Goal : Kashiwa Reysol forward Junya Tanaka expressed both relief and excitement after scoring in his side’s 2-0 win over Auckland City in the 2011 Fifa Club World Cup play-off match.
Playing in his first international competition, Tanaka added another chapter to his breakout year in which he contributed 13 goals to Reysol’s J-League championship.
“Lately I haven’t put many in, so tonight I really wanted to score,” the former Jutendo University player told reporters after the match.
“[Auckland City’s] defence was a bit scattered, we should have scored more.”
Tanaka went on to describe his 37th-minute strike and how he beat Auckland defender Alex Feneridis in the left corner before unleashing a shot past the goalkeeper.
“I bumped into the defender and used his body to facilitate my turn. I had a feeling it might work,” he recounted.
“The angle was very narrow, but I am happy I went for it.”