Match Review
Tokyo, which suffered a defeat in the previous match against Avispa Fukuoka, saw its winning streak come to an end. This game will be a fresh start towards a resurgence. An incident caused a 30-minute delay in the match start due to thunderstorms and heavy rain, but adjustments to the match time allowed the rain to subside and the pitch conditions to improve. The kickoff took place amidst lingering humidity.
In Tokyo, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who was selected for the U-23 Japan national team for the Paris Olympics, took the position of goalkeeper. The final line included four players from the right: Kosuke SHIRAI, Kyosei KIMOTO, Teppei OKA, and Shuhei TOKUMOTO. In the defensive midfield, Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI were positioned, with Teruhito NAKAGAWA playing just behind the forwards. The wings featured Soma ANZAI on the right and Kota TAWARA on the left, while Diego Oliveira was placed at the forefront. Additionally, Ryotaro ARAKI, a member of the U-23 Japan national team for the Paris Olympics, and captain Kuryu MATSUKI were on the bench for the match.
1st HALF—Diego allows a turnaround just 2 minutes into the match
The match suddenly comes to life. From the early stages, Tokyo connects passes and attacks. They avoid the press with angled passes using the goalkeeper. Here, Nakagawa is fouled, earning a free kick that is played out to the right side, where Shirai sends a through pass forward. Anzai then delivers a cross with his right foot just inside the goal line, and it is Diego TABA who connects in the center of the goal. With a lightning-fast strike just 2 minutes into the match, Tokyo successfully takes the lead.
The team, which had left issues with their first-half performance and momentum, showed a proactive attitude from the start and took the lead. Diego TABA, who scored against his former club, ran over to the bench. He embraced the staff and substitute members, showing a strong fist pump.
In the 5th minute of the first half, Takahashi made a mid-range shot with his left foot from a series of attacks. In the 13th minute of the second half, Tawaramizuki broke through the left side and brought the ball to the front of the goal, taking a near miss shot. Tokyo is increasing their offensive pressure.
Tokyo created consecutive chances, but conceded a goal just after in the 14th minute of the first half. Matheus SAVIO delivered a pinpoint through pass from near the penalty arc to the left side, and Diego broke through at the near post to equalize.
In the away match, Tokyo aggressively pressed forward. In the 23rd minute of the first half, player Tokumoto made a big switch from the left side to the right. Player Diego TABA broke through diagonally, regained possession after a brief loss, and earned a corner kick. After that, they continued to earn corner kicks, pushing forward in front of the opponent's goal to create a big chance. However, they were thwarted by the opponent's determined defense and could not score the go-ahead goal.
In the 29th minute of the first half, player Tawaramizuki dribbled powerfully forward from just before the halfway line. He continued to advance and, after entering the penalty area, unleashed a powerful left-footed shot. The ball grazed the crossbar and went over the goal, but he created a chance through individual skill.
However, in the 32nd minute of the first half, they lost the ball during a build-up from their own half. A lofted vertical pass from player Nozawa was intercepted by the opponent, and player Takamine quickly shot with his left foot from the trap. They were caught off guard as the goal was left open, allowing an unexpected go-ahead goal.
Kashiwa waits for a chance with a counterattack against Tokyo, who actively pushes forward. They scored the opening goal early on and continued to create chances but couldn't convert, while increasingly suffering from Kashiwa's quick attacks. Tokyo also showed resilient defense, and just before the end of the first half, Nozawa stopped a close-range shot from the opponent's corner kick. The first half ended 1-2, with a one-goal deficit at halftime.
2nd HALF— Tetsu's first professional goal is immediately followed by a comeback
First, Tokyo wants to equalize. They show a proactive attitude in the second half, pressing towards the Kashiwa goal. In the 3rd minute of the second half, they pushed into the opponent's territory, and player Kimoto was fouled near the penalty arc, earning a free kick opportunity. From a good position directly in front of the goal, player Tokumoto aimed with his strong left foot, but the ball unfortunately went just over the bar. In the 12th minute of the second half, from Tokumoto's left corner kick, player Shirai aimed with his left foot at the loose ball, but he also couldn't hit the target.
Tokyo continues to push forward, winning the ball in high positions, with Kō creating chances through one-touch connections and vertical passes that change the rhythm.
