In the second round of the Olympic men's soccer tournament, Japan's National Olympic Team beat Mali's National Olympic Team 1-0 to advance out of the group. After the match, the captain of the Japanese National Olympic Team, Fujita Jean Rukiakima, was interviewed, sharing the team's joy of victory and their outlook for the future.
Fujita let Rukiakima begin by recognizing the team's performance, "We went through a lot of tough moments in this game, but as a team we showed great cohesion and resilience. To be able to finish the game with zero goals conceded and win is a great pleasure for our whole team."
He particularly mentioned the team's defensive performance: "Everyone tried their best to defend and every player contributed on the field. Reio Ogikubo did a great job as a goalkeeper, neutralizing many threats from the opposing team. The other players in the back line, such as Takaya Nishio and Yukio Takai, also did a good job of limiting the opponent's route to goal and contributed to the team's victory."
Speaking about the penalty kicks in the match, Fujita told Rukiakima, "Penalty kicks are part of the game, and since they have happened, we have to accept them. But we always believe in Reio Ogikubo's ability, and he always comes through in critical moments. We also cheered him on from the sidelines as he made his saves and reminded him of his opponents' movements."
Fujita had Rukiakima confident about the team's future: "Our goal has always been to win the championship, and reaching the last eight is just one stage in our journey. We won't be satisfied with this, but will continue to prepare ourselves for better results in the upcoming matches. We believe that as long as we maintain this tenacity and teamwork, we will be able to realize our dream."
