On June 1st, after the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 17 match against Vissel Kobe [MATCH PARTNER Mitsubishi Heavy Industries], Shoya Nakajima spoke about his goals and his thoughts on the match.

"We were losing, so I went onto the pitch thinking I was going to score a goal. However, I don't really like imagining things, and there are some things you can't know until you're on the pitch. I think both teams had chances to win, so I'd like to continue practicing in order to make the most of these games."

(Wasn't it possible to get the ball between the opposing fullback and defensive midfielder?)
"It's just in an empty space, so I think it's easier to see that from the outside."

(What about the goal scene?)
"He gave me a good pass, and although I think the shot was a little off-target, I'm glad it went in. I was in a position to shoot when I received the ball, but whether I did or didn't depend on how well I trapped it. I was conscious of not shooting at the player in front of me."

(There was a big cheer when the goal was scored.)
"Of course, I was glad I made it because I had missed the ball up until then, but the situation was 1-1 and we were going for the win, so I didn't really think much of the cheers at the time."

(I think we played at our own pace in the second half, but what did we do better?)
"I don't know, but it was our home game, and the fans and supporters were amazing. There were more than 45,000 people in the audience, and not all of them were our fans and supporters, but they brought the momentum to us. I couldn't make the final speech because I had some concerns about my foot and needed treatment, but please note that. It's not like I slacked off."

(Right now, with Nakajima in the team, it seems like the opponents are losing their balance, while you're fighting with a really good balance.)
"I owe that to my teammates, don't you think?"

(There is a break and a little time until the next game, so do you want to take care of your body during that time?)
"That's always important, and it's not just because we're off, but I think we can refresh ourselves. We'll be ready to start again."

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