Match Review
The 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League will restart after the International Match Week. During this period, Tokyo lost to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the playoff round of the J.League YBC Levain Cup on aggregate score over two matches, and after a busy schedule, they faced the resumption of league matches following a victory against V-Varen Nagasaki in the 2nd Round of the 104th Emperor's Cup All Japan Soccer Championship.
In this match against Júbilo Iwata, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who returned from the U-23 Japan national team's tour in America, started in the lineup. The final line included Hotaka NAKAMURA as the right back, Masato MORISHIGE and Henrique TREVISAN as center backs, and Yuto NAGATOMO, who was selected for the Japan national team, as the left back. The midfield featured a combination of Yu HIGHT and Kei KOIZUMI. Teruhito NAKAGAWA was positioned as an attacking midfielder, with Soma ANZAI on the right, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left, and Diego OLIVEIRA in the center as they kicked off. Additionally, the bench included U-23 Japan national team members Kuu MATSUKI and Ryota ARAKI.
1st HALF - Taking control but heading into the second half one goal behind
Tokyo, wanting to secure a victory following the match against Tosu to chase the top positions, aggressively attacks from the start. They connect passes to evade the opponent's press while building up play, quickly recovering the ball from a high position even when they lose it in the opponent's half. They maintain control and continue to push forward.
In the 9th minute of the first half, from a free kick on the right side, Anzai sent the ball in with his right foot, and Nakagawa shot with his left foot at the loose ball in front of the goal. This went wide to the left of the goal, but they continued to create chances while maintaining an advantage in the match.
However, in the 21st minute of the first half, we conceded the opening goal from a set piece. From a right corner kick by Iwata, a right-footed kick by player Hirakawa, Ricardo GRACA, who ran in from behind, was allowed a perfect header into the goal. Iwata took advantage of one chance and took the lead by one goal.
Yokohama, having taken the lead, places the team's center of gravity towards the back. Tokyo will be forced into a situation where they need to find a way to break down an opponent that has transitioned to a defensive stance.
In the 33rd minute of the first half, Tokyo, looking for an opportunity by circulating the ball from the back, saw player Tawara Tsukita on the left side take on the defense with a dribble and sharply strike with his right foot after cutting in. However, Anzai's right foot, which was closing in at the far post, couldn't reach it, and the ball narrowly missed the outside of the right post.
Tokyo struggled to attack while maintaining possession of the ball, as they were denied space. In the 41st minute of the first half, from the opponent's right throw-in, player Yamada made a turning shot inside the penalty area. This was saved by player Nozawa with a sharp reaction, and player Nakamura desperately cleared the loose ball just in time to avoid danger.
How to break through the solid defense network of Iwata, which creates blocks to strengthen their defense. After two minutes of added time, the resolution of the issues has been carried over to the second half.
2nd HALF - Anzai's first professional goal ends in a frustrating draw
In the 2nd minute of the second half, another chance is created from the left side. Player Tawaramizuki receives the ball along the touchline, carries it vertically, diagonally, and then to the center for a right-footed shot. Unfortunately, this goes just outside the right side of the goal.
In the 10th minute of the second half, Diego TABA, who broke free from a through pass by Koizumi, evaded the opposing defender and took a controlled shot with his right foot, but it hit the right post and did not result in a goal.
Here, the U-23 Japan national team duo of Matsuki and Araki are brought in. The two are entrusted with breaking the deadlock by creating a vertical relationship in the front line.
In the 26th minute of the second half, after a period of struggling to find a way to attack, a chance arises from the left side. Receiving a vertical pass from Matsuki, Tawaramizuki breaks through with a dribble and delivers a low cross. The exquisite ball aimed between the opposing goalkeeper and the last line flows to the far side, where Araki runs in but is cleared by the opponent just in time.
The right corner kick obtained from this was taken by Riki HARAKAWA, who came on as a substitute, with his right foot. Nakamura headed the ball back from the far side, and Matsuki connected with a jumping volley. Unable to control the shot, the ball went over the bar, but Tokyo, chasing a goal, pressed into the opponent's territory.
