Fagiano Next has been suffering in a losing streak.

It's been almost a month since the new season in Japan football league began. This is the second year for the next team in the top of the amateur league. As of now, they have played five matches and lost all of these.

 

During recent years, products of Fagiano youth system increasingly join the next team, so most men are young with lack of playing experiences. They tend to sit back during the match and struggle to break opposition's solid in defence. It seems that the player with a leadership is needed in the team now.

The next stays at the bottom of the league after the 5th sec. In order to avoid the demotion to the lower league, they are expected to rouse themselves into action.

Match Preview 7th Sec : VS Jubilo Iwata at Yamaha Stadium on April 11

Jubilo is three-time J league champion and one of the top choices for the championship in division 2 this season. Iwata was demoted from division 1 two years ago and failed to get back to the top league last season.

 

The head coach of Jubilo is Nanami Hiroshi, who played in Italy for a year and at World-cup in 1998 for national team. In the home team, there are lots of brilliant players such as Matsui, Inoha, Komano. Those have played for  the national team before. Brazilian forward, Adailton is the person to watch out for. Former English national team member, Jay and former Fagiano member, Ueda Kota have been out currently because of injuries.

 

At last sec, Nanami's men completed a come-from-behind victory 3 - 2 against Yokohama FC. Jubio is the most scorer with 13 goals as well as Cerozo Osaka after the 6th Sec. For comparison, Nagasawa's men has scored 7 goals so far.

 

Jubilo stays at the top of the league with 15 points as of now. The team has been in a good shape with three consecutive vitories for last three matches. It is expected that Fagiano will mostly be forced to defend Iwata's attacks.

Match Review 6th Sec : VS Tokushima Vortis at Naruto Otsuka Sports Park Pocarisweat Stadium on April 5

Okayama 2 Tokushima Vortis 1

About 1,400 Okayama fans gathered at Pocarisweat Stadium for the derby match. The total attendance was 5,086. At the end of the second to last season, Fagiano was defeated in Tokushima and lost the ticket to the playoff.

In the visitors, Japan national under-23 team midfielder, Yajima was listed as a squad for the first time this season. The young player just got back from the overseas trip for the national team. He joined Fagiano on a loan from Urawa Reds this year. In the home team, an ace forward, Tsuda was in the starting line-up.

 

At the beginning, both teams struggled to pass balls since the pitch was wet after rainy. In the 17^th minutes, Vortis midfileder, Uchida scored an opening goal, bringing forces to Tokushima. However, in the 35^th minutes, Yajima equaled the match with an excellent middle shot. 6 minutes later, a Fagiano attacker Katayama finalised the game with a penalty kick.


During the second half, Tokushima mostly took the control and attacked many times in waves. On the other hand, Okayama endured those attacks and Fagiano defenders successfully shut down the home team, bringing the visitors the third victory this season.

Match Preview 6th Sec : VS Tokushima Vortis at Naruto Otsuka Sports Park Pocarisweat Stadium on April 5

Vorits is the rival of Chushikoku region and the match is named as PRIDE OF CHUSHIKOKU, Derby match in the region. Vortis is the powerful team, which has one-year experience in the division 1 last season and also, one of the possible choices for the playoff.

Tokushima's remarkable player is an ace striker, Tsuda who used to play for division 1, Nagoya. This season, he has not scored goals yet, but he must be motivated for goals. Another attacker, Sato is also remarkable, who played for Gamba Osaka, which won the major three titles last year.

At last sec, Tokushima played against Kumamoto in a tie. It seems that Vortis's defence has been unstable a little bit. Okayama has not scored goals for the last two matches. So, it is expected that Nagasawa's men are roused in action.

The former division 1 team stays at 15th position with 5 points. For Fagiano, scoring opening goal is required to take the control of the match.

Match Review 5th Sec : VS Omiya Ardija at City Light Stadium on April 1

Okayama 0  Omiya Ardija 0 

The match began at 19:00. It was expected that less attendance than last two home games because of the weekday evening.  However, 8,153  supportors were at the stadium.

In the starting line-up, three fresh players such as Sekido, Shimada and Someya were listed. An ace forward, Oshitani was on  the reserve list because of the tight schedule. It's been only three days since the last match. In Ardija, former Fagiano member, Shimizu was listed as a squad.

During the first half, Omiya was gradually starting to take the control of  match, therefore, Okayama were mostly forced to play on their side. Around 10 minutes before the interval, Shimizu got a penalty kick, however, Ardija couldn't score an opening  goal, saved by Nakabayashi. The first half ended in a tie.

After the interval, head coach, Nagasawa sent Oshitani and an attacker, Mimura to the pitch to break a deadlock.  On the other hand, Omiya placed veteran forward, Bando and Serbian striker, Mrda in the pitch. At the end of the second half, Nagasawa's men created lots of chances, however, they couldn't finalise the match.  The two teams drew 0 - 0.

  

Match Preview 5th Sec : VS Omiya Ardija at City Light Stadium on April 1

Omiya Ardija was in division 1 last season and demoted to the lower league. Needless to say, Omiya is one of the top choices for the champion of division 2 along with Cerezo Osaka. Fagiano has never played against Ardija in the league because the visitors had always been in the top
league since 2005.

 

 

Omiya's key player is former Japan national team member, midfielder, Ienaga, however, he's been out of the matches since 2nd Sec because of his right knee injury at the opening match. So, he is not able to play at 5th Sec neither.

 

 

Ardija's young striker, Shimizu will probably be on the starting line-up as well as the 4th Sec. He was former Fagiano player on a loan deal. It seems that most Fagiano fans look forward to seeing him on the pitch on April 1.

 

 

The visitors now stay at 8th position of the league with 7 points as well as Okayama. At last sec, Omiya played at their home stadium against Sapporo in a tie, 1 - 1.

Match Review 4th Sec : VS JEF United Chiba at Fukuda Denshi Arena on March 29

Okayama 0 JEF United Chiba 1

Fagiano have never defeated JEF at Fukuda Denshi Arena before, however, this season, new head coach, Nagasawa and former Japan national team members, Kaji and Iwamasa joined the team, so it was expected that Nagasawa's men were going to have great performances against Chiba.

The starting line-up was the same as the last game, 3rd Sec. The squads have been fixed for last three straight matches. Fijioka, young forward player, the hope of Fagiano was on the reserve list. In the united, the ace striker, Morimoto and former Tochigi player, Brazilian, Paulinho was in the starting line-up.

 

The first half saw the two teams go back and forth at each other. The ace player, Oshitani and Ito shot just wide. Fagiano had successfully shut Morimoto down before the interval. The game remained scoreless.

After the interval, Sekizuka's men were gradually starting to take the control of match. In the 81th minutes, former Tosu defender, Kanai scored on a header assisted by Yazawa, bringing the top position of J League division 2 to the home team. This was the first loss for the visitors this season and Okayama got down to the 4th position after the 4th Sec.