On a passionate April 17, Japan narrowly defeated China 1-0 in the first round of the U23 Men's Asian Cup and Olympic Preliminary Group B match. Today, the official website of the Japan Football Association (JFA) released the minutes of post-match interviews with three players, including head coach Tsuyoshi Oiwa and Jusei Matsuki.
Coach Tsuyoshi Oiwa said, "Despite the fact that we were passive in the first half and had to make up positions several times, the players showed tenacity to maneuver around our opponents. After halftime, we quickly adjusted our tactics to address the problem of not being able to effectively apply pressure. Although we had prepared many strategies before the game, we were decisive in making substitutions based on the dynamics of the field and a variety of factors. On weekdays we focus on practicing the rush, and we managed to do that in this tournament."
Goalkeeper Reio Ogubo mentioned with regret, "Unfortunately, we were one player short during the game. After Takaya Nishio was sent off, we worked together as a team to fill the gap and make sure we didn't concede a goal. As a goalkeeper, I was focused on guarding the goal and gradually contributing to the team by resolving dangerous situations. The three goalkeepers in our team usually learn from each other, and if the other two goalkeepers replace them on the field, they will work as hard as I am now. I hope we can improve together."
Defender Daiki Sekine confessed, "I have little experience in international matches. It was a valuable experience for me to play today. To be honest, I was not expecting the game to go the way I thought it would, but under such pressure, everyone gave their best and showed their individuality. Although it was a tough game, everyone shouted and gave their all on the field, which made me feel that I am in an excellent team."
According to striker Jusei Matsuki, "Having the lead as early as possible helped our mentality. During the game, we had already planned to leave the field early, so we weren't too anxious. Thanks to the chances created by Fonki Yamada, all I had to do was follow his passes, watch the defenders and shoot. More often than not, we sent the ball to the opponent's goalkeeper through clever passes."
