Match Review
In Sec. 17, held as "Kin J", Tokyo, who traveled away to Tosu, had the U-23 Japan national team quartet, announced the day before, all starting in the lineup.
The starting members have changed two players from the previous match, with Taishi Brandon NOZAWA as the goalkeeper. The defense line consists of Soma ANZAI, Yasuki KIMOTO, Enrique Trevisan, and Kashif BANGNAGANDE from right to left. The midfield features a combination of Ryohiro TAKAU and Keisuke KOIZUMI, with Kuki MATSUKI positioned as the attacking midfielder. Up front, Teruhito NAKAGAWA is placed as the right winger, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA as the left winger, and Ryotaro ARAKI has moved from the attacking midfielder position to the lone striker role. Additionally, Hotaka NAKAMURA, returning from injury, has joined the bench and responded to the "Hotaka" calls from the Tokyo supporters with applause during warm-ups.
Following the victory in the 3rd Round of the J.League YBC Levain Cup last Wednesday, which went to a penalty shootout, this is an away game in Tosu. Although the performance of the team is improving, the results have not followed, placing them in a difficult situation with four consecutive league matches without a win. They are eager to secure a league victory in Tosu, a place they have struggled with in the past. The match kicked off at EKIMAE REAL ESTATE STADIUM, where some brightness remained.
1st HALF - Yasuhito's powerful shot gives an early opening goal
Tokyo shows aggressive attacks from the beginning. They approach the opponent's goal with Tawara Sekita's cut-in dribble and Araki's through pass.
Then, in the 11th minute of the first half, Araki's right corner kick was deflected, and Takahashi connected with a header to pass it forward. Kimoto, who remained up front, struck a powerful shot with his right foot into the upper near corner. The assistant referee raised the offside flag, but with the support of VAR, the goal was confirmed. The players formed a circle of joy near the center circle after the early opening goal.
Tokyo, wanting an additional goal, saw Toshiho's long feed in the 23rd minute of the first half, allowing Tawara to break free on the left side. When the opposing defender's back pass to the goalkeeper went awry, the ball that could not be cleared ended up at Matsuki's feet. Matsuki, free in front of the goal, slotted it in and shook the net. However, after a lengthy VAR review lasting about five minutes, the on-field review determined that Tawara was in an offside position, and unfortunately, the goal was not recognized, resulting in no additional points.
Tokyo maintained control with Araki's strong ball retention, aggressive pressing from the front line, and sharp reactions to loose balls. In the 38th minute of the first half, Nozawa made a super save by stretching his right foot to deflect a shot from close range, just barely keeping it out on the goal line. Following his sharp reactions from the previous match, he successfully defended Tokyo's goal.
As each player showcases their strengths, a big chance arises on the left side in the 43rd minute. Matsuki, who created space in a high position, delivered a soft through pass to the near pocket, and Nakagawa, running in, made a sharp cut from top speed. At this moment, he sent a last pass into the space behind the opponent, catching them off guard. Takahashi, who ran in, aimed for the near post with a direct shot using his left foot, but unfortunately, it was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper's save.
The first half ended after a long additional time of 7 minutes due to a VAR check. They went into the second half with a one-point lead.
2nd HALF - Keeping the score with Taishi's save and Yoshifumi's block
Against the counterattack from Tosu, once again the guardian deity that Tokyo takes pride in stood firm, following the previous match against Gamba Osaka. In the 5th minute of the second half, after a ball loss in their own territory, Marcelo RYAN received a shot from inside the penalty area, and in the 6th minute, Yokoyama cut in from the left side and also took a shot, but both were securely caught by Nozawa. The opponent's attacks were thwarted.
Tokyo is using time while fending off the attacking pressure from Tosu with a calm build-up. In the 20th minute of the second half, they attempt to change their formation by substituting Nakagawa with Nakamura at the side back and repositioning Anzai to the right wing.
