FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group Stage MD1: Post-Trial comments against CA River Plate (Argentina)

[Director Maciej Skorza]
"It's a disappointing result. We didn't start Trial the way we wanted, especially in the first half, where we weren't in control. And conceding goals so early has a very strong impact on the mentality of the team, which is the hardest thing to train. So, when you ask me about the result, I take it very disappointingly. The team made a lot of effort and did a great job. But the way we started Trial today wasn't how we expected. We played better in the second half, but the way we conceded goals today was not good."

[Question and Answer Session]
(Many supporters painted parts of the stands red. And of course, many fans of the opposing team came out as well. What was the atmosphere like today and what were your impressions of Lumen Field?)

"The Urawa supporters were amazing. They supported us in a wonderful way, even from far away in Japan. I really regret that we weren't able to give them satisfaction or joy today. I'm really grateful for how much they supported us today, and how much they wanted to help us. We have two Trial left, so I hope to play better than we did in the first half today."

(We conceded an early goal, but was this expected? And how do you evaluate the team's performance after conceding the goal?)
"For the first two or three minutes, we were aggressive, as we wanted to. After that, we let them have the ball for too long in the half court. They were easily shifting the focus of the game. I think the mentality also affected the team's play a bit at this point. It's not that all of our tactical stuff didn't come through, but the period leading up to the first goal was very chaotic. It was definitely not what we expected.
"It took us 20, 25 minutes to get to where we are, what we've been preparing for, what we've been practicing all this time. It's frustrating that we weren't able to be aggressive early in Trial, which I thought was really important for us."

Considering your opponents River Plate, how would you rate your team's performance in the second half? And what do you think about the opportunity to face such a strong team as the South American champions?
"We have to remember that the standard of our opponents today was very high. River Plate are a very well-organised team, especially in attack, and you could say that their DNA is to attack non-stop. They have great players for that. So today was a difficult Trial. But we expected to be able to use the space, to change the focus of Trial quickly and to find space behind their stoppers. We had some good moments in the second half, such as the penalty after a good build-up from zone 1. This was the way we wanted to play. We would have liked to use more full-backs, but it was also difficult to predict how Trial would play out. It was also my first Trial against an Argentine team, but I'm not looking for excuses. I hope this experience will pay off."

(Seattle is set to host many international soccer Trial over the next few years. What was the atmosphere like in Seattle and at Lumen Field for an international soccer Trial?)
"First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for the fantastic hospitality we've had here. Really, the organisation on every front is at a very high level. We've had very friendly people supporting us, which has helped us. We've felt really comfortable. As for the stadium itself, I think everyone feels it's a great facility. And the atmosphere in the stadium would undoubtedly have been even better if it had been filled to the last seat."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]