"Keigo HIGASHI"

"Winning is truly a joy, regardless of the tournament or opponent."
I couldn't take advantage of the chances and it was a frustrating development, but I enjoyed playing.

There might be another game like today.
I think it is important to continue towards what needs to be done without getting impatient even if the game develops in such a way.

In that situation, Take (Takefusa KUBO) really scored well.
However, Take may be highlighted, but for example, Diego OLIVEIRA player ran without sparing effort, chased the ball, and contributed.
I also think that players like Yuta Togashi and Ryo Nagai have shown dedication and contributed to the team, and this is the result of our collective efforts.
"We want to make good preparations together so that we can connect to the next step."

《Hyun Soo JANG》

"I felt the weight of one point, the weight of one victory."
The game had been continuing with a series of missed opportunities.
There were many opportunities today. I think it was a game that we were able to take advantage of and will lead to future matches.

(Both fullbacks were young members?)
Ogawa and Okazaki are both good players, so I just focused on communicating with them.

(About Okubo. Hyun Soo Jang was carrying him after the goal (lol)?)
I think he is a bold player.
He is also a player that you want to support as a senior in soccer.
After the goal, he came towards me so I lifted him up, but that should have been the same feeling for not only me but also other players.
It was great that the team fought together as one.

Not only the starting eleven, but also the players on the bench and those watching from the stands were all hungry for victory. We were able to put our desire to win at the forefront and while we were determined to win, we were able to stay calm and fight. I think that was a good thing.

(First victory as captain. Is it also a relieved feeling?)
No... We still have a long way to go (bitter smile)"

"Summary of Tokyo - Kenta HASEGAWA Coach's Press Conference"

"I feel that it is really difficult to achieve a victory. I think the players also felt pressure in a situation where they couldn't win, but they fought aggressively until the end."
The score was only one point, but I think there was pressure until we scored that point, and various things were on the players. Today, not only the starting members but also the members who entered the bench were talking about scoring, and I think Kubo made a good decision in that situation.
"I want to prepare well for the next league match, even with only 3 days of rest, so that we can win again, taking this victory as a starting point."

《Q&A》
Q=What is the evaluation of player Kubo?
"I thought about where to use him, but today I used him as a side midfielder. I thought that position would be key in terms of development today. He added a nice accent and scored as planned. I feel that he is a great player who can come on and score in that situation. However, there are still many areas where he is lacking, so I want him to learn that through training and become a bigger player, one or two steps ahead."

"Summary of Niigata Masakazu Suzuki's Press Conference"

"As you can see, a well-regulated first defense. Or in places where marking and other things were not done properly, we were almost in a pinch. I want the players to understand this again and be able to have a better defense, even if it's just a little."
In terms of attack, we talked about the need to calm down a little and move the ball in a triangle formation, but there were still many instances where players made a lot of passing mistakes. In the second half, there were some moments where we moved the ball at a good timing, but this time the triangle formation in the attacking zone didn't work well.
"I want to prepare thoroughly for the next game because clear challenges have arisen."

《Q&A》
Q=Although it was the first loss of the 2018 season, do you think today's defeat will become a source of power for the team to move forward?
"I think it is best to win in general. However, soccer is a sport where losing is inevitable. In such times, it is important to share something solid with the players."
'I am going to the ball firmly', 'The position of the mark is correct', etc., I have not been done at all in such cases.
We have to concentrate on that for 90 minutes. I think we can't win without doing that.

Q=What is the evaluation of the two CBs?
"In the first half, Shun OBU couldn't get to the ball and was often not marked. We talked to him at halftime and he improved at the start of the second half."
I think it would be great if he could continue that image and play with concentration for 90 minutes. His heading height is amazing, so I think he will become a valuable asset to the team by learning to defend properly. I think Hara made a situation where he was easily avoided by approaching from the wrong position when he let his guard down for a moment."