In the first match of the 18-team tournament, Japan beat China 7-0, with Kaoru Mitaka's goal being one of the highlights of the match. After the match, the Japanese international was interviewed by the media, sharing the story behind his goal and his thoughts on the match.
Talking about his own goal
Kaoru Mitaka looked excited about his goal, revealing that it was not a fluke, but the result of countless aiming and attempts in training. "As a wingback, a goal from this position is something I've been looking forward to. In training, the coaches told me to pay attention to the quality of my passes because depending on the game situation, that position is likely to be open. I always paint that picture in my mind and every time I wave my arms, I'm preparing for that moment." He continued, "During the game, I always kept running and looking for opportunities. Although there have been a couple of unsuccessful attempts before, I'm very happy to have finally capitalized on the opportunity today."
Talking about the differences from the last WC
When asked about the differences compared to the last World Qualifier, Kaoru Mitaka emphasized the improvement in the team's overall form. "Everyone is able to play normally, which is our biggest improvement. We are now able to face matches more comfortably, thanks to our daily training and accumulation in a high-level environment. The understanding and trust between the players is also growing, which makes us more confident in matches."
match
Regarding the match, Kaoru Mitani said that the Japanese team did not go exactly as expected. "We had expected China to organize their attack from the back, but we didn't expect them to choose a pressing style of play. This gave us some challenges in both offense and defense. Although we prepared some strategies to deal with it, we didn't fully show them in the game." However, he also emphasized the team's confidence for the future, "However, we have learned a lot from this game and are well prepared for the upcoming matches. We believe that we will get better and better as the game progresses."
