Everyone in Japan, Watch Mito's Next Home Game!

As part of a story to cover some of the poorest teams in Japan, NHK public TV will broadcast certain matches nationwide with special commentary relating to that story. The first match in this series and likely the only one featuring a pro team, Mito's next home match against Fukuoka will be broadcast nationwide on NHK. Even if you are too cheap to pay for satellite TV, you too can see the fightingest team in Japan on April 17 at 4PM! Even if on Miyake island, a hotel on Yakushima, or living outside Japan with the NHK signal on your local cable service, you can follow the constant intolerably exciting action!

All those who might be in the Mito area, come down to the stadium! To take advantage of this broadcast, the club is allowing everyone into the match completely free of charge, that is, to the home areas. The main stand and back stands are both free entry, while the away supporters area will be the same price. However, there is a requirement to be able to sign up online at the website and then pick the ticket up in various locations by the day before the match.

Mito 0 - 0 Kitakyushu

Mito played well, but still having problems scoring. Third draw in a row. 8th place. Not good. Little sign of a way to get results from the hard work being shown.

On the plus side, Mito has not been defeated yet! The team is on course to finish disappointingly mid-table but have an unbeaten season!

Practice Match: Mito 6 - 0 Rikkyo University

Mito played against Kanto University League second division side Rikkyo. Mito won the match fairly easily, with goals from a practice player as well as Endo, Katayama, and a hat trick from Shiratani.

Backup keeper Harada played for the whole match while almost all of the non-keeping players took some time on the field.

Mito 0-0 Ehime

While certainly a better result at Ehime than this time last year, this game shows another situation with the result not reflecting the team's strengths.

Ehime outshot Mito by a healthy amount but Mito's keeper Honma and defense were not challenged as much as Ehime's defense line. For their time playing, Katayama and Koike did especially well, and Yoshihara had two instances of dribbling through the defense only to be stopped by the keeper.

The second draw in a row is a bigger disappointment than the one a week earlier, but the team is still undefeated and in 6th place. Newly promoted Kitakyushu visits on Saturday after getting their first pro win, against Tokyo Verdy. They will have one starter suspended so this is a game Mito must win decisively to get on track this year.

Come Come Campaign for the Next Home Game

For the next home game on the 27th, the first match against newcomers Giravanz Kitakyushu, supporters club members can bring another person on a large discount.

For same day ticket sales, the price for the person brought as a guest is:

Main stand adult: 1500 yen
Back stand adult: 1000 yen
Main stand youth/senior: 500 yen
Back stand youth/senior: 100 yen

Exhibition Match: Mito 3 - 2 Tsukuba University

Tsukuba University, with strong links to the Mito club, hosted a practice regulation-length match on campus yesterday. Mito took the chance to play the substitutes and reserves.

Defender Owada, badly injured in the first match against Tochigi, played for a half. Hopefully this means his injury is more or less cleared up.

Mito 1 - 1 Kofu

Mito and Kofu played to a draw yesterday but I don't have much time to write about it at the moment...

I would definitely like to share my new Favorite Picture in the World, from forward Katayama's blog. There's something enthralling about it!

Mito 3 (-1) - 0 (+1) Tochigi

Mito played hard at home for the season's first match, and won the opening match for the first time in 7 years. Unfortunately, the opposing team was near the bottom of the rankings last year and Mito did not play as focused in the second half and Tochigi posed more of a threat. Everyone in the stadium seemed to acknowledge that Mito won with a whimper.

The hard play was tempered by the wet conditions and body placement mistakes, rather than play errors, define most of the game's turnovers. This would be best exemplified by rookie Kato, who came off the bench to soon score his first pro goal... by heading a long cross into his own net for an own goal. Also, at other points, keeper Honma slipped at dangerous points and needed to be bailed out by defenders. Field players on both sides were falling down at various points in the match.

Mito's two goals were both the result of a seemingly rejuvenated Kota Yoshihara. Playing as a winger on the right side, he in the first half dribbled around several defenders before crossing on the ground to a charging Endo, who tapped it in for the first goal of the season. After the break, following one of the few real fouls of the game in the Tochigi penalty area, Yoshihara casually shot it past Mito's former backup keeper Takeda.

The conditions took a more serious toll on captain Owada. In the second half, he ended up on the grass with serious leg pain and needed to be replaced by Kato. Off field, he took off his left shoe and sock and favored his left leg. This was the leg severely injured two years ago that kept him sidelined for most of the season. There is no report yet on his long-term condition.

Despite the negative points, starting the season on a win is always positive. With Tokyo Verdy having a game in hand and with 35 games over 38 rounds to go, Mito is tied for 3rd place. Hopefully this won't be the last time Mito is at this ranking.

Saturday's game against Kofu will be a much tougher test. Although losing last weekend, Kofu's beefed up squad is much more of a threat than last year, and is considered a top contender for promotion this year. A win away on the 13th would mean much more than the Tochigi win.