Adecco MVP BEFC vs Hibernian - Kentaro Ogawa

  • Adecco MVP BEFC vs Hibernian - Kentaro Ogawa

BEFC continued their return to division 1 with a tough match up against the recent perenial champions of the TML - Hibernian. The last time these sides faced on at the beginning of the season, BEFC were on the end of a heavy beating and discord, so this time with lessons learnt BEFC were looking to check themselves against a hard to play against, high level side.

Both sides started brightly and after a few early warnings of Hibernian looking to release their very pacey striker for a hopeful one on one, BEFC read the danger and defence quickly snubbed that threat and strategy out. This allowed the offence to start getting at Hibernian more and the hard working BEFC middle was doing a great job in challenging for dominance. Hibernian did what they do well, which is be patient and play out from very deep build up play but with the route one release closed up and the midfield packed it was hard work for Hibs to mount any obvious threats. However with also Hibernian playing as defensively as they are known for, neither did it look like BEFC would penetrate it easily either.
For BEFC, the understanding of the strategy is that Hibernian's main method is to be patient, to defend and wait for the opposition to over commit themselves. In that moment Hibernian strike, look for that goal and if they get it they can lock up the game defensively.
Since BEFC weren't going to fall for this trap, and happy to be patient themselves this match was more like a chess match or a game of chicken to see who would blink first. At one point into the second half where Hibs could not see this goal coming, BEFC started to get on top, manifested by Hibs vocally complaining at the referee. Hibs are known for this but it was also a great encourage to BEFC that they were winning the mental battle since Hibs moan the most when they feel they are losing grip on the match.

However as it got to the final phases of the match, Hibs got themselves back in it, especially with the introduction of Tomomitsu Kunii their top goal scorer. Even then though it looked like BEFC could hold for the draw, or potentially get that sneaky goal on the counter-attack. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, for in the dying minutes a free kick picked up on the right side of the pitch was whipped into the BEFC box and took a nasty bounce, on the bouncey surface just in front of BEFC keeper Sasada, which caused it to spill just enough for Kunii to spring on the rebound and put the ball in the net. It was a strikers goal, with no one else on either team thinking to follow up, and with that Hibs closed up the defence and ran out the final seconds.

It was an unfortunately way to lose for BEFC, and it felt like a draw was more deserved. Both teams played a long drawn out tactical match which Captain Palmer at halftime predicted it would go either way 1 - 0. What was great though was BEFC's overall performance, competing with troubling one of the TML's top teams which is light years better than what happened the last time BEFC played Hibs in their D1 debut.

After the match there were lots of possible nominations for an all round quality performance, however a big round of plaudits went to the rock at the back of the defence Kentaro Ogawa, who consistently shutdown Hibernians attempts to release strikers and clear the threats fired into the danger areas. Also his center back partnership with Ken Hayama continues to blossom, with Ogawa's leadership forming an impressive pairing - making Kentaro Ogawa the Adecco BEFC MVP versus Hibernian.