Despite being a comeback match, Nakamura's tenacious defense was still evident. He effectively stopped Yokoyama's attempts from the left wing, which is also a strong point for Tosu, with solid defensive play, taking away the opponent's freedom.
Tokyo, prioritizing defensive stability while aiming for additional goals, saw Matsuki break free on the left side with a big one-two in the 29th minute of the second half. He took a well-aimed left-footed shot, but it narrowly missed to the right of the goal.
Considering the situation where goals have been conceded in the final stages, Tokyo is raising their defensive awareness. In the 37th minute of the second half, they faced a dangerous moment from the opponent's left cross, but Marcelo RYAN's header was blocked by Yoshifumi. They overcame a close call and embraced Gabriel HENRIQUE in front of their own goal.
In the final stages, Shuhei TOKUMOTO and Riki HARAKAWA were brought on to strengthen the defense from the front line. During the 5 minutes of added time, they skillfully alternated between playing in the opponent's half and blocking in their own half, maintaining an advantage in the match and finishing with the lead. They capitalized on the opening goal scored early in the game, achieving their second clean sheet victory of the season.
This marks the league victory at away Tosu since June of the 2015 season. The chant of the "City That Never Sleeps" echoed through EKIMAE REAL ESTATE STADIUM.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Soma ANZAI (substituted at 43 minutes: Shuhei TOKUMOTO) / Yasuki KIMOTO / Henrique Trevisan / Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Kuryu MATSUKI (substituted at 31 minutes: Diego Oliveira) / Takumi UHIRO / Keisuke KOIZUMI
FW Kota TABARU (substituted at 31 minutes: Jaja Silva) / Teruhito NAKAGAWA (substituted at 20 minutes: Hotaka NAKAMURA) / Ryota ARAKI (substituted at 43 minutes: Chikara HARAKAWA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Masato MORISHIGE
GOAL
11th minute of the first half: Yasuki KIMOTO
<Sagan Tosu>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Ikkyu PARK
DF Kosuke YAMAZAKI/Katsunori UEEBISU/Yusuke MARUHASHI (27th minute: Yuki HORIGOME)
MF Hajime KAWAHARA/Kohei TEZUKA (37th minute: Naoyuki FUJITA)/Taichi KIKUCHI (37th minute: Ikuya KITAJIMA)/Yoichi NAGANUMA
FW Ayumu YOKOYAMA (42nd minute: Atsushi KAWATA)/Cayman TOGASHI (37th minute: Vinicius ARAUJO)/Marcelo HIAN
SUBS
GK Masahiro OKAMOTO
MF Shota HINO
GOAL
―
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Coach Interview]
Q, please review the game.
A, it was a good football match. Both teams displayed entertaining and quality football, showcasing their strengths. Regarding our play, we were able to deliver a strong performance and maintained control and dominance. We created good momentum leading to the first goal, and although we couldn't score the second, I believe we showed enough to deserve it. At halftime, we discussed bringing out more of what we have and entered the second half with the mindset to go for the second and third goals. It is unfortunate that we couldn't add more goals, but we created enough chances. I think Sagan Tosu, under Coach Kawai, has built a very active and dynamic team, and against that team, we believe we fought a match worthy of victory. For those who came here today and for the fans and supporters in Tokyo, we are happy to have earned the three points.
Q: Please evaluate the defense that endured without conceding any goals.
A, the defenders were good, but overall the defense was very solid. We were able to press aggressively and from there we managed to take control of the flow. Every player on the field strictly followed the defensive rules. We are pleased to have kept a clean sheet, and I believe we showed a performance worthy of that. Building on that, we were able to move the ball as we wanted in attack. However, it is disappointing that we could not score multiple goals from there.
[Player Interview]
＜Yasuki KIMOTO＞
Q, please review the game.
A, in the first half, both our offense and defense were in great shape. We were able to attack while maintaining possession of the ball, and I was able to score as well, so I think the first half went well. In the second half, partly due to physical fatigue, we set up more defensive blocks. We created scoring opportunities, so if we had finished them, we could have scored 3 or 4 goals. We discussed this among the team, and it was a challenge for the second half.