In the 20th minute of the second half, three substitutions were made at once. Araki was placed as the lone striker, Matsuki was positioned as the attacking midfielder, and Keita ENDO was brought in as the left winger to increase the attacking pressure.
The defense holds strong. In the 26th minute of the second half, the right side was breached and a shot was aimed at the near side, but this was saved by player Nozawa with a diving save. With a determined stop to prevent any further goals, they continue their desperate defense to bring the momentum back to Tokyo.
In the 30th minute of the second half, Yuto NAGATOMO was sent in as a right back, and in the 33rd minute, he received a loose ball from a right corner kick, controlling it with his chest before shooting with his left foot. He continuously encouraged his teammates, aiming to energize the pitch with both words and play. Furthermore, in the 38th minute of the second half, he made an inner lap to appear in front of the goal, connecting directly with passes alongside Araki and Matsuki, getting involved in the chances created.
Then, in the 43rd minute of the second half, from a free kick opportunity gained on the left side, Tokumoto delivered a sharply falling ball, and it was Okada who powerfully headed it in at the far side. The rookie, who has started in four consecutive matches, scored his first professional goal with a header that saved the team, bringing Tokyo back into the match. On the bench, Go HATANO and Nakagawa also raised their hands to energize the supporters behind the goal, creating an atmosphere for a comeback.
Tokyo launches an unrelenting attack during the 8 minutes of additional time. However, during a pressured period, the players lined up on the final line opened up the vital area, allowing a free floating pass, which led to a scramble in front of the goal resulting in a conceded goal. At a time when there was very little time left, they allowed a go-ahead goal.
Immediately after, a sharp left cross from player Tokumoto led to a powerful direct volley from player Anzai that hit the target, but it went straight to the opposing goalkeeper and did not shake the net. After that, they launched attacks by sending long balls to the front line, but the counterattack did not bear fruit. It resulted in a frustrating away loss and the first consecutive defeats of the season.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kosuke SHIRAI (30 minutes into the second half: Yuto NAGATOMO)/Yasuki KIMOTO/Teppei OKA/Shuhei TOKUMOTO
MF Hiroshi TAKAU (36 minutes into the second half: Chikara HARAKAWA)/Kei KOIZUMI/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (20 minutes into the second half: Ryotaro ARAKI)
FW Diego Oliveira (20 minutes into the second half: Kuki MATSUKI)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (20 minutes into the second half: Keita ENDO)/Soma ANZAI
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Masato MORISHIGE
GOAL
2nd minute of the first half:Diego OLIVEIRA / 41st minute of the second half:Teppei OKA
<Kashiwa Reysol>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kenta MATSUMOTO
DF Daiki SEKINE/Hiroki NODA/Taiyo KOGA/Diego (substituted in 36th minute: Eiichi KATAYAMA)
MF Eiji SHIRAI/Tomoki TAKAMINE (substituted in 36th minute: Kazuki KUMASAWA)/Yushi YAMADA (substituted in 27th minute: Takuya SHIMAMURA)
FW Mateus SAVIO (substituted in 27th minute: Sachiro TOSHIMA)/Tomoya KOYAMATSU (substituted in 15th minute: Kosuke KINOSHITA)/Mao HOSOYA
SUBS
GK Masato SASAKI
DF Naoki KAWAGUCHI
GOAL
14th minute of the first half: Diego / 32nd minute of the first half: Tomoki TAKAMINE / 45+4th minute of the second half: Sachiro TOSHIMA
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Coach Interview]
Q: Please summarize the match.
A, I think it was a very entertaining football battle. While showing our performance and our style of football, the players gave their all in the fight. However, I am very disappointed and frustrated that we did not get the result. There were parts in this match where we were able to show what we have built, but there are still things we need to learn. We must continue to steadily improve those aspects, and we are still a special team that can grow further. I am proud that the players fought fiercely and gave everything to try to achieve a result. However, we still need to eliminate simple mistakes that lead to conceding goals. Because of those simple goals, the match became a tough battle, like climbing a big mountain. I am truly grateful to the many fans and supporters who came out and pushed us forward. I hope they will continue to support us without giving up.
