2024 J.League YBC Levain Cup 1st Round 2nd Round Gainare Tottori Post-Match Comments

"Today, we talked about playing with focus from the start. We scored two very good goals and it was a satisfying start. The first goal was a very good goal, coming from a run around the right wing and diving into the near post. We were hoping for goals from the inside half, and today we got two. I think we lost our tempo a little towards the end of the first half, but in the second half we were able to control the game again.

"There are no easy games in cup matches, as we saw in today's match. Tottori worked extremely hard and pressed hard. After two games in a row without scoring, I'm happy that we were able to score five goals and win today."

[Question-and-answer session]
(You mentioned the tempo after the 20th minute of the first half, but what adjustments did the players on the pitch need to make?)
"There were a lot of three-touch, four-touch plays during that period, so it was important for me to keep in mind one-touch, two-touch plays. Instead of receiving the ball, turning and going towards the opponent to create a two-on-one, I think there were a lot of plays where I pulled back and made three-touch, four-touch plays."

(The format of the YBC Levain Cup has changed this year, so I think it is very meaningful for Urawa Reds to play at the home grounds of lower-category clubs that they don't usually play against.)
"As I said before the match, Japan's J1, J2 and J3 leagues have very high-level players and well-organised teams. There were J1 teams that were eliminated in the first round. There are no easy games. This format allows J3 clubs to participate, and I think it's a good format for the development of Japanese football as a whole. I think it has encouraged more clubs to take on the game with enthusiasm. In Europe, especially in Norway, cup matches are very popular, with fourth division teams also taking part. And before that, there are qualifying rounds in which fifth division teams also take part, so many clubs can compete and dream."

(What is your assessment of Hidetoshi Takeda Takeda, who started today, and Ekanit Panya and Yota Horiuchi, who came on in the second half alongside Takeda, who have not played in any league matches this season, but what do you think of the impact they have had on improving the team's overall performance?)
"I'm glad that many of our players, including (Ekanit Panya) and Yota Horiuchi, were able to take to the pitch today. And of course, Hide (Hidetoshi Takeda), who has a great left foot. He's a smart player. I think it was a good experience for him as well."

(Has your impression of Gainare Tottori changed before and after the match?)
"I watched the video and they were an impressive team with truly fantastic skills. The left winger has one-on-one skills, and they also have good combinations in the midfield. Today's two goals were also superb finishes. When we actually played, the impression that the J3 is at a high level was borne out. The pitch was also top class. With a pitch like this, the speed and tempo increase, so I think it is an extremely good environment for the development of football. I would like to praise this pitch today."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]