing Stuart and Dave, and interacting with so many Omiya fans. Must’ve caught many of the FC Ryukyu and Omiya supporters off-guard to see opposing team fans having such a good time together. Well, football should bring people together, not divide them.

So what is next? FC Ryukyu have Renofa Yamaguchi next week. FC Ryukyu had to come from behind to draw with Renofa in the midst of their 36-game home unbeaten streak back in March and then Renofa beat Ryukyu, in Yamaguchi, during the Emperor’s Cup. Renofa most recently came from behind to beat JEF 3-2 at home so this will be a good test for FC Ryukyu.

Oh, FC Ryukyu’s 8,000 fans this past week meant that we only need roughly 3,000 to make the 100k mark set by Mr. Mikami. Easily do able.

“Hard Days Knight” Match Day 33 Report: FC Ryukyu 3-3 Montedio Yamagata 9/23/2019

Intro

FC Ryukyu engineered a thrilling comeback against #2, Montedio Yamagata, this past Monday that also propelled FC Ryukyu back up to 15^th place in the J2 table. The draw also keeps FC Ryukyu 8 points clear of the drop zone with 9 games remaining. It was a vital point considering that many results in the league did not go FC Ryukyu’s way this past weekend. Draws by Fukuoka, Chiba and Zelvia, coupled together with a Tochigi victory over Kagoshima resulted in FC Ryukyu dropping to 18^th in the table at the time of kickoff. While many, including this author, didn’t give FC Ryukyu much of a chance at earning a positive result in the match, it was encouraging to see the side play much better than they did in the previous month.

First Half

The opening 15 minutes of the match saw FC Ryukyu and Yamagata trading chances but Yamagata’s were far more accurate than those of FC Ryukyu. Ishii, who started in place of the injured Dany Carvajal, was called into action twice in the first 11 minutes. On the flip side, Uejo’s two shots from distance, where way off target and never troubled the Yamagata keeper. In the 30^th minute, FC Ryukyu achieved a breakthrough when they opened the scoring from on-loan striker, Hiroto Yamada.

Considering that Yamagata had shut out their opponent in half of their games this season, this was a significant goal. Hiroto got on the end of a long through ball by Yuya Torikai following a darting run through the Yamagata central defense. He then took a nice touch on the ball inside the 18-yard box, dragging the ball back across the defender while simultaneously pulling the Yamagata goal keeper out farther to cut down the shooting angle. Yamada then shot back across Kushibiki, who had all his weight on his right side, and Kushibiki could only extend an arm to the shot which deflected into the right corner of the goal.

The remaining 15 minutes or so of the half saw a surge in opportunities for Yamagata as they attempted to quickly equalize. Neither side would score despite Yu’s shot hitting the post in the 41^st minute. The half would end FC Ryukyu 1, Yamagata Montedio 0.

Second Half

FC Ryukyu started quickly and nearly doubled their lead in the 47^th minute when Koya was able to round the keeper but had his shot stopped by a diving defender. In fact, Koya had 2 more chances over the next 10 minutes to increase our lead but they were either blocked or saved. Yamagata then equalized in the 56^th minute which proved to be one of the top goals scored in J2 for this round. The shot, similar to the one that Yamada scored, saw Ishii going one way when it was drilled in the opposite direction making it difficult for any GK to recover and then stop. Despite this goal, FC Ryukyu didn’t play like a side that was 13 spots below Yamagata in the table and in fact, they controlled large parts of the game and looked composed when countering the Yamagata attack. However, the real fireworks would occur in the last 15 minutes of this match.

“The Fireworks Show“

The “show,” got started in the 74^th minute when Fukui rose for a cross on the Ryukyu net and his extended arm deflected the ball out of bounds. There was no initial call for handball on the pitch by the referee, but after some Yamagata calls for appeal and conferring by the officials, a PK was awarded. FC Ryukyu were very lucky to escape with just a PK call going against them considering that Fukui was already sitting on a Yellow Card. This game would’ve ended a lot differently had Fukui been shown his second yellow reducing FC Ryukyu to 10 men. Jefferson Biano stepped up and drilled the PK home for a 2-1 Yamagata lead. Yamagata then added to their lead from an Own Goal after another botched play by a FC Ryukyu center back. This time it was Okazaki’s turn to go sliding into a cross, that Ishii could’ve collected, but instead was redirected into the back of the net. Whether it was a lack of communication on the part of Ishii, or recognition of time, space and distance by Okazaki, it was 3-1 Yamagata with only 9 minutes and stoppage time remaining in the game.

It was now time for Shinya Uehara, who came on just 1 minute prior to the own goal, to make his presence felt for FC Ryukyu. FC Ryukyu were awarded a corner kick in the 83rd minute. On the ensuing cross, Uehara rode for a header and was fouled badly in the box. FC Ryukyu were awarded a PK, to which Koki Kazama stepped up and scored. If you recall from their previous meeting, FC Ryukyu were awarded a PK that Kushibiki first saved, then was yellow carded for coming off his line too quickly, and then Koji Suzuki scored on the second attempt. Whether or not that weighed heavily on the mind of Kushibiki, or he simply guessed wrong, he was sent the wrong direction by Koki who sent the shot home with some authority.

