Masaya Okugawa credits countryman for first Bundesliga goal: "Ritsu shouted 'Shoot! Shoot'"
The last time two Japanese internationals scored in a Bundesliga match came in April 2016. Hiroki Sakai and Hiroshi Kiyotake tallied for Hannover 96 in a 2-2 draw with FC Ingolstadt 04.
On Sunday, Ritsu Doan and Masaya Okugawa became the first two players from the land of Samurai Blue to lead their team to victory whilst achieving the feat.
The Bielefeld duo expressed their delight after the match.
On Sunday, Ritsu Doan and Masaya Okugawa became the first two players from the land of Samurai Blue to lead their team to victory whilst achieving the feat.
The Bielefeld duo expressed their delight after the match.
| Masaya Okugawa. | Photo: GEPA Pictures/Florian Ertl |
"It was a very important game for us," Okugawa said of the vital three points that ended up pulling the DSC out of the relegation zone, "[Ritsu] and I talked beforehand about how we wanted to fight and run together."
Doan, working as a short striker behind Fabian Klos, opening the scoring on Arminia's first chance of the game. With a little help from a lucky deflection off defender Edmond Tapsoba, the 22-year-old ensured that Bielefeld jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute,
Okugawa would eventually double the advantage for the underdog visitors. The 2-0 rendered matters quite psychologically tough for the favored Werkself. Bielefeld's newer Japanese international confirmed after the match that it was Doan who encouraged him to take the shot.
"The ball was a bit difficult, but I had a bit of time," Okugawa noted, "Ritsu shouted 'Shoot! Shoot!"
The fact that Doan himself was wide open to receive a pass on the play suggests that the two have a great potential for understanding on the pitch. Naturally, the pair we quick to emphasize that the much-needed win took precedence over their unprecedented combined brace.
"We'll take a lot of confidence from this match," Doan told reporters, "Of course, we're happy to commemorate his first goal, but the most important thing is the three points."