Match Review
The battle to aim for a new title starts, fueled by regret. Just two days after being eliminated in the playoff round of the J.League YBC Levain Cup, Tokyo, which will participate from the 2nd Round of the 104th All Japan Soccer Championship, faced off against the Mie Prefecture representative, V-Varen Mie, at Ajinomoto Stadium.
The members have been changed with six players swapped out since the match against Hiroshima three days ago. Guarding the goal at the back is Tsuyoshi KODAMA, who is making his first start since the second round of the Levain Cup. The final line consists of Soma ANZAI, Masato MORISHIGE, Teppei OKA, and Shuhei TOKUMOTO from right to left, with Keisuke KOIZUMI and Riki HARAKAWA in the holding midfield positions, and Keigo HIGASHI making his first start of the season in the attacking midfield role. On the right wing of the front line is Leon NOZAWA, also making his first start of the season, with Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left wing, and Ryunosuke SATO, who has been called back from the U-19 Japan national team’s tour in France, at the forefront. On the bench is Divine OTANI, who made his professional debut and scored his first professional goal in the Levain Cup match against Hiroshima three days ago.
Additionally, before the match, Yuto NAGATOMO, who had just returned from the Japan national team's match the night before, was seen visiting the players warming up and actively encouraging them from the pitch side.
1st HALF - Leading by 3 goals from experienced players
Tokyo continues to connect passes and press against Mie, who has adopted a 5-4-1 system, from the early stages. In the 11th minute of the first half, a cross was made from the left side, connecting from Tawara to Higashi. Nozawa attempted to head the ball in the center, but it was cleared by the opposing defender. A close scene is created.
In the 14th minute of the first half, Mie made a sharp dribbling breakthrough and entered the penalty area, but Anzai, who returned desperately, cut it with a sliding tackle. He prevented a decisive scene from occurring.
Tokyo, who had been struggling to attack the opponent's solid defense, finally scored the long-awaited opening goal in the 21st minute of the first half.
Tawaramizuki received the ball near the left sideline and broke through vertically. When the cross hit an opponent and flowed to the far side, Nozawa, moving back, headed it back, and Higashi, who was waiting in the center, executed a direct volley. He powerfully pierced the goal, breaking the deadlock with his first goal of the season. For Nozawa, this marked his second consecutive assist in official matches following the Hiroshima game.
Tokyo continues to advance the game in the opponent's territory. Player Higashi appears in many situations with versatile positioning, becoming a starting point for both offense and defense.
The next big chance came in the 29th minute of the first half. Player Higashi received a ball connected from his own side in the center of the pitch and made a sharp through pass. At this moment, Player Sato made a quick run just on the edge of offside, kept the ball in front of the approaching opposing goalkeeper, turned, and attempted a looping shot into the empty goal. However, it was cleared away by the opposing goalkeeper who had rushed back, and Player Nozawa, who was closing in on the goal, was unable to push it in.
Tokyo continues to attack. What changed the game here was a veteran's strike. In the 37th minute of the first half, it was Morishige who won the header at the far side from Harakawa's right corner kick. The softly arcing header sailed over the goalkeeper's head and was absorbed into the goal, extending the lead to two points.
In the 42nd minute of the first half, from about 30 meters in front of the goal, player Harakawa struck a stunning direct free kick with his right foot to make it 3-0.
Tokyo took a significant lead at halftime thanks to the performance of experienced players.
2nd HALF—Two players from the U-18 team make their debut at Ajinomoto
In the second half, Mie aggressively attacks from the start, but they respond well to crosses and do not allow any chances. They shut down attacks from the sides and cut through passes trying to go through the center with a defense that seems to have laid a net. In the 7th minute of the second half, player Nozawa boldly presses from the front and cuts the opponent's pass with a sliding tackle. Although this went over the goal line, his passionate play excites the stadium, showing focused play while expanding the lead.
Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI made his move in the 12th minute of the second half. He made a total of four substitutions, bringing on Hotaka NAKAMURA, Takahiro KO, Shuto NAGANO, and Oya onto the pitch. This set the final line-up from the right as NAKAMURA, NAGANO, Oka, Tokumoto, with Harakawa and KO as the holding midfielders, and the front line arranged from the right as Oya, Sato, and Nozawa. NAGANO made his top team debut, and Oya made his debut at Ajinomoto Stadium.
