Very Important Not to Concede First Goal: Shuto Yamamoto
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Kashima Antlers defender Shuto Yamamoto believes they shouldn’t concede the first goal against Persepolis.
Kashima Antlers defeated Persepolis 2-0 in the first leg of the AFC Champions League final on Saturday.
The Iranian team will host Kashima on Saturday in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium.
"I believe it’s important we don’t concede the first goal, because if they score first they will build on that momentum. With that in mind, I really want to focus at the beginning of the match," said the 33-year-old Yamamoto.
"Of course, we don’t want to concede and so having a strong defense and keeping an awareness of risk management is vital. But to win the game, one goal can change the situation entirely,” he added.
"Having a strong defense is a must, but when we have the opportunity to we will also look to score. This will be our style, I think," Yamamoto stated.
There is no question that Kashima will not only have to overcome the 11 men of Persepolis on the field but "the 12th man" in the stands that comprises what could be well over double the 35,000 spectators who attended the first leg in Japan.
"I never experienced playing in front of that many spectators before, so I am feeling excited to have the opportunity to do so. It will be a rare experience, but at the same time we want to win this game so we will do our best as a team,” said Yamamoto.
