"Takuo OKUBO Player"

"I wanted to win."
The league match is going well, but in the midst of the defeat in the Levain Cup, it was a game where everyone had to "show something" in order to break into that (league match).

I think we shouldn't say "own goals are inevitable" when it comes to conceding goals.
For example, there was a scene where Yoshimoto player was replaced with the opponent, but if we had stopped it there and prevented them from crossing, we might have been able to prevent conceding a goal.
Before that, Sendai's two top players were creating too many opportunities through the game. I think a tougher response was necessary.
Normally, there was a need for intensity, like protecting Diego and Kensuke-san in the red and white match.

（Did you have any consecutive saves?）
I myself always try to maximize my abilities and make the most of the opportunities I receive, and I am preparing for it.
I feel like I gave it my all, but it's disappointing that it didn't contribute to the team's results.

（What did you focus on by playing with young players?）
As a goalkeeper, I can't give advice to field players easily, and my actions are limited.... But I wanted to show a more aggressive attitude to win in the final moments, including myself.
I think we could have had a better game if we had shown a more greedy attitude and momentum towards victory.

Chances don't come often. It's a shame that we have the opportunity to have fans and supporters come to Ajinomoto and watch, but it's being wasted.
For example, in the J1 League, there are always scenes where teammates talk to each other.
Today, I wanted to see if there were any players who showed such an attitude... if they showed a play that would give a sense of crisis to the league team members."

"Manato SHINADA player"

"I think that what we have built up through practice and in J3 so far has been reflected in this Levain Cup, and there were parts that worked and parts that didn't."
That's why I wanted to experience this kind of stage more. In that sense, it's frustrating and disappointing to be eliminated in the group stage.

Today, in terms of the double pivot, Kajiyama player took care of the balance and I tried to get involved in the attack by moving forward.
I think the coordination went well, but we couldn't catch up with the defensive slide and couldn't completely steal the opponent's ball.

There should have been a sense of dissatisfaction in terms of pressure forward.
Although we were able to create opportunities from high positions and the sides, I think we lacked the ability to attack from dangerous positions for the opponent and the numbers were not enough.

(There was a through pass to Kubo, but?)
Kubo is a player who can score goals.
I understand what he is thinking, so I passed the ball.
Because it still doesn't lead to results... Both of them lack power.

However, whether or not I can connect various playing experiences and feelings to the league matches from here on out is up to me.
The Levain Cup has ended, but we want to keep going and do our best.

"Summary of Tokyo Hasegawa Kenta's Press Conference"

"I think he showed his determination."
Since it was the final match of the Levain Cup at home, we all entered the game with the desire to win for the fans and supporters who came to the stadium to support us.
I think each match gave their maximum effort.
I think the reason we couldn't break the goal in the end is because of our lack of strength. I felt once again that we need to train more and become stronger.

《Q&A》
Q=What are your expectations for player Yajima, who was appointed as a starter?
"Player Yajima returned from injury, went through J3, and scored a goal in the previous round of the Levain Cup."
Today, when I saw the members of the Sendai DF line, many players who are playing in J1 were participating. They also performed well in post-play and had some close shots, so I think he showed a good performance.
However, I need to improve my accuracy in the final pass and my ability to finish chances.
I think he showed a very good performance as the starting lineup for the first time in Levain Cup.

Q=What were the factors that prevented us from scoring a goal?
"I think it's about the accuracy of the last pass and the quality of the shot."
Even in the first half, we were able to win the ball in a high position and had scenes of short counters. However, the final pass was off target, and although we were able to get into a good shooting position, the accuracy of the shot still needs improvement. Therefore, we need to raise the accuracy of these aspects for them.
I think it will lead to a deeper team and increased competition.
Today, they really gave their best effort, but I felt that there was a difference in intensity and quality of play compared to the members playing in J1, so we need to continue training to encourage further growth.
Q=What was the intention behind the last substitution?
"There were parts where I felt the passes were weak."
I wanted to aim for a goal with crosses from the side, as it wouldn't be a problem even if it ended in a draw.
In that case, we have to be cautious of the opponent's counterattacks, so in such situations, I thought that having Okazaki instead of Yoshimoto in the backline would be a countermeasure against the opponent's counterattacks, so I placed Okazaki as a CB.
"We have high expectations for Okazaki's build-up play and have made the choice to bring in Yanagi with a more attacking intent, while lowering Yoshimoto."

"Summary of Sendai Manager Susumu Watanabe's Press Conference"

"Thank you very much for gathering many supporters at Ajista on weekdays. We are also grateful to the supporters who have sent us great power through TV broadcasts. The goal of the Levain Cup is to become finalists surpassing last year's top 4. We started with that goal at the beginning of the season. There are Levain Cup matches in this long 15-game stretch, and I think probably every coach in the J-League is struggling with how to choose the members and proceed."
We have been rotating various players while dealing with injuries, and among them, we have been steadily accumulating points. Today, we have come to Ajinomoto Stadium.
I was really happy that there were situations where I could decide on my own, unlike last year, and I wanted to play with a sense of style.
In fact, I think it was very good to be able to take 3 points with today's members and show the overall strength of the team.
However, in terms of the game content, there were many mistakes until the game was moved in the form of an own goal. It was not a mistake born from a challenge, but rather a lot of careless mistakes. It's not about the opponent, but about ourselves, so let's face it firmly and get rid of it.
There is nothing better than winning and being able to reflect on it, so I want to take this opportunity of advancing to the final tournament and go to Kashima, our last away game in the 15-game streak, with momentum."
《Q&A》
Q=What is the evaluation of the defense that did not concede any goals?
"There was a plan for the defensive strategy, but the first half didn't quite work out. However, we were able to make adjustments and calm things down by changing the system, so I believe we were able to have a well-organized defense."
It was a long time since we had a clean sheet, so I'm happy about it and I hope we can continue from here.