In the 33rd minute of the second half, Shuhei TOKUMOTO was brought in as a left back, and Jája Silva was brought in as a left winger. In an effort to strengthen the attack, the substitutions aimed to invigorate the team, and it was Shuhei TOKUMOTO who created a scoring opportunity.
In the 36th minute of the second half, a skillful cutback on the left side led to a cross. The ball was punched away by the opposing goalkeeper, but Takashi managed to connect with it directly and aimed for the corner, though it narrowly missed to the right of the goal and could not shake the net.
Tokyo gradually gave a sense of scoring. In the 38th minute of the second half, the match finally changes.
After gaining a free kick opportunity on the left side, the kicker was Tokumoto, who had just created a chance. With a sharp ball delivered by his strong left foot, Anzai jumped in here. He struck a powerful header, scoring his first professional goal with the number 38 jersey, bringing Tokyo back to level in the match.
In a sudden offensive surge, Tokyo's Anzai player, who scored the equalizer in the 43rd minute of the second half, powerfully dribbles up the right side, forcing the opposing defender to commit a foul. Although it was just outside the penalty area and did not result in a penalty kick, the stadium, energized for a comeback victory, supports a fierce attack.
Even after 8 minutes of added time displayed in the second half, Tokyo's attack does not stop. Jaja, who broke through from a through pass by Araki, takes a shot. Furthermore, from the flow of a corner kick, Tokumoto provides a sharp left cross, and Henrique aims with his head.
Tokyo continued to launch thick side attacks with Tokumoto's super long throw. Just before the end, they had a chance for a free kick on the left side, but Tokumoto's left-footed kick was cleared by the opponent, leading to the final whistle. The early goal conceded had a lasting impact, resulting in a prolonged period of struggle to attack. Although Anzai scored to equalize, the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Hotaka NAKAMURA/Masato MORISHIGE/Henrique Trevisan/Yuto NAGATOMO (substituted in 78th minute: Shuhei TOKUMOTO)
MF Takuto UHIRO/Kei KOIZUMI (substituted in 67th minute: Chikara HARAKAWA)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (substituted in 79th minute: Ryota ARAKI)
FW Diego Oliveira (substituted in 79th minute: Kuryu MATSUKI)/Kota TAWARAZAKI (substituted in 78th minute: Jaja Silva)/Soma ANZAI
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Teppei OKA
GOAL
39th minute of the second half: Soma ANZAI
<Júbilo Iwata>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Eiji KAWASHIMA
DF Kō Matsubara/Kaito SUZUKI/Ricardo Graca
MF Rikiya UEHARA (substituted in 45+3 minutes: Shunsuke NISHIKUBO)/Hiroki YAMADA (substituted in 15 minutes: Ryo GERMAIN)/Masaya MATSUMOTO (substituted in 15 minutes: Shota KANEKO)/Leo Gomes/Rei Hirakawa (substituted in 45+3 minutes: Bruno Jose)/Hiroto UEMURA (substituted in 45+10 minutes: Shunsuke NISHIKUBO)
FW Matheus Peixoto
SUBS
GK Yuya TSUBOI
DF Riku MORIOKA
GOAL
21st minute of the first half: Ricardo GRACA
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Coach Interview]
Q, please provide an overview of today's match.
A, we are disappointed not to have won. I think the first half was not our best. We lacked the tempo to move the ball, the dynamic forward movements, and the runs out. In that situation, we allowed the opponent to take the lead and it became 0-1, putting pressure on us during the match. We talked about this at halftime, and from the start to the end of the second half, we were able to play our game, become more aggressive, and create good opportunities that could lead to victory. Júbilo Iwata fought compactly and had a solid defense that was difficult to break down, but even so, we showed what was worthy of a win, and I believe this was a match where we lost 2 points.
Q: What was the intention behind the timing of the substitutions?
<div>A, we believed that the players who came on at the start of the second half could turn this game around, so we sent them out. We planned to switch things up further with the substitute players, and they fulfilled that role. I think we were able to fight while gaining control of the flow from the start of the second half. At the beginning of the second half, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA had a shot just on the post, and Diego OLIVEIRA made a magical play that hit the post as well. We were able to create momentum and chances, and we kept applying pressure on the opponent's goal until the end of the match.
