Eyes firmly forward, Doan doesn't recall much about his wonder-goal
The 22-year-old Japanese international is unquestionably Arminia Bielefeld's "difference maker". The footballer who almost single-handedly lifted his team out of the doldrums last weekend isn't the type to look back.
It may have been the goal of the weekend. In the 31st minute of his club's round ten encounter with FSV Mainz 05, Ritsu Doan got a chance to capitalize of a bad midfield turnover. Teammate Sven Schipplock immediately fed him the ball. Doan then charged forward some 25 yards on a blistering solo run, shielding the ball skillfully from Edimilson Fernandes before letting fly with a torpedo finish from just outside the 18.
"He's almost always involved in changes in front of goal," trainer Uwe Neuhaus pointed out, "He executed that one well. A great individual action with two and then three opposing defenders around him. It was extremely important to achieve the 2-0."
Doan himself insisted that he acted purely on instinct. The man from Osaka runs on the type of forward-focused drive that keeps his objectives in sight above all else. Asked a about his tally after the match, the Eindhoven-loanee remarked that he didn't recall much about it.
"I don't remember it very clearly," Doan said, "I do remember celebrating with my teammates."
If Bielefeld are to somehow manage to pull off a great escape from relegation, they shall rely heavily on both Doan's skill on the pitch and the spirit he brings to the team. The Arminians get another huge chance to accrue points this weekend when they visit fellow bottom-of-the-table side Freiburg. A chance to build momentum cannot be squandered after the team snapped a seven-game-losing streak last week.
Doan expressed confidence that the team was making progress.
"[Mainz] was an important, tough game," he told reporters, "The three points were important, but above all we gained confidence. This is improving for us from match to match."