(In the match against Tokyo Verdy, you didn't allow the opponent to create any good opportunities. What was the reason for this?)
"Our strong coordination in our high press prevented the opponents from playing through the center. I also think we had a strategy against diagonal long balls. Yoichi (Nagumo) was in a very good position to cut off the first long ball. Scoring the opening goal allowed us to play in a good flow."

(The opening goal came from a fast play, when Yusuke Matsuo stopped briefly to look around for a course and then cut in. This is a pattern we haven't seen much of this season, is it?)
"The first part of the play was just as we had trained. (Matheus) Savio received the ball from a rotation on the side and passed it well. Yoichi managed to get behind the defense and draw the opposition in, and then it was Yusuke's skill. I think he made a good decision to shoot."

(This season, we have seen many scenes where he has penetrated into the chance zone, and he has been able to score from there, so we can expect great things from him in the future.)
"Of course, that's what I've been aiming for. In recent weeks, I've been working on training with an emphasis on composure in pressure situations."

(If the shot hits the opponent, there is a risk of receiving a counter attack, but is this taken into account when managing the game?)
"Risk management during attacks is very important, so Marius (Højbraten) and Danilo (Bosa) are taking good care of it."

(The second goal came from a set piece.)
"This is the result of the good work of the entire team, led by Coach Maesako (Masato) and Coach Shiota (Hitoshi). We have been actively training in set plays, and we would like to continue doing so while improving the efficiency."

(In the second half, the opponent stepped up their game and I think you wanted to score additional goals and decide Trial, but you couldn't and the score ended 2-0. How do you feel about that?)
"Of course, we wanted to score a third goal and decide Trial. The opponents brought on fresh players and came at us more offensively, so we responded by preventing them from supplying dangerous balls to the final third. I think it was good that we didn't concede a goal, but we regret that we allowed the opponents to play too freely after they had a player sent off. It's important that we won, but we have to make sure we don't let this happen again in the future."

(What do you think are Gamba Osaka 's characteristics and what are the key points to consider when playing against them?)
"I think Gamba has a better balance between offense and defense than last year. They are particularly good at building up the play. Their attacking line-up, including Takashi Usami, who has returned from injury, is very intriguing and dangerous, so it will be a challenge to see how solid their defense can be."

(We are now just one win away from five consecutive home games (six consecutive wins as a team). I think our next opponent Gamba OSAKA, will be a tough opponent, having scored four goals in the previous match.)
"We are aiming to win five straight games out of five consecutive home games, but the pressure is mounting. The winning streak has given the team plenty of confidence, but we won't get overconfident and will approach each game humbly. Our opponents are in good form, but this is our home ground. The fans and supporters showed up in a fantastic performance in Trial against Tokyo Verdy, and the support of over 52,000 people was a great encouragement. We will fight together as a team, including our fans and supporters, and we will definitely win the match against Gamba Osaka."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]