Match Review
After a three-week interval, the previous match against Yokohama FC aimed for the first three consecutive wins of the season, but it ended in a tough defeat against the bottom team. After the match, the players all showed stern expressions, and Coach Klamovski pointed out issues in the attacking aspect. This week's match, returning home, will be a test of their rebound mentality.
How will we find a way to attack and approach the goal against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who also employs a 3-4-2-1 system? Teruhito NAKAGAWA, who vows that "the aggressive and attacking play will reach the supporters," returns from suspension. Aiming to change the flow at home, he approaches the match that concludes the 25th anniversary celebration in pursuit of 3 points.
1st HALF - Yoshifumi hits the crossbar with a decisive chance
Learning from the lack of attacking intensity in the previous match, the team showed a proactive attitude right from the start of this game. The return of Teruhito NAKAGAWA had a significant impact, as he created opportunities on the right side, increasing the time spent in attack. On the other hand, by showing an aggressive stance, there were also several instances where the back line was exploited, leading to moments where they faced Hiroshima's quick counterattacks.
Among them, the first to create a scoring opportunity was Hiroshima. In the 26th minute of the first half, from a quick restart on the right side, player Kawamura advanced and spread the play to the left side. Player Kato was able to connect with an early cross from player Higashi with a diving header, but here, player Taishi Brandon NOZAWA made a super save to escape the danger.
Then, in the 37th minute of the first half, they launched a counterattack. Kei KOIZUMI, Ryoma WATANABE, and Diego OLIVEIRA worked together to break down the right side, and it was left back Kashif BANGNAGANDE who jumped in to meet Diego's cross directed backward. His shot with the right foot unfortunately hit the crossbar, but it threatened the goal with an attack that utilized the width of the pitch.
Nevertheless, neither team was able to score the opening goal, and the first half ended in a 0-0 draw.
2nd HALF - Although they once equalized
In the second half, after the opening goal became highly valuable, we allowed the opponent that precious goal. In the 3rd minute of the second half, although the ball that was roughly sent into the goal area was cleared, it was picked up by player Nakano, who sent a looping pass to player Masaru KATO, shaking the goal net.
Tokyo, who cannot afford to lose at home, equalized quickly. In the 62nd minute of the second half, Riki HARAKAWA carried the ball from the restart and made a through pass. Adailton, who got behind the opponent, sprinted up the left side and delivered a cross, which led to an own goal by the opposing defender.
After the score was reset, space began to open up on the pitch, and both teams created chances for a second goal, but a series of missed shots and good saves from the opponent prevented the next point from being scored.
In a stalemate, the score changed again in the 30th minute of the second half. Harakawa attempted to connect with the ball he picked up in his own half, but it was cut off by the opponent, leading to a counterattack. They couldn't catch Mita, who entered the area with a one-two with Douglas VIEIRA, and conceded the go-ahead goal.
Immediately after that, Naoki KUMATA and Keigo HIGASHI were brought in to aim for the equalizing goal, but Hiroshima maintained their concentration and solidified their defense, making it difficult to create the desired chances. In added time, Nakagawa was sent off, and they were unable to change the flow of the game, leading to the final whistle.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Keisuke KOIZUMI/Masato MORISHIGE/Henrique TREVISAN/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (substituted in 43rd minute: Shuhei TOKUMOTO)
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Riki HARAKAWA (substituted in 34th minute: Keisuke HIGASHI)/Ryoma WATANABE
FW Teruhito NAKAGAWA/Diego Oliveira (substituted in 34th minute: Naoki KUMATA)/Adailton (substituted in 27th minute: Kota TAWARATSUMITA)
SUBS
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Yasuki KIMOTO
MF Tsubasa TERAYAMA
GOAL
17th minute of the second half: Own goal
<Sanfrecce Hiroshima>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Keisuke OSAKO
DF Tsukasa SHIOTANI/Hayato ARAKI/Sho SASAKI
MF Shuto NAKANO/Makoto MITA/Takumu KAWAMURA/Toshiki HIGASHI/Ezequiel (substituted in 43rd minute: Takaaki SHICHI)
FW Mutsuki KATO/Douglas VIEIRA (substituted in 43rd minute: Nassim BEN KHALIFA)
SUBS
GK Goro KAWANAMI
DF Taichi YAMASAKI
MF Taishi MATSUMOTO/Yotaro NAKAJIMA/Gakuto NOTSUDA
GOAL
3 minutes into the second half: Mutsuki KATO/30 minutes into the second half: Makoto MITSUTA
[Comments from Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI at the Press Conference]
Q, please review the game.
A, it was an exciting football match. Aside from the result, I think there were many even moments. Regarding our performance, we were able to play the good football we wanted to. However, I believe we lacked sharpness and precision in front of the goal and in the attacking third. We need to further refine our ability to convert chances into goals and create opportunities from good situations. We played bravely forward while effectively using the spaces we wanted to utilize, and we showed aggressive football. We created chances based on the patterns we practiced, and I believe the players gave their all to deliver 3 points for the fans and supporters.
Q: I saw an aggressive attitude for 90 minutes, but it seemed like the final accuracy was lacking. What kind of training do you think is necessary going forward?
A, I believe we need to refine what we have been doing so far, rather than trying something new. Scoring goals is the most important thing. What is important to us, and what was good, is that we were able to demonstrate the development of the football we are trying to create. Within that, we were able to play positively and fight aggressively. Today, we just fell short on scoring. We were able to utilize the spaces we wanted to use, and I think we maintained a good tempo. On a different day, in a different game, we might have scored a few more goals. I think it’s just a small difference. Hiroshima was a very good opponent, and it was a good match where both teams gave their all.
