Meiji Yasuda J1 League Match 1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima Comments after the match

"I've been preparing for this game for five and a half weeks and I'm really looking forward to this game. It was great for me to see the amazing Reds fans and supporters from the start of the game.

I think we saw some good things in the first half. We were able to create three chances, and until we conceded a goal towards the end of the first half, we almost didn't give them any chances. In the second half, we tried to connect from behind, but it didn't go well and we were down 0-2 at that time. I think in the final 15 and 20 minutes we regained our form once again, dominating the match and creating chances.

It was a match against a very well-organized team that we have been playing with for many years. Looking at the entire 90 minutes, I think our opponent was more consistent. There was a time in that game where I felt like we had potential, so I felt that as time went on and the relationships between the players deepened, things would get better.”

[Question-and-answer session]
(What parts of today's match met your expectations, and what parts fell short of your expectations?)
“We were looking forward to seeing what kind of game it would be.We knew before it started that it would be a difficult game, but with that in mind, I think there were some periods where we were better than expected. We were able to create a total of seven or eight chances based on the form we were trying to play, so in that sense it was a game that can be viewed very positively.However, despite the difficult times, we were able to create seven or eight chances in total. There was a time when the second ball was picked up. We have to learn from that."

(Regarding today's substitution card, I found it interesting that Ken Iwao was appointed as an inside half and was substituted as a left back. What was the purpose of these two substitutions, and what kind of effect did you expect?)
"There are several aspects. One is that there was a period when Atsuki (Ito) was not able to participate in training. There was also a period when Thiago (Santana) was away as well, and those two I didn't want to push him too hard.Also, (Ohata) Ayumu was doing very well in practice.I wanted to make the left back a fresher player, and I also thought about Ayumu's offensive quality. It was a replacement.

Also, Naoki (Maeda) moved into the right wing and gave us a sense of his potential to provide power and assist. (Koroki) Shinzo was also doing very well and looked like he was almost going to score.

As for Ken (Iwao), I think he is a very high quality player. I thought he could play not only as an anchor but also as an inside half, so I appointed him in that position.”

(Like the manager, this was Samuel Gustafson 's first experience in the J League, but how did you watch his play from the bench?)
“I think we will get even better if we have more time to play together.Depending on the time of day, there were times when he seemed to be acting tact.The three players in the midfield are players who need to work together. I think if you get to know your players better, you will be able to find space and play even when the opponent is pressing you.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate Sanfrecce Hiroshima on their victory. And I want to praise this wonderful stadium."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]