FC Gifu traveled to Ibaraki to face Mito Hollyhock last Sunday, and came away with a hard-earned point, by Stuart Smith.

 

Starting XI: Victor, Abe, Takeda, Kitatani, Aoki, Mishima, Miyamoto, Kazama, Paulo, De Vries, Yamagishi

 

Mito, playing their final home game of the season, started brightly with Takeru Kishimoto’s pace proving difficult for Gifu, but it was actually Gifu who had the first real sight of goal with Ryan De Vries’ flick from Kota Miyamoto’s cross being saved by Hollyhock ‘keeper Matsui. Koya Kazama was next to try for Gifu, but his left footed volley arced slightly wide of Matsui’s goal.

 

Mito were next to try and came close when Kishimoto’s header went just wide of Victor’s goal, but they did take the lead three minutes later. Gifu ‘keeper Victor saved Atsushi Kurokawa’s long range shot, but the rebound fell to Jefferson Baiano and the Brazilian forward had the relatively easy task of putting the ball into the net.

 

It was a bit harsh on Gifu but Mito took that lead into half time, and they almost doubled it early in the second half, but Victor pulled off an outstanding save - pushing Masato Kojima’s shot on to the post.

 

Gifu were trying to get back in to the game, and they did thanks to a superb goal from New Zealand forward Ryan De Vries. “Ryza” picked up a loose ball on the halfway line and then ran directly into the heart of the Mito defence, before placing a beautiful right foot shot in the bottom corner. It was the centre forward’s fourth goal of the year, and probably his best one.

 

Looking for the win, Gifu pushed forward and nearly took the lead in the 70th minute, but Masanori Abe’s volley was well saved by Kenya Matsui. Of course, as the home side, Mito went looking for the win as well and went close when substitute Ryotaro Ito’s effort was beaten away by Victor, and that was to be the last real chance of the game, and it finished 1-1.

 

After the game manager Takeshi Oki said: “I’d like to thank the supporters that came today for the final away game of the year. I thought we pressed the ball well, but it was disappointing to concede. After we scored, I thought we could go on and win the game, but we just had to settle for the draw. We’d like to the finish the year with a win next weekend.”

 

Ryan De Vries said: “For the goal, I got the ball in the middle and decided to go direct. (Koya) Kazama made a good run that took his defender away from me, leaving me with a little bit more space in which to go in and shoot from. When we press & win the ball high up the pitch, it gives us more chances to go on and create scoring chances. We pracitce that in training and today I think it worked out on the field.”

 

FC Gifu wrap up their season next Saturday when we host play-off chasing Avispa Fukuoka.