Q: I believe that we are able to reach the opponent's goal by utilizing the characteristics of our forwards, but what are your thoughts on the final accuracy aspect?
A, the finishing part is an area where we still need to improve. We have been able to get into dangerous positions and inside the penalty area against the opponent, which reflects the style of football we have been developing and continuing to play. Today, we were also able to show that our football is growing in that aspect. However, there are still things we need to learn and improve. Today was one of the matches where I believe we earned points on our own. We feel, grow, and believe we must continue to learn.
[Player Interview]
＜Teppei OKA＞
Q, this was your first professional goal. Please review the scoring scene.
It was a situation where we just had to catch up, and I was able to make good eye contact with Ryotaro ARAKI and take a good position to get free. I entered the front of the goal at the right timing, so it was good. A good ball came from Shuhei TOKUMOTO there, so I just had to connect with it.
Q: We had the ball for a long time, but we continued to struggle to attack effectively.
A, it would have been better if we could have attacked more effectively by coordinating with the midfield players when speeding up. It was difficult to make an effective one-touch pass from myself because the opposing defenders were cautious, but I was conscious of relieving pressure by quickly using the defensive midfielder to develop the play.
Q: How did you respond to attacks from the opponent's side?
A, there were many attacks from the sides, and in the previous match against Avispa Fukuoka, I was beaten at my position, so I was especially conscious of the preparation beforehand and the coordination with Kei KOIZUMI, who plays one line ahead. However, there were several occasions when the ball was played backward and the defensive midfielder was late to apply pressure, so I think I should have pushed the defensive midfielder out in those situations. There were also several scenes where middle-range shots were taken, so I believe we need to improve on that.
Q: You have been continuing to play as a starter.
A, I am conscious of growing with each match. I believe that repeating the same mistakes is the worst thing. As a first-year professional player, I think I have nothing but potential, so it is important to correct my mistakes, absorb good things, and continue to grow. I have not achieved results yet, so I want to increase my contributions to the team through my play.
Q: From here, there will be matches against JEF United Chiba in the Emperor's Cup in three days, followed by a match against Albirex Niigata at the Japan National Stadium. How will you approach these games?
We absolutely must not suffer three consecutive losses, so first of all, we want to pursue our style of football and prepare well to definitely win the Emperor's Cup.
<Shuhei TOKUMOTO>
Q: It was a frustrating defeat despite having the ball for a long time. Please reflect on the entire match.
The team was able to fluidly move the ball, mainly through the defensive midfielders, while observing the opponent's spaces and teammates' movements. However, as a team, we want to work on improving the accuracy of the final shots and increasing the number of chance creations.
Q: We were progressing well in the match, but we conceded goals in quick succession.
A, we conceded an easy goal that could have been prevented. Although no player was careless during the conceding scene, we want to take this as a valuable lesson and connect it to the next game.
Q: After overcoming a difficult period, Teppei OKA scored his first professional goal from an assist by Shuhei TOKUMOTO.
In the first half, we were trailing 1-2, but we were able to maintain possession of the ball and kept looking for chances by repeatedly passing the ball around, mainly through the defensive midfielders. The assist came from a free kick, which I was able to take with confidence. After equalizing, we had opportunities to score a third goal, but unfortunately, the opponents showed greater finishing ability, leading to a frustrating outcome.
Q, it was reminiscent of the free kick that assisted Soma ANZAI's goal in the match against Júbilo Iwata.
Before kicking with Riki HARAKAWA, I said, "At the very least, I want to get past the opponent player near the near side." Thanks to that advice, I was able to kick a good ball. I also had a good feeling from assisting Anzai's goal in the match against Iwata, so I was able to aim confidently. The cheers from the fans and supporters behind the goal also gave me strength, so I was full of the desire to somehow meet their expectations. I am also grateful to Oka for finishing with a good header.
Q: Next weekend, there is also a match against Albirex Niigata at the Japan National Stadium.
A, I believe this result is a matter of mindset, and how we switch gears is important. Centered around the three captains, we want to communicate well among the players and make proper adjustments. In the Emperor's Cup 3rd Round on Wednesday, we aim to secure a solid victory against JEF United Chiba and create a good momentum to achieve a win at our "National" stadium.
