Match Review
The 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League resumes after a two-week interval. After struggling with three consecutive matches without scoring in official competitions, the team managed to secure a narrow victory against Nara Club with a goal in the second half of stoppage time during the 2025 J.League YBC Levain Cup held in the break, advancing to the next stage. As the team has been gradually building up its performance, scoring and winning in the league should significantly change the momentum. This match at home is one that they desperately want to win.
The match here is the "Tamagawa Classico" against Kawasaki Frontale. It is a rivalry that dates back to the JFL era. Additionally, the opposing team Kawasaki features three players from the Aoyaka Academy: Yamaguchi, Maruyama, and Miura, who are in the starting lineup. It will be a game with a mysterious connection.
The starting eleven for Tokyo features goalkeeper Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, and in the final line, Seiji KIMURA, who is making his league debut, joins the squad following the Levain Cup match against Nara, alongside academy graduates Kanta DOHI and Teppei OKA. The wing-backs are Kosuke SHIRAI on the right and Soma ANZAI on the left, while the central midfielders are Takahiro KO and Kento HASHIMOTO. The inside midfielders are Megumi SATO and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, with Teruhito NAKAGAWA deployed at the forefront.
In addition to the 3-back formation, the starting lineup includes a record-tying 7 players from the academy (the most in club history since the 2015 Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 15 match against Matsumoto Yamaga FC), with a total of 11 players on the bench, centered around the "blue-red blood" as they aim for consecutive official match victories following the Levain Cup match against Nara.
1st HALF - Unable to break down the opponent, the first half ends goalless
Tokyo took control from the early stages. They thoroughly created multiple passing lanes at different distances for the ball holder, increasing their possession rate. In the 3rd minute of the first half, player Tawara Tsukida made a long solo dribble on the left side to win a corner kick, and then in the 6th minute, he cut in from the left side and took a right-footed shot. Following that, in the 7th minute, player Sato broke free from a floating pass and created a scoring opportunity, showing an aggressive attitude. As a team, they advanced into the opponent's territory by mixing short and long passes with dribbling.
Both teams are playing attacking football while holding onto the ball. Kawasaki is also trying to create chances with long through passes and runs behind the defense, while Tokyo shows aggressive pressing and physical defense, resulting in a tense and exciting match.
In the 28th minute of the first half, Takai received a powerful header from a set piece in front of the goal, but Nozawa made a sharp reaction to make a fine save on the close-range shot. It seemed that Takai had headed the ball into the net from this corner kick, but they escaped trouble as a foul was called.
Tokyo connects the ball from the final line, looking for attacking options while increasing possession rate. They try to penetrate while avoiding the opponent's press, but they can't break through when they enter the attacking third. This is a period where they need more creativity from the middle zone to finish.
Although the number of critical scenes in front of the goal gradually increased, the first half ended without any score. For Tokyo, they entered halftime with issues regarding how to bring the ball to the finish and their finishing ability.
2nd HALF—Conceded 3 goals in the second half. Frustrating home defeat
No substitutions for either team at halftime. At the start of the second half, Kawasaki took control of the ball for an extended period.
Tokyo gradually gained momentum, and in the 5th minute of the second half, Sato attempted to break through on the right side and was fouled, earning a free kick. Anzai aimed directly with his right foot, but unfortunately missed to the right side of the goal. In the 7th minute, Shirai, who overlapped from the right side, delivered a cross. Anzai aimed for the loose ball that was deflected by the goalkeeper in front of the goal, but he couldn't take the shot as the trajectory changed just before. There were several close scenes from set plays.
Tokyo continued to connect passes and launch attacks. However, in the 10th minute of the second half, they were caught off guard and a cross came in from the left side, allowing Yamada to turn and shoot in the penalty area, resulting in the opening goal being conceded.
In the 20th minute of the second half, Tokyo, aiming for a counterattack, brought in Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA and Keigo HIGASHI to replace Tsumaki Taira and Hashimoto. OGASHIWA took the position of left inside half, while HIGASHI moved into the defensive midfield position.
As the loud cheers supporting the team resonate from behind the goal, Tokyo aims to strengthen their offensive. Players Shirai, Okabayashi, Kyo SATO, and Nakagawa make a swift advance into the opponent's territory with a speedy attack, while in midfield, they seek to break through by maintaining possession starting from the holding midfield duo.
In the 26th minute of the second half, Koki TSUKAGAWA was brought onto the pitch in place of Sato. Similar to the Nara match, he was positioned at the forefront, while Nakagawa was moved one line back to the inside half position.
However, just after that, in the 28th minute of the second half, a right cross from the opponent was met by Ito, who had just been substituted in, allowing an additional goal.
Tokyo found themselves with a 2-goal deficit. They intensified their pressing from the front line, pushing an aggressive stance. However, when they tried to advance and attack while raising the line and maintaining possession, they lost the ball under pressure on the final line, leading to a long counterattack from Kawasaki that resulted in a goal, further widening the gap in a difficult situation.
