July 21 Friendly Match Report vs Nagoya Grampus
On the 8th day of the Hokkaido Shiraoi camp, a training match (three 45-minute periods) was held against Nagoya Grampus at Shiraoi Sakuragaoka Park Athletics Stadium, resulting in a come-from-behind 2-1 victory.
At the 4th minute of the first period, they were caught behind by a single long ball, and the rebound was pushed in, conceding the first goal.
However, at 13 minutes into the second period, Sei MUROYA picked up the opponent's clearance and struck a middle-distance shot with his right foot, bringing the match back to even.
Furthermore, it was the 38th minute of the third period. Since he was absent for the Montedio Yamagata match due to university exams, this day marked the first real game of the camp for the player, who immediately made an impact. Kizuna Kominato quickly reacted to a rebound from a teammate’s shot and pushed it in with his right foot to score the winning goal.
Also, the highly anticipated Nikolai Vallys made a promising debut in his first match since joining the team, and the following day, the camp gave its first day off to recharge.
Player Comments
Nikolai Vallys
Q: It was your first real match. Please reflect on the game.
A: It is still the preseason, but I think we were able to play a good match. The greatest takeaway today was being able to play in a game with my new teammates.
Q: Are you not tired?
A: I trained with my team in Denmark before coming to Japan. After arriving in Japan, I had a few days off and was gradually increasing my pace, so I was able to play normally today and did not feel particularly tired.
Q: I think the weather during the match was especially hot.
A: It was certainly hot. It was hotter than in Denmark (laughs). However, many players have told me that Tokyo is even hotter. I think I need to get used to the temperature and humidity in Tokyo.
Q: There was good teamwork after coming on as a substitute, wasn’t there?
A: I think there are many talented and technically skilled players. I believe they are a different type of player compared to those I played with in Denmark. I want to get used to setting up goals for those players, and conversely, having them set up goals for me, as quickly as possible so that I can play well.
Q, do you feel it won't take long to fit into the team?
A, I believe there is still much I need to learn. Building relationships with the players is a challenge going forward. Although the team concept is starting to become somewhat clear, there is still a lot I need to learn.
Q, tomorrow is a day off. Will you be able to relax?
A, I will first focus on recovery, and on tomorrow's day off, I plan to go for a drive and explore the area with Alexander SCHOLZ and a few other players. I think it will be a good way to relax.
Player Kizuna Kominato
Q, please review the Final Round goal scene.
A, The ball advanced well, so during the match I was consciously making runs on the same line when the ball was on the opposite side. As a result, the ball spilled to me, but I believe it was a goal I could push through precisely because I had made a solid run.
Q. Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI also talked before the match about firmly securing the 3 points. How do you feel about being the one to score the winning goal?
A, I was absent from the previous match against Montedio Yamagata, and we couldn’t secure the win. Coach Matsuhashi also emphasized this point strongly during the meeting. I was playing with a vague sense that I could score, and although it’s not something to be taken for granted, I felt like, 'As expected.' There was no surprise. Sei MUROYA scored the opening goal, and I believe the strong competitive spirit from Aomori Yamada High School really showed.
Q, I think the ball you dropped behind was also good.
A, I saw Nikolai Varis running, so although the timing was a bit off and it ended up offside, I can kick the ball there as well, so I want to communicate about that. I think it’s possible to create scoring chances even from deep positions, and Varis has both power and height, so he can be a target. I want to coordinate well with him.
Q. How do you want to make an impression in the final stages of the camp?
A, Of course, I want to make an impact with numbers, but when it comes to fulfilling the positional demands, I wasn’t quite there yet. I don’t want to just overlook that and settle for a lucky outcome; I want to focus on the individual aspects so that I can properly meet what the team requires. There is still plenty of time to accumulate goals, so I want to finish strong and head into the league opener with confidence.
FOCUS ON – Photo of the Day –
'FOCUS ON' selects one photo taken by the official photographer.
On the 8th day of camp, we selected Nikolai Varis, who made his first appearance in an official match since joining.
Coming on as a substitute from the second half of the training match that day, he showed a promising trial run. The former partner of Yuito Suzuki, who was also selected for the Japan national team for the World Cup, demonstrated simple yet highly accurate play. He constantly shook his head to connect with those around him while advancing toward the goal, and also unleashed a header shot making use of his tall stature.
The mobile playmaker, who constantly shakes his head while making precise decisions, expressed a strong desire to either set up goals or be set up for goals, aiming for his first goal in blue and red.