Q: Especially in the second half, there was an increase in the time spent under attack. How did the defensive approach differ from the first half?
A, since a little while ago, we were unable to apply pressure, so the defensive line dropped lower at times. However, even so, we defended solidly without collapsing and were able to launch counters. We were also able to advance while maintaining possession, so it wasn't all bad. We want to continue this going forward.
Q: The scoring scene was a powerful volley shot. It's the first goal in two seasons.
A, I wasn't aiming for it (laughs). I was focusing on getting it within the frame, and it just happened to go that way. I was happy, but since the team hadn't been winning, that was more mentally tough for me, so I'm glad I could contribute to the team's victory.
Q: As a team, this is the second match this season without conceding a goal since the match against Kashima Antlers in Sec. 7.
A, I have always played with the awareness of keeping a clean sheet in every match, and recently, while I have been on the field, we have managed to keep the goals conceded to a minimum. I was confident that if we continued this, we could keep a clean sheet. On top of that, today, everyone on the team maintained a strong will to defend, so I am happy with the clean sheet result.
Q: The Levain Cup and Emperor's Cup matches will continue from here. How will the team cope with this?
Last season, we lost both the Levain Cup and the Emperor's Cup in an unsatisfactory way, so this season we aim to win all the titles. It will require the strength of the entire team, and since we have a deep roster, I believe anyone who plays can perform well. First, we will prepare our condition for the first match of the Levain Cup playoff round next week.
<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>
Q: Please reflect on the match.
A, I think scoring from a set play early on allowed us to ease the flow of the game. However, we should improve on capitalizing on the opponent's weaknesses during the match to score the second and third goals. Still, it was good that we were able to win 1-0.
Q: Whether to connect or to kick it long, the decision-making during the build-up seemed to lead to a good flow for the team.
As players participate in more matches, the team's coordination improves, making it easier to make decisions while observing the opponent's movements.
Q, the match against Kashima Antlers just before the AFC U23 Asian Cup was also a clean sheet.
A, last time when I returned from national team activities, I couldn't really get into the flow, so this time I want to make sure that doesn't happen and that I can contribute to the team's victory even after competing with the national team.
Q, I will join the activities of the U-23 Japan national team after this. Please share your enthusiasm.
This will be the last activity before the Paris Olympics, so I will appeal to make it to the final selection for the Paris Olympics team. I will fight carrying the name "Tokyo" on my back.
<Hotaka NAKAMURA>
Q: It's been a while since your last appearance.
A, injuries were indeed tough. During the time I was injured, as long as there were people who reached out to help me, those who supported me nearby, and those waiting for my return, I was filled with a sense of responsibility to show them that I am working hard and performing well. Thanks to the help of many people, I was able to return to the pitch. With consecutive matches coming up, I want to do my best to definitely contribute to the team's strength.
Q: It was a difficult match. I think there were many things we needed to do defensively.
A, Soma ANZAI was working hard and putting his body on the line from the first half, so during the first half, I was watching Soma ANZAI's play and the opponent's play, imagining what kind of play I would make when I entered the game. When I came on, the match had become a bit more open, turning into a back-and-forth counterattack situation, so my job was to handle one-on-one situations and to close down defensively. In that regard, since we did not concede any goals, I think I was able to fulfill that role.
Q: There are many good rivals competing for the right back position, including Yuto NAGATOMO and Kosuke SHIRAI.
A, while I was injured, both players scored and assisted, performing very well, and I felt very frustrated that I couldn't be there. When I got the chance, I thought I just had to give everything I had been holding back. I believed that my survival would be decided by the results, and since that's the reality, I want to definitely prove on the pitch that I am Tokyo's right side back.
Q: Please share your enthusiasm for the future.
A, I just want to win no matter what. I want to be involved in scoring and have nothing but the desire to win. I will win.
