On the 29th, after the second round of the 2026/27 J.League Yamazaki Biscuit Levain Cup 1st Round Kataller Toyama, Renji Hidano, who scored the winning goal that led his team to the third round, spoke about his reflections on his goal and his aspirations for the future.

(This was your first goal of the season, but have there been any frustrating moments leading up to it?)
"It feels like it's finally happened. At the start of the season, I wasn't getting the playing time I wanted, and I kept getting injured, so personally, it was a very frustrating time. But I knew that even if the chances were few, I would definitely get some, so I stepped onto the pitch with the determination to get results. I was confident that I could get results in those situations, so I'm glad that I was able to show that and contribute to the team's victory."

(How did you feel when you were contacted?)
"I was constantly watching the bench, trying to get their attention and thinking, 'Please let me play.' Even when they caught up, I was absolutely certain I could get on the field and score, so when there were about 10 minutes left I thought, 'Please let me play a little earlier,' but I had been warming up with that kind of mindset the whole time, so I was confident."

(Kaito Yasui gave you a great pass, but isn't being one-on-one with the goalkeeper the most nerve-wracking situation?)
"I managed to trap the ball well, and I had time to look at the opposing goalkeeper, so I think I was able to stay calm in that situation."

(Did you know there was no offside rule?)
"I thought it might be offside, but since there was no VAR today, I thought it was important not to stop playing. I just wanted to keep going and at least get a shot off."

(With his breakaway and finishing reminiscent of his debut match against Fagiano Okayama, he was able to showcase his strongest points, wasn't he?)
"Coach Cho (Cho Kwi Jae) had been asking us to get behind the opponent's defense both before Trial and at halftime, so I thought that we would get at least one chance within 10 minutes. I went into Trial focused on that one chance and determined to score."

(Isn't scoring the winning goal in a do-or-die Trial worth about as much as three league points?)
"I think it's worth that much. We still have the league, the Emperor's Cup, and the Levain Cup to go, and we've talked as a team about not dropping a single match. Today's match was tough, but the important thing was to win, and I think it was good that we were able to advance to the next stage, which will give me more time to showcase my skills."

(Are confident comments like "scoring double-digit goals is a must" partly a way of putting pressure on yourself?)
"Of course, my goal of scoring double-digit goals remains unchanged, and I want to put more pressure on myself, overcome that pressure, and focus solely on scoring more goals and contributing to the team's victory."

(What are your plans for the next match?)
"I think I'm expected to score goals, and that's my job, so I want to contribute to scoring goals in the time I'm given and help the team win."

[Urawa Reds Official Media]