Post-match comments from the 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 26 Trial against Nagoya Grampus

"Nagoya is always a difficult opponent to play against due to the quality of their players and their playing style, and today they were once again a very tough opponent for us.

Looking at our performance, I think the first half was very good. We were able to recover second balls and our build-up speed was good enough. Also, I think the key was that we won many balls.

You could say we had a bit of luck, but I think it was good that (Matheus) Savio won the ball in the center and Hiiro Komori made the decision to shoot. The second goal was thanks to a great assist from (Kaneko) Takuro and a clever shot from Savio.

We checked the physical data at halftime and it was a very tough and demanding period for us. Today's high pressing style was very demanding physically for our wingers, so we changed the way we pressed in the second half to gain more control over the midfield.

After conceding the goal, we became tense and a bit nervous. There were periods when we were unable to keep the ball and control the game. This was evident in a two-minute stretch around the 90th minute when we moved the ball around and changed sides while keeping the ball. I think that kind of play is necessary, especially in this kind of weather.

"I'm pleased that we were able to earn three points with an overall good performance in front of the fans and supporters who created such a great atmosphere at our home stadium. With one day off in between, we'll be preparing for the very important match against Kashiwa Reysol over the next four days."

[Question and Answer Session]
(There were a few plays that seemed to rush forward in the final minutes of Trial, but how do you plan to unify your thinking as a team?)
"I think there are several reasons for this, but one of them is that the substitutes try to make great plays when they receive the ball. Of course, I understand their feelings, but in situations like this, I think it's also important to play simply and get rid of the ball easily.

We were tired, but Nagoya was also tired from working hard physically, so we needed to stay calm and keep possession of the ball.

As space began to open up, we brought on Shoya Nakajima and sent Thiago Santana up front. We were trying to create chances and finish the game, but Nagoya's defense during that period was very good."

I think you played well in the first half, but especially towards the end of the second half you lost power and were unable to contain the ball when it bounced off your defense, and you were unable to transition to counterattacks, which increased the opponent's chances. What are your thoughts on this, Coach?
"I think Nagoya's center backs were playing aggressive defense, and they struggled a bit because they couldn't keep the ball under that kind of pressure. So even when we stole the ball and put it forward, I think there were too many times when our counterattacks were cut off.

We weren't losing the ball every time, and there were times when Shoya and Thiago created chances. However, I think we lacked composure once we entered the final third.

(Hiiro Komori has been injured. Do you know what her current condition is?)
"It will take a little more time before we know the details, but it is possible that the injury is serious. Therefore, at this point I cannot say whether he will be able to play in the match against Kashiwa Reysol."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]