In the 30th minute of the second half, Diego OLIVEIRA was brought on to replace Higashi. Kyo SATO was moved back one position, aiming for an additional goal in a vertical formation. Since the "Ryunosuke!" call has echoed throughout the stadium multiple times since the first half, Kyo SATO is eager to achieve some results.
In the 38th minute of the second half, player Nozawa, who also wants a goal, makes a fast dribble on the counter from the left side. He cuts in near the penalty area and strikes with his right foot from the center, but unfortunately, it goes just to the left of the goal.
In the final moments, a scene arises where the entire stadium holds its breath. Player Tokumoto delivers a long ground pass from the left side. Player Otani, who had sprinted from behind at full speed, overtakes the opposing defender and dribbles towards the goal. Then, from near the penalty arc, he unleashes a powerful shot with his right foot! The fierce trajectory strikes the crossbar, and the dry sound along with the crowd's roar echoes throughout the stadium. Although it unfortunately did not become his first goal at Ajinomoto Stadium, the 17-year-old from the U-18 team leaves a strong impression with his brilliant play.
The match ended after 4 minutes of additional time. With the veterans' performance and the home debut of academy players at Ajinomoto Stadium, it was a fruitful victory that secured advancement to the 3rd Round.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Soma ANZAI (substituted in 57th minute: Hotaka NAKAMURA)/Masato MORISHIGE (substituted in 57th minute: Shuto NAGANO)/Teppei OKA/Shuhei TOKUMOTO
MF Keigo HIGASHI (substituted in 75th minute: Diego Oliveira)/Kei KOIZUMI (substituted in 57th minute: Yuhi TAKAHARA)/Riki HARAKAWA
FW Ryunosuke SATO/Leon NOZAWA/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (substituted in 57th minute: Divine OTANI)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Henrique TREVISAN
GOAL
21st minute of the first half: Keigo HIGASHI/37th minute of the first half: Masato MORISHIGE/42nd minute of the first half: Riki HARAKAWA
<Viatin Mie>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kenta MORI
DF Keitaro IYORI/Toshiyuki NOGAKI/Aiba Mizuki/Tsubasa KUSUMOTO (12 minutes into the second half: Tatsuhiko NOGUCHI)
MF Naoki HATTA/Jun KANENARI/Taku INAFUKU (0 minutes into the second half: Reiji MORISHU)/Junki SEO (12 minutes into the second half: Kenta KAWANAKA)
FW Hiroki KAKURA (0 minutes into the second half: Hyunju RYANG)/Shogo OTAKE (30 minutes into the second half: Koki KIDO)
SUBS
GK Ryota Matsumoto
DF Kenshiro Taniaoku
GOAL
―
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Coach Interview]
Q: Please share your thoughts on today's match.
A, I think we were able to deliver a very good overall performance, and I am proud of the players' efforts. The football they showed today is exactly what we wanted. Some people might see matches against lower-tier teams as easy games, but we do not view them with that mentality. I believe it was a match where we had to grasp our own style of football against a tough opponent. We worked hard and were able to achieve results. We scored multiple goals, and the fans and supporters were happy, which made me happy as well. Also, I am glad we were able to keep a clean sheet. Even when members who had few opportunities to play until now participated, we maintained our connection and played very good football. We were able to seize the flow with good rhythm, and I think there were scenes where we could have scored a few more goals. Most importantly, I believe we need to recover well from here and prepare for the next match.
Q: With only two days between the Levain Cup and this match, there wasn't much time for preparation. What approach did you take with the players?
A, there is nothing new. It is about what kind of character we want to build for our team. By continuously developing that, it connects to our style of football and what we want to achieve. I believe we were able to do that today, and with this victory, we want to prepare for the next challenge.
Q: You scored 2 goals from set plays. Please share your evaluation of the kicker, Riki HARAKAWA, and the set plays themselves.
A, first of all, I think today's game demonstrated how important restarts are. Masato MORISHIGE's goal also came from a restart. Harakawa also scored a wonderful free kick, which he often nails in practice. We always talk about doing what we do in daily training, and I think he was able to show that well today. He really delivered a strong performance. The defensive midfielders also played strongly, and I believe that helped us gain momentum.