However, I believe we need to fight more tenaciously to avoid giving up leads. The deficit made it a difficult match for the players. They fought hard and managed to equalize at 1-1, but today we had opportunities to score one more goal than the opponent. Once again, I am disappointed that we couldn't win, and I feel it was a match where we could have earned 3 points.
Q: I believe that Hotaka NAKAMURA's ability to withstand the pressure just before the end of the first half contributed to today's points.
A, you did well in the situations where you had to respond desperately. We also created chances and had scenes where we approached the goal, but Iwata also created such situations several times. As a team, we will improve further, and we must respond while playing our own style of football. I believe today's match was one we could have won. Since we created more chances, I am frustrated that we could not secure the victory.
[Player Interview]
<Soma ANZAI>
Q, please review the game.
A, in the first half, we focused on maintaining possession of the ball, but I think it would have been better for the team to be bolder. Including set-piece defense, I believe that letting the score become 0-1 there made the game more difficult for us, so as a team, we need to be more particular about how we start the first half.
Q, please review the scoring scene.
A, I have been playing since the season opener, and although there were times when I couldn't play, recently I have been consistently on the field. As a forward, not having scored a single goal was something I thought about deeply. Although it was from a set piece, I was able to score a goal. While I am not completely satisfied, I feel somewhat relieved and like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Next, I want to score goals that lead to victories and produce results.
Q: What are the areas for improvement in today's match?
A, regarding the tempo of the attack, right now we tend to keep the ball moving slowly before making a move, so the team needs to create moments to switch between slow ball movement and launching the attack. I believe Kota TAWARATSUMIDA and I will be the triggers for those switches, so it would be great if the team can develop more ways to activate those switches.
<Shuhei TOKUMOTO>
Q: I played for about 30 minutes, including additional time.
I was thinking about at least catching up and doing what I could. It was good that the team was able to score in that situation.
Q: I think you were asked to bring an accent to the attack. How were you trying to break down the opponent who was sitting back?
A was trying to create an environment where Jája Silva could play comfortably. I think I was perceived as a player who doesn't take on challenges, so I consciously tried to be more aggressive.
Q: It seemed that the attack was stagnant in the first half. How did you see it from the bench?
A, we were passing the ball calmly without rushing, so I was watching thinking that one or two more creative moves in front of the goal were needed. I believed set plays would create chances, and in the end, it was good that the set play led to a goal.
Q: I believe that having the number of assists will lead to the next step. Please share your enthusiasm for what’s to come.
A, I believe that the trust and confidence from the team have increased even more, so I want to take set plays with confidence. The match against Shonan Bellmare will be the last game of the first half of the season, so finishing well will lead into the second half. For that reason, since we've had consecutive matches, everyone will take a proper rest for now, and then we will work hard starting from practice at Kodaira Ground.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q: Please reflect on the match.
Since I came on as a substitute while we were losing, I focused on plays that would lead to an equalizer or a comeback. Personally, I was also aiming to score, so I am frustrated that I couldn't finish. With a goal from Soma ANZAI, we caught up to tie the game, and the team gained momentum towards the end of the match. Amidst that, there were chances that could have led to a winning goal, but the team’s inability to capitalize on them is a challenge for the future.
Q, I joined the team activities immediately after participating in the U-23 Japan national team expedition to the United States.
A, there were absolutely no issues with my condition. I couldn't participate in the second international friendly match against the United States, so I intended to give my all in today's match as well as all the J1 League matches. From here on, including the league matches, I want to become a player who can firmly deliver results for the team.
Q: The next match is an away game against Shonan Bellmare.
A, regarding today's match, I believe that the style of play we showed in the first half is something the team must absolutely avoid if we aim to be among the top. I want to show a game focused on scoring with fluid play like in the second half, where everyone takes action. Personally, I want to focus on aggressive play and also pay attention to my goals and assists statistics.
