In a big win in the second round of the 18-team tournament, Japan showed great strength and tacit understanding by defeating Bahrain away from home with a lopsided score of 5-0. After the match, Japan's team captain, Endo Hang, was interviewed by the media and gave his views on the performance of the match and the upcoming World Qualifier in October.
For the game, Endo Air first emphasized the team's success in tactical execution. "Against many teams in Asia that are good at defense, we know the importance of risk management." He explained, "Therefore, we adopted the strategy of three defenders plus myself for a total of four for risk control, while putting more troops in front of the field to suppress the opponent with an attacking stance. This tactical arrangement not only improved our attacking efficiency, but also effectively relieved the pressure on the rear defense."
Endo Hang further revealed that the team is equally well prepared on the defensive end. "When our opponents attempted to attack through long passes, we were able to quickly shift to a five-guard formation to form a sturdy defense." He praised the defensive awareness and effort of the team's two wingbacks, "Even though they are attacking players, they were equally relentless in defense, which allowed our formation to flexibly respond to a variety of situations with great results."
Looking ahead to the upcoming October World Qualifiers, Koh Endo says the team is well prepared. "The final decision on the formation is of course in the hands of the coach, but we are aiming to win both the matches." He emphasized, "Both Saudi Arabia and Australia are strong opponents who are also going through a tough battle, so they will definitely give their best. This means that the challenge we face will be very tough and the matches will never be easy."
However, Hang Endo is confident in the team's current form. "We're in pretty good shape at the moment, and as long as we stay patient and continue to play to our strengths, I'm sure we can get a good result." His words revealed his firmness and determination as captain, injecting strong confidence and motivation into the whole team.