Immediately after conceding a goal, players Doi and Nakagawa were substituted for Leon NOZAWA and Kota Tokiwa, changing to a four-back formation, but they were unable to shake the net until the end. This resulted in four consecutive league matches without a goal, and they ended up with a frustrating result, losing 0-3 to Kawasaki for the third consecutive match following last season's home and away games.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Tetsuhira OKA/Kanta DOI (41st minute: Leon NOZAWA)/Seiji KIMURA/Kosuke SHIRAI
MF Soma ANZAI/Hiroshi TAKAUCHI/Kento HASHIMOTO (20th minute: Keigo HIGASHI)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (20th minute: Go KOBAYASHI)
FW Megumi SATO (26th minute: Koki TSUKAGAWA)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (41st minute: Kouta TOKIWAGI)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Yasuki KIMOTO/Henrique TREVISAN
MF Hisatoshi NISHIDO
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
-
<Kawasaki Frontale>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Louis YAMAGUCHI
DF Sasaki Asahi/Kota TAKAI/Maruyama Yuuichi/Miura Souta
MF Yuki YAMAMOTO (41st min: Kawahara Hajime)/Ryota OSHIMA (33rd min: Kento TACHIBANADA)/Yasuto WAKIZAKA
FW Akihiro IENAGA/(41st min: Yusuke SEGAWA)/MARCINHO (26th min: Ito Tatsuya)/Yamada Arata (33rd min: Ellison)
SUBS
GK Sung Ryong JUNG
DF Fan Welmeskerken Kawai/Jesiel
FW Ten MIYAGI
MANAGER
Shigetoshi HASEBE
GOAL
10 minutes into the second half: Shin YAMADA / 28 minutes into the second half: Tatsuya ITO / 38 minutes into the second half: Ellison
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, please review the game.
A, it was a very frustrating result. The players showed more aggressive play both offensively and defensively from the start of the match, and they played with a strong awareness of what we had prepared. I am very satisfied with that and believe we need to build on it for the future. However, in every match, we have had few shots, and we need to improve the quality in the final attacking third. This includes the risk of being counterattacked, as well as the creation of goal scoring and conceding opportunities, which are important, but I also think we must further improve the crucial aspects.
Q. After the last two matches, it seemed like you made a bold change in approach. Was there any change in your mindset? Also, the start of the game was good, but what do you think caused the gradual tone-down?
A, the awareness towards what I seek and communicate is very strong, and I am grateful to the players for that. This time, compared to usual, I took more risks, and the key point, or the critical moment, is that although we held onto the ball, the timing of losing the ball increased. It's not just about the number of challenges, but also about where and under what circumstances we are losing possession. While we are not unable to organize that, the gradual increase in ball losses and the resulting increase in the time we spent defending was regrettable.
Q. From the middle of the second half, you started using Koki TSUKAGAWA as a forward. Are you currently exploring new ways to score in order to break through the situation where goals have not been scored?
A, it is by no means a difficult situation. It is natural for the current players to take on the role. We have grasped through daily training that we can fully utilize his strengths. Although we couldn't quite show that form today, he worked hard on the defensive side, and I am very grateful. However, it is not about any specific player; having a pattern where anyone can fit in and create the same play is one approach, but I believe that unless we can perform highly accurate plays according to the situation, goals will not come easily.
Q. Watching how today's match started, it feels like you have made considerable progress. I think it takes some time to play the style of football that Rikizo MATSUHASHI envisions, but do you feel a sense of advancement?
Gradually... I have been expressing it as "tickling," but since that form has become a little difficult to see, I will emphasize it a little more and ask the players for it. The players respond to that expectation 100 percent. Conversely, I believe that if I can accurately convey the right things to them and they can master them, we can move in a better direction.
[Player Interview]
<Kosuke SHIRAI>
Q: Please reflect on the match.
We are disappointed with the 0-3 result and losing at home. In terms of content, there were times when we were able to execute the play of connecting the ball from the back and building up, which we have been focusing on and consciously working on this season, and there were also moments when our pressing defense from the front worked well. However, while we maintained possession, we were not able to become a real threat to the opponent in the final phase of how to break through and aim for the goal. This match made us realize there is still much we need to improve. We had chances, but we want to increase the number of opportunities and the reproducibility of our plays.
Q: Especially in the first half, it seemed that you were conscious of approaching the opponent's full-backs, as you were actively defending from a high position.
A. When defending, I was conscious of applying defensive pressure against the opponent using a formation like 4-2-4. By positioning myself slightly higher on the right side, I aimed to create opportunities after regaining possession. I believe we were able to work together effectively and win the ball in the targeted positions during the first half.
Q: The league matches have been tough, but do you feel any growth or progress in the team during this time?
A, the build-up is still in the developmental stage, but the team is working with a high level of awareness and is able to challenge with a shared focus in the same direction. We just need to continue to repeat challenges and growth steadily.
Q: The next match is against Verdy. This is a particularly important and highly anticipated game in the annual league. What do you want to keep in mind for this match?
In the league matches, we have suffered consecutive losses, and the next match against Verdy is one we absolutely cannot afford to lose. To face what can be called the most crucial match, we will fight with strong determination and resolve to aim for victory.
<Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA>
Q: You came on as a substitute. What instructions did the coach give you?
As for playing in the shadow striker position, I was told to receive the ball between the lines, face forward, and make moves to score goals. Regarding that, I think I was able to play well by properly distinguishing when to take on opponents and when to use passes. However, I feel disappointed that I couldn't convert those chances into goals.
Q. Specifically, what aspects were lacking in order to score?
A, we were not able to deliver many final through passes. The pass two steps before the goal was slightly off, and even when we had the ball in a good position, the pass was off. Gradually, these small misalignments accumulated, and we ended up unable to make through passes. I believe that unless we improve the quality of each individual play, we won't be able to get close to scoring goals.
Q. What kind of preparations will you make for the next match?
A, there are few shooting opportunities, so I think we have no choice but to work on it in practice. The next match is on Wednesday, coming up quickly, so the players need to communicate well with each other and work on creating opportunities. I believe we absolutely must win the match against Verdy, so rather than focusing on the content, I want to prepare well to show the results.
