Match Review: FC Nippon vs Hotspurs FC

• GK Takaki NAKAMURA
• DF Akihiro HORI
• MD Seiji TACHIBANA
• MD Ryuhei IKEDA
• -- Seiji DAIKUHARA
• -- Ryota MURAKI
• -- Shigeki SATO
• -- Shoya MIYASHITA
• -- Akifumi WATABE
• -- Satoshi KABAYAMA
• -- Tadahide Kawada

• -- Kiyomichi TSUGEKI
• -- Atushi MATSUOKA
• -- Hiroki SONEHARA

Good defensive display

With a good result from our previous game, we were motivated to finish first place in our cup group. We started off the game with good intensity, but we couldn’t capitalize on our chances. We kept possession for most of the game, while Hotspurs looked to score on the counter-attack as well as set pieces. Throughout the game, both teams had great opportunities to score the first goal, but good defensive plays and superb saves from both keepers kept the game scoreless going into the final minutes. With less than 5 minutes left to go, FC Nippon’s hard work was finally rewarded when midfielder Muraki whipped in a corner kick that directly hit an opponent’s leg and found its way into the back of the net. We were able to contain the opponent’s attack after this goal, and the game finished 1-0. This is our second consecutive win(and clean sheet) against Cosmo League opponents. We look to keep this momentum going into the next game against Rangers.