Meanwhile, on the pitch, this defensive display might not be flashy enough to be put on a highlight video to impress the fans, but all the players there knew the importance of it. That was why the excitement rose to a peak for the Young Samurai team right after that.
"Come on! We cannot do this forever!"
"Midfield! Control the ball more! Don't lose it so easily!"
"Reduce the long ball! Hold the tempo first!"
Soon enough, they finally gained a foothold in this game. It was still shaky, but things were definitely better than when the game started earlier.
Jubilo Iwata's midfielders also started to get more pressure on the center line. While their progressive passes were still dangerous, they also reduced the attempts slowly, not wanting to lose the ball too quickly.
