BEFC vs Pumas
First match of the season against newly promoted Pumas! This match is at a new pitch in Shibuya so more convenient but probably still super hot at 13:50.
Pumas came second in Division 3 to join Division 2 and have an impressive scoring record beating many Division 3 sides by 4 goals or more (They had a huge goal difference 45). They also put us out of the Footy Japan Cup last season (1-2).
The description on the Foot Japan website as a feeder team for Division 1 Panthers, full of ex-Panthers who want to play more relaxed is a work of complete fiction. Pumas are actually a close-kit squad of young lads, who play with the league organiser Sid. Nothing leisurely about these guys, and they frequently turn up to win Footy Japan 7s competitions.
We expect them to do well in Division 2, so expect this to be a key opening game against a fast young side.
As this is the first game of the new season, we also expect a lot of members signing up for it. So remember we can only have a squad of 16, and a squad of 16 also makes it difficult to balance winning, with making subsitutions. Bear in mind that this tends to equal out of the entire season, where between Jan - March we barely had 11 players for 3 matches in a row.
Everyone in our squad is a good level, and players have particular talents which can be preferred depending on the opposition or how the game is going. Last season was a rebuilding and forming of a new squad, and so we hope this season to focus on building a team and core group that are used to playing together.
What is very noticeable about Pumas is that they are always the same lads, they all play midweek together and they have had their core team for a while. Hence how currently they are very in form and a dangerous opponent.