It was a perfect start—.
In the season opener against FC Machida Zelvia at home, Ajinomoto Stadium, FC Tokyo suffered a painful 1-5 defeat. Yet from kickoff, it was unquestionably the Blue and Red who seized the initiative and controlled the match.
Though biting his lip, Kein Sato reflected on the team’s start to the game.
“It wasn't just me—the entire team was moving in an organized way. We were able to play with the goal in mind, and that showed in the opening goal, when we got in behind the defense. Everyone was on the same page. It didn't result in a goal, but we were able to do what we wanted to do, including the move that started with a build-up from deep in the 22nd minute of the first half and ended with Marcelo RYAN being stopped by the goalkeeper.”
The clearest example came in the fifth minute: a lightning-fast opening goal, the team's first of the season.
When Kim Seung-gyu launched a long ball deep into the opposition half, Marcelo Ryan and Kein Sato reacted quickly, exploiting the gap. After leaving the high-bouncing ball for the No. 10 to deal with, the No. 9 charged straight toward the opposition goal. Ryan met with his right foot the ball that Sato had flicked into space with his head, threading it through the goalkeeper’s legs and into the net.
Hian spoke confidently: “Making runs in behind is one of my strengths. My teammates understand that, so when I make a move, the pass comes. I’m sure we’ll see more situations like this going forward.”
Just as he said, the chemistry and trust they had built during preseason bore fruit in an early opening goal.
“We were able to exploit the gaps in the opposition. The ball came from Sung-gyu, and I combined well with Keiin before finishing it off. During camp, we focused especially on building our understanding. Of course, the best thing is for me to score and for us to win, but because we had such a good camp, I think we were able to create a good moment like that in the opening match.”
With the ace's first goal since preseason, Tokyo appeared to have seized complete control of the match.
However, they let that momentum slip away themselves. They were pegged back in the 27th minute of the first half, and when a player was sent off in the 38th, the tide in the stadium turned. Unable to recover after being reduced to 10 men, the team went on to concede five goals—the club's worst total in an opening match since gaining promotion to the J1 League in 2000. Still, not everything from those 90 minutes was to be dismissed. Hian swallowed a sigh and continued quietly.
“For about the first 25 minutes, we were able to score and create plenty of chances, so it was a very good start. Not being able to correct course after conceding and having a player sent off led to this result, but... we cannot change what has already happened. The result is disappointing, but it is important to shift our focus to the next match. The season has only just begun. I want us to achieve a good result again in the next match, and I want to keep scoring goals as well.”
Amid the defeat, there was the vivid picture of those opening five minutes—and a genuine sense of promise. They will prove it in the next match against Vissel Kobe. Having put the nightmare of conceding five goals behind him, the blue-and-red ace was already looking ahead.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
