On the 30th, after the match against Avispa Fukuoka in Round 5 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League, Ryoma Watanabe, who scored his first goal in an official game for Urawa Urawa Reds, talked about his goal and his impressions of winning for the first time at Saitama Stadium.

(His own goal led to the first win at Saitama Stadium this season?)
“I was running with the intention of making up for the mistakes I made in the first half, and I wanted to be in front of the goal as much as possible.I think that led to the result.I was glad that I won because I was able to win. If it had been a draw, I think I would have been blaming myself. I'm really glad we won."

(What about the scoring scene?)
``Ever since I was a full-back, I wanted to move forward, and when the ball came in from Hiroki (Sakai), I wanted to be inside, so I stayed in that position.The opponent's center back and goalkeeper both It looked like it was going over a little bit, and I could see the goal, so I just poured it in.”

(Didn't he feel relieved because he didn't have any chances to start up, made mistakes, and had chances that were blocked?)
``The biggest feeling of relief is that I am now playing fullback, which is not my previous position, so one of the reasons is that I am mentally stable and I don't get discouraged by one mistake.'' .Of course I can't make a mistake like that, but I was able to play while thinking that it was better than being hit one-on-one defensively or scoring a goal with a cross.I think that led to a good result. ”

(Maybe the two players who joined the team this season will gain momentum by scoring goals?)
``I think everyone wanted Thiago (Santana) to score the penalty kick, and I think it boosts the team's morale when the striker scores it.Thiago also played really well. I think there was a part of Thiago who was relieved.I hope that with that kind of synergy, the team can move in a good direction, and from a tactical standpoint, there was a really good atmosphere and we were able to do well. I believe that

(When Ayumu Ohata came in, he remained in the back position, but when did he change?)
"I don't remember. But I think it changed after about 10 or 15 minutes. At first, Ayumu (Ohata) was in front, but there were times when I was in front, so it's difficult to say when. But it might have changed before I scored.”

(He's creating a lot of chances in front of the goal, but is there anything he can add to his play as a fullback?)
“As a full-back, there are many situations where you can receive the ball in a position that you cannot receive when playing wide. There are many situations where you can attack the opponent's full-back by being forward, or in situations where there are many players inside. So I think my strengths will be useful in that aspect.In addition to dribbling in one-on-one battles, I can also play with a lot of options, such as crossing, shooting, and going past. I think my strengths will come out by playing the game.I'm an attacking player, so I don't think there's any point unless I can show my difference there.''

(Maybe you didn't get too excited after the tying goal?)
"I'm regretting that a little bit. There were times when I was a little overjoyed, so I should have come back sooner. I would have been extremely happy if it was a come-from-behind goal."

(You have been working positively on fullback since camp, but how are you working on it now?)
``I don't think of myself as an attacking player, but when it comes to attacking positions, I have the mindset that ``I'm an attacking player, so I have to do it.''Right now, I'm trying to master the fullback position. Also, I have to work on areas where I can create a numerical advantage in defence.I had a few shots today as well, but I have to make sure I don't lose headers with long balls from goal kicks, etc. I think we still need to work on the basic but absolutely necessary aspects.”

(Are you feeling established as a fullback?)
``It's still a long way off.I have more experience up front, but I have important skills behind me that I want to get better at, so I'm looking forward to that as well.'' I hope I can do better than what is expected of me.”

(As a player of Urawa Reds, which you have fond memories of since your childhood, what do you think about playing in the match at Saitama Stadium and winning?)
``Honestly, I'm really happy, and it's true that when we all sang ``We are Diamonds'' at the end, it was a few minutes of reminiscing about everything we've done up until now.But right now, I'm not satisfied at all. That's why I want to get even better with this team.There will be some battles that we can't afford to lose in the next round, so I hope we can take things one game at a time.''

Other comments and match photos can be viewed on the site members.
■Click here for site members (330 yen per month/tax included) → https://sp.urawa-reds.co.jp/
*REX CLUB LOYALTY members can use it for free.

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]