After defeating the Malian national Olympic team 1-0 in the second round of the Olympic men's soccer tournament, Reio Ogikubo, goalkeeper of the Japanese national Olympic team, was interviewed by the media, and his words were full of joy for the victory and expectations for the future.
Speaking about the significance of this crucial victory for the team, Reio Ogikubo could not hide her excitement: "First of all, it is undoubtedly crucial for our Japanese National Olympic Team to win all three points in this match. Winning these two group games means that we have accumulated six valuable points, which is a solid foundation for us to fight for a better ranking in the upcoming matches and to enter the knockout stage successfully. We are well aware that the next matches will be even tougher, but we will continue to work hard to maintain this fighting spirit and form."
When asked about his journey to pounce on the opponent's penalty kick, Reio Ogikubo showed his firm conviction as a goalkeeper: "At that moment, there was only one thought in my mind, which was that I had to guard the team's goal no matter what and not let the opponents take advantage of it in any way. This strong sense of responsibility and mission enabled me to stay calm and make the right judgment at the critical moment. I felt very happy to see the ball being firmly pounced on by me, as it was my contribution to the team."
In addition, Reio Ogikubo made special mention of a great attacking chance by the opponent in the 62nd minute: "That attack was really dangerous, and the opponent player's shot was quite good in terms of angle and power, which put a lot of pressure on me. But I told myself that I had to stay focused and not let up. Fortunately, I managed to react and blocked the ball with my fingertips. The save was tough, but it also made me more confident and I believe I can continue to show such reflexes and consistency in the upcoming matches to help the team zero in on their opponents and achieve more victories."