Today, everyone delivered a good performance. This includes Teppei OKA, Soma ANZAI, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, Leon NOZAWA, and Ryunosuke SATO,who all showed exciting plays. Shuto NAGANO and Divine OTANI also brought great contributions. Even Go HATANO, who did not play, prepared well for the team. I am proud that so many players raised in the academy delivered such excellent performances. In today's performance, no matter who played, I believe we were able to play our football and continue building on it. This is because both the players and staff are putting in great efforts.
[Player Interview]
<Keigo HIGASHI>
Q: I think there were difficulties in facing teams from different categories.
Well, it's the unique atmosphere of the Emperor's Cup. We've experienced various matchups in the past and have had unpleasant experiences multiple times. Looking at the results from other venues today, there were clubs that faced difficult matches and outcomes. That alone shows how challenging this tournament is. If we become loose in transitions between offense and defense or in one-on-one situations, we get exploited and concede easily. I was conscious to avoid that at all costs. Offensively, we managed to score three goals, but I think it's important to share and refine our ideas a bit more. We also had information that Veertien Mie would defend with a five-player block, so it would have been even better if we could have expressed more ideas in our play.
Q: Please tell us what you were aware of while the opponent was forming a solid defense.
A, by skillfully taking intermediate positions, drawing out, dropping back, and occasionally breaking free, I thought that by moving myself, space would be created for my teammates and the whole team would become more fluid. Additionally, I requested the defensive players to play the ball vertically. In terms of combinations, I believe that if I could coordinate a bit more with Ryunosuke SATO, even better attacks would have been created.
Q: Please tell us about your feelings regarding the combination with player Sato.
A, I think it would have been better if the players could distinguish between firmly controlling the ball and boldly taking on challenges. I believe that quality will deepen through match experience and teamwork on the pitch, and it is an area we need to continue studying. I also want to communicate more during practice so that I can better coordinate with such players.
<Riki HARAKAWA>
Q: It was a difficult situation with only two days between the elimination from the Levain Cup and this match. What kind of preparations have you made for the game?
A, I prepared as usual. Physically, it can be tough, but having consecutive matches helps maintain rhythm, so even when tired, my mind stays clear. I don't think it's as hard as people might expect. Having a break is mentally tougher, and having a match soon allows me to focus on the next one, so I think this timing was just right.
Q: It was a cup match different from the league matches. I think matches against teams from different categories are challenging.
A, I thought the timing of the opening goal would be important, and Keigo HIGASHI scored well, which I think made it easier to manage the game from there. Veertien Mie played with a five-back formation and seemed to be waiting for Tokyo's vertical attacks, so we were able to focus more on using the width and shaking things up than usual. However, I think the whole team needs to share that awareness a bit more.
Q, please review the scoring scene.
Team A, Tokyo has many dribblers, and when set plays are successful, the opponents can no longer commit fouls, creating a positive cycle. If they keep scoring free kicks like that, I think the dribbling players will become even more effective.
Q, there is a match against Júbilo Iwata in three days.
A, of course my body is tired, but if my mind is clear, being tired is not much of a problem, so I don't think it's that difficult.
<Shuto NAGANO>
Q: Although I came on as a substitute, I contributed to the victory without conceding any goals.
A, it was my first appearance with the top team, and I was a little nervous when I played. However, I received a lot of advice from the senior players around me, so I was able to quickly fit in and play my game.
Q: Was there anything you were particularly conscious of?
A, during the build-up, we were told not to easily pass to the outside but to pass to the central players. During the build-up, we were thinking about plays that would firmly connect to the attack as a team.
Q: I think I was able to play calmly in the right position.
From FC Tokyo U-18 training, aspects such as not losing in one-on-one situations are something we work on every day in training, so I believe I was able to demonstrate what I have consistently built up even in the top team.
Q: In the future, matches will continue for the top team, and the Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League will also resume.
A, first of all, I believe that unless I clearly show the difference between myself and the other players at FC Tokyo U-18, I won't be called up to the top team again. So, I want to firmly demonstrate my play at FC Tokyo U-18 and work hard to earn the opportunity to participate in matches with the top team.