Q: Is the quality in the attacking third still incomplete because the team is still in the building phase, or was it insufficient in this game?
A, if we cannot create such situations, we need to take a different approach, but I think we were able to create good opportunities. I mentioned polishing the final part, but we need to refine various elements. Of course, if we had scored two or three goals in today's match, no one might say such things. We created scenes where it wouldn't be strange to receive that kind of reward for the play we made and the football we tried to play. The players gave their all to show the good plays and what we have built up this week. We should continue doing what we are doing now without overthinking or complicating things. If we do that, I believe the rewards will come back to us.
In a match like this, on another day, we might have scored a few goals. The players delivered what was deserved. However, football always teaches us lessons. Everyone feels regret, and the players are also disappointed that they couldn't secure a victory for the fans and supporters. The players will continue to strive to improve their performance. We hope to develop into the team we aspire to be.
[Player Interview]]
<Riki HARAKAWA>
Q: The content of the match changed between the first half and the second half. How did it look from Riki HARAKAWA's position?
In the second half, Sanfrecce Hiroshima applied more aggressive pressing from the front compared to the first half. Conversely, Tokyo as a whole lost the awareness to receive the ball more than in the first half, had no good options to pass, and continued to kick long balls for a period of time.
Q: In the second half, the opponent's pressing position became higher.
A started pressing players more than in the first half. It would have been better if we could have played while observing the opponent's moves, but we couldn't do that.
Q: The goal was connected from Harakawa's pass. What were you conscious of?
A, after winning the ball, Henrique TREVISAN immediately passed it. This week, we practiced attacks where the side players break through behind the defense. I was free and knew that Adailton was positioned on the side, so I faced forward and passed the ball. That scene showed the results of this week's training.
Q: There is only one home game left, and the season is coming to an end. How do you plan to approach the remaining matches?
A, from the match against Yokohama FC, we were able to bring the ball into the opponent's side box, so I think it is important to continue that. However, the next opponent, Albirex Niigata, is a team with a different style, so we want to prepare a different way to break them down through training.
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q: The way Sanfrecce Hiroshima played was different in the first and second halves, and I think there were some difficulties. How do you reflect on the match?
In the first half, we successfully bypassed the opponent with build-up play from the back, and there were times when our good momentum continued, but we couldn't convert the chances. If we had scored then, I think the flow in the second half could have been different. It's very frustrating.
Q: I think that right after the start of the second half, the opposing wing-back's positioning was high, and we faced many attacks from the sides. How did you respond on the pitch?
A, since it was also the opponent's weak point, we expected them to press high in the second half. However, we couldn't respond well early on and ended up conceding a goal.
Q: There were some close shots in the first half. It felt like you participated in the attack more aggressively than in the previous match against Yokohama FC. How did you approach the game in terms of your involvement in the attack?
A, Hiroshima assumed the same formation as Yokohama FC, so we studied the footage from the previous match against Yokohama FC. We knew that space would open up, as seen in the scene where the shot hit the bar, so all that was left was to score the goal. If we had been able to score there, it would have completely changed the flow of the game afterward, so not scoring was a major point of reflection. Although we were able to increase the number of times we were involved in the attack, it did not lead to results, so we want to address this as a challenge moving forward.
Q: There were many scenes involving player Yoshifumi Kashi in the breakdown phase, but how did you feel about the attack?
A, from the first half, I thought we could perform well in attack. Although it was an own goal, it was good that we were able to break through with the play we envisioned. However, we conceded a goal while trying to score one more, so we want to improve on that for the next match.
<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>
Q: There was a big save that saved the team in the first half. Please reflect on the 90 minutes.
I understand that this is an important period for me personally, and I am very frustrated that we couldn't secure a victory during this time. The team played well in the first half, so conceding goals in the second half is regrettable. The team is also trying to change, and as one of the players walking together toward that change, I believe there are still many areas where my performance today was insufficient. To grow myself moving forward, I will reflect on how to make changes and work on improving for the next match.
Q: Following the match against Yokohama FC in the previous round, what progress did you feel from the back line in terms of how to approach the opponent who employs a three-back system?
A, To make the match against Yokohama FC a valuable lesson, the team reviewed and organized our approach before facing Hiroshima. In the first half, it seemed they were struggling to respond well to our ball circulation. It would have been a perfect scenario if we had created our rhythm during that period and generated scoring opportunities. However, in the second half, it felt like we fell behind more often in defensive situations.
Q: It seemed that Hiroshima adjusted their style of play from the start of the second half.
A, personally, when the opponent launched an attack, they committed five players. For us, especially in the second half, there were more situations where we had to defend with four defenders, causing mismatches in certain phases. We understood as a team that these gaps would occur, and although we conceded an early goal in the second half, we were able to defend without collapsing significantly. As the last defender, I am frustrated that I couldn't perform my role well.
Q: Many people are feeling the growth of player Nozawa as he continues to participate in matches. With only three league matches remaining, how do you plan to conclude this season?
A, I never want to lose the attitude to challenge. When I think of the team that trusts and uses players like me, the fans and supporters who always send strong encouragement, and the people close to me who support me, I believe that playing with responsibility is the most important thing. In whatever form, I want to grow so that I can express my daily gratitude through my play in as many matches as possible. I want to grow more, and to become a player with depth, I want to express this not just within this season, but throughout my entire playing career.
