A Perfect Day and a Perfect Start. Perfik!! Verdy 2-0 Matsumoto

Paul Scholes` Grandad is a Green.

Verdy got the season up and running yesterday with their first Opening Day win in the last 3 attempts. In each of the last two seasons Verdy have been slow out of the blocks in the first few games but made no mistake yesterday despite a spirited performance from J2 newcomers Matsumoto Yamaga. The Matsumoto hordes swarmed into Tokyo and packed the away end not quite to the rafters but they did have to open the upper tier. Only when Verdy played FC Tokyo last season has there ever been a need for the upstairs to be opened at Ajinomoto in J2. A superb performance from a set of supporters who most definitely made themselves heard in the first game of their J-League journey.
On the pitch Verdy can count themselves lucky to have got away with all three points yesterday as Matsumoto were guilty of some wasteful efforts, Shibasaki pulled off a number of good stops and Matsumoto also thundered a header off the bar. An even first half finished all square with Matsumoto probably edging the chances but a very open, entertaining game kept the crowd going nicely. Into the second half and in the 51st minute it was club Captain Yuki Kobayashi who put Verdy in the lead somewhat fortunately sticking a leg out to deflect a shot past the keeper for a 1-0 lead. This was probably against the run of play and things were to get worse for Matsumoto when Josimar doubled the lead just a few minutes later combining nicely with Takuma Abe on the edge of the box to slide home from close range.
Yamaga were done and dusted by this point and never really threatened a comeback but can take credit in their first half performance when they had Verdy on the back foot and under pressure. If they had had that little bit of quality up front they could have been contenders. All`s well that ends well but if Verdy play like that defensively against the bigger teams they are going to find themselves behind and quickly.

Big George (II) with a debut strike and somersault celebration...show off.

Next up it`s Venforet Kofu at Ajinomoto on Sunday so come on you Greens!! Onwards and Play Offwards The Boys March On!!