Just as it seemed as if this game where going to end 3-2 in favor of Yamagata, Yamada controlled nicely placed cross that he was able to pass to a waiting Uehara near the top of the box. Uehara then sent a blistering shot on net that just tucked inside the right post providing FC Ryukyu the 91^st minute equalizer. Another one of those unbelievable moments as Yamagata had only surrendered 3 goals in a match twice all season, compared to the 8 times of FC Ryukyu. FC Ryukyu had one last chance to win the match when a rebound almost fell to a wide open Uejo in the box but he was a bit off balance and the ball bounced off his foot. Final score, FC Ryukyu 3-3 Montedio Yamagata.

Men of the Match

Normally this section is reserved for one individual but there were 3 standout performances on the night. First there is the FC Ryukyu goal keeper, Ishii. Despite the fact that FC Ryukyu conceded 3 goals, only 1 was from open play. The other 2 were a PK and an Own Goal. Ishii really played an excellent game and kept FC Ryukyu in this match up to the point where his central defenders let him down. He was making save after save and really frustrated the Yamagata attack on Monday night.

Hirota Yamada is credited with a goal and assist on Monday. It was his opening goal that allowed FC Ryukyu to play a little more relaxed while forcing Yamagata into an attacking style of play. It was also his crucial controlling of a cross and then subsequent assist to Uehara that gave FC Ryukyu the equalizer.

Shinya Uehara scored his second game tying goal in as many games. If you recall, he also earned the equalizer against Kanazawa on the road in round 32. Uehara was also the player who earned the late PK for FC Ryukyu when he was fouled rising to meet a cross.

Review of the Keys to Victory for FC Ryukyu

1. Play with Reckless Abandonment: PASS, though, maybe not in the intended manner. FC Ryukyu displayed composure the entire match and actually forced Yamagata to play outside of their comfort zone. They often looked more physical than Yamagata and this may have surprised their opponents. The only part that was truly reckless was that of our defense.

Match Day Prediction

Yamagata 3-0. I truly enjoy getting these predictions wrong when it is a favorable outcome for FC Ryukyu and truly despise when I get them correct with less than favorable results. I am happy in this case.

Match Day 33 Takeaways

1. Let’s start with the bad. The central back pairing of Okazaki and Fukui was hard to watch on Monday. Fukui made a mistimed challenge in the 8^th minute that resulted in a wide-open look on net for Yamagata requiring a tremendous save by Ishii. Fukui’s 36^th minute challenge resulted in a yellow card and was one he shouldn’t have attempted. He then came out on another mistimed challenge that saw the Yamagata attacker pass the ball by him and into an open shooting lane that Yamagata was able to capitalize on for the score. He then committed an overt handball that he was very lucky not be carded on resulting in a PK for Yamagata. Okazaki committed the own goal and all the problems that have existed for the FC Ryukyu defense were on full display Monday. Teams are able to moves and pass seamlessly in and around our defenders. This is just the reality we live in for the remainder of this season and one that I hope is changed for next year.

2. The good. This lineup has really gelled nicely. It was very encouraging to watch midfielders making long passes to on rushing attackers and there will certainly be goals later on if they keep this up. Despite being on the receiving end of some heavy losses this season, FC Ryukyu looked very composed and very relaxed against a superior opponent. This is extremely important heading into a stretch of games where favorable results mean everything for this side. Just to reiterate, this side looks markedly better than the last few times I’ve seen them play and with a much more balanced and purposeful attack.

3. More of the good. Koya Kazama put in a phenomenal shift and it is easy to see why a seasoned J2 player like that is crucial to the success of FC Ryukyu this season. I’d love if we were able to keep him for next season.

4. We will end with the ugly. The Yamagata Striker, Shuhei Otsuki, was committing some ugly fouls early on that could’ve resulted in a yellow card. He was often seen leading with his arm/elbow into headers and then committed a blatant red card foul in the 59th minute. Granted, Shuhei looked as if he was fouled by the Ryukyu players but he then kicked Yuya Torikai in the groin area, right in front of the referee. The referee then awarded yellow cards to both players. This was a disgusting act and one that I hope doesn’t go unpunished by the league.

Conclusion

FC Ryukyu head into a stretch of 3 games out of 4 on the road. This would normally be concerning considering the FC Ryukyu road form, but there were a lot of encouraging signs from this side the past 3 weeks. FC Ryukyu have earned 5 points from a possible 9 and kept themselves out of the J2 basement. Also, the road games are against 19^th placed Zelvia, 18^th Fukuoka and 21^st Tochigi. The lone home game is against Tokyo Verdy and therefore all of these fixtures could, and should, be considered winnable for FC Ryukyu. If they grab wins and draws then we can all relax heading into the last 5 rounds of the J2 season.

Player Photos and Game Recap are from the JLeague website. jleague.jp/en/match

Cover photo courteous of @tidashokudo