Post-match comments from MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE Regional League Round 11 Trial Kashima Antlers.

"Overall, I think we got off to a good start. The first half was quite close, and we were able to create chances. I think we could have kept possession of the ball a little more, but even in that respect, I think we've improved compared to before."

We created some chances in the first half. For example, there was the situation with Ryoma Watanabe, and also Takuro Kaneko's shot after the high press, but in those scenes, Yuki Hayakawa made some fantastic saves.

At the start of the second half, we applied high pressure, and then shifted to defending in the middle zone. I think the players did a pretty good job. But that was only until we lost possession after a corner kick, which led to a goal against us.

In the substitutions, we brought in the fresh Hayate Ueki as a defensive midfielder and Renji Hidano as a winger. However, we weren't able to make the most of Renji's abilities. In the second half, Takuro had one chance, but perhaps he lacked the judgment to take a shot.

The players worked incredibly hard today, but we conceded goals due to small details and ultimately lost, so the atmosphere in the locker room after Trial was quiet and heavy."

[Questions and Answers]
(This will be the fourth time they've conceded a goal and lost Trial with less than 10 minutes remaining. Is this due to four separate minor mistakes or blunders, or is it simply a result of Trial 's flow unfolding in a way that makes it impossible to hold on until the very end?)
"When we look at the goals we concede, individual mistakes are often involved. That was the case with the goal we conceded after the corner kick today, and also with the goal we conceded against FC Machida Zelvia. Of course, if we keep possession far away from our own goal, the risk is lower, but there are times when it's difficult to do that."

(Judging from the flow of Trial, it seemed difficult to score a goal, and there might have even been an idea to end Trial 0-0. What kind of image did you convey to the players when giving instructions?)
"We didn't intend to let it end 0-0. We brought in fresh players like Hayate and Renji, kept Ryoma as the number 10 instead of dropping him to defensive midfield, and were looking for an opportunity to utilize them while holding the ball in the middle zone. Our plan was to use Renji when (Matheus) Savio cut inside, but we weren't able to create those opportunities today. We also had some transitions, but we weren't able to make passes at the right time."

(What difference did you notice between your team and Kashima in this Trial?)
"I think it's confidence."

(You haven't won in 6 Trial. How do you plan to recover from this loss of confidence?)
"Six Trial without a win is a very difficult situation for the team. However, considering our performance and momentum so far, I think we need to work even harder to change the momentum in these three home games."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]