Match Review
J1 League, followed by the Levain Cup Prime Stage Quarterfinals, a three-match series against Avispa Fukuoka. In the J1 League Sec. 26 held three days ago, we were forced to chase the game after conceding two goals early in the first half, and although we pulled one back in the final moments, we lost 1-2.
The remaining two matches will be in a different tournament, deciding the outcome in two home and away matches. The first match will be held at Tokyo's home Ajinomoto Stadium. With two days in between, it will be a consecutive home match, and it will be a game to clear the frustration from the league matches.
1st HALF - Taking advantage of a moment's lapse, Adagol scores first
At the start, they continued to play in their own half under the momentum of Fukuoka, but they built up play carefully from the center back, observed the opponent's formation, utilized space, and launched a quick counterattack.
Before the flow of the match tilted in either direction, Tokyo took control of the game. In the 16th minute of the first half, Adailton reacted to a ball played behind Fukuoka and matched up with DOUGLAS. DOUGLAS reached the ball first and headed it back, but the goalkeeper fumbled the ball. Adailton, following the momentum, pounced on the loose ball in front of the goal and slotted it in.
Tokyo firmly maintains possession of the ball and neutralizes the opponent's momentum. In the 23rd minute of the first half, player Harakawa received the ball in a position slightly left outside the penalty area. Seeing that the opponent was not closing in, he swung with his right foot, and a sharp mid-range shot found the upper left corner of the goal. This was thwarted by a great save from the opposing goalkeeper, but Tokyo did not miss the opportunity to create chances amidst the flow of the game.
As the first half approached its end, there were noticeable moments where Fukuoka pressed hard, but the defense continued to challenge on the ball side without dropping too deep. In the scene where a powerful long-range shot was taken in the 45+1 minute of the first half, Jakub SLOWIK sharply reacted to the ball that flew to the left corner of the goal and deflected it away from the frame.
2nd HALF - Winning the first match and heading to the second match
Fukuoka, who made three substitutions at the start of the second half, comes forward with momentum, but Tokyo maintains a compact formation and does not allow them to create opportunities to finish.
After regaining possession, they simply utilized the front line to launch a counterattack, taking advantage of the space in the Fukuoka defense where their center of gravity was forward. In the 15th minute of the second half, Adailton, who received the ball from Yuto NAGATOMO, surged up the left side into the space, and with momentum, he entered the penalty area and took a shot, but it was blocked by the opposing goalkeeper who closed the distance.
After the midfield in the second half, they began to take control while making substitutions. In the 30th minute of the second half, Teruhito NAKAGAWA was brought on for Adailton, Ryoma WATANABE was brought on for Higashi, and Tsubasa TERAYAMA was brought on for Tsukakawa. In the 35th minute of the second half, Kashif BANGNAGANDE was introduced for Shirai.
As the match entered the final stages, there were more moments of being pushed back, but instead of fighting with a defensive mindset, Tokyo connected the ball firmly to the front line, carried it forward, and aimed for additional goals by launching attacks. Even in stoppage time, Tokyo maintained an aggressive stance. They kept a one-goal lead, winning the first match and keeping their hopes alive for advancing to the Semifinal Round in the second match.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Jakub Słowik
DF Keisuke Koizumi / Masato Morishige / Henrique Trevisan / Yuto Nagatomo
MF Koki Tsukagawa (substituted in 30 minutes of the second half: Tsubasa Terayama) / Keigo Higashi (substituted in 30 minutes of the second half: Ryoma Watanabe) / Riki Harakawa
FW Kosuke Shirai (substituted in 35 minutes of the second half: Kashif BANGNAGANDE) / Naoki Kumata (substituted in 45+2 minutes of the second half: Kanta DOI) / Adailton (substituted in 30 minutes of the second half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
FW PEROTTI
GOAL
16th minute of the first half: Adailton
<Avispa Fukuoka>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Takumi NAGAISHI
DF Masato YUZAWA/DOUGLAS Glory (substituted at 0 minutes: Ryuki NARA)/Masaya TASHIRO/Miyaki Daiki/Ryosuke KAMEGAWA (substituted at 35 minutes: Yota MAEJIMA)
MF Tatsuya TANAKA (substituted at 0 minutes: Ryouga SATOU)/Yuto HIRATSUKA/Kouya MORIYAMA (substituted at 0 minutes: Yosuke IDEGUCHI)
FW Reiju TSURUNO (substituted at 20 minutes: Wellington)/Kenji KANAMORI
SUBS
GK Masaaki MURAKAMI
MF Kazuya KONNO
GOAL
―
[Comments from Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI at the Press Conference]
Q, please review the game.
A, I think the overall performance was good. Among that, I believe the players showed something wonderful and firmly secured the victory. I think we were able to show very good aspects in the first half, and in the second half, I believe we played solidly as well. The players demonstrated dedication and clearly brought out their strengths, making it a performance worthy of the win.
Q: Today you employed a three-back formation, what was the aim behind that?
A, I think we were able to play in a way that matched our current situation and circumstances. The players thoroughly completed each task and gave their all in their play. As I mentioned earlier, we showed something wonderful in the first half. Within that, there were still areas that need further refinement. The important thing now is to properly recover from here. Since it is still halftime, we aim to go out and seize victory away from home.
Q: This was the second match of the three-game series against Avispa Fukuoka. Did you experience any difficulties?
A, it is a unique situation, but it is important to properly prepare for the next match without looking too far ahead. Certainly, there are difficult aspects, but the performance the players showed today was of very high quality. They also clearly demonstrated their feelings and character towards this club. The players should be praised, and I believe they deserve the victory.
Q: As this is the third match in a row, please share your enthusiasm for the Levain Cup Semifinal Round second leg.
A, no matter who the opponent is, it is important for us to play firmly. Since it is a three-game series, both sides understand each other's tactics, and we will focus only on ourselves and prepare to deliver a good performance. It is still halftime. I think it will be a tough away game, but we will aim to seize victory there.
[Player Interview]]
<Henrique TREVISAN>
Q, it was a victory without conceding any goals.
A, I thought today would be a tough match. I am very happy that we were able to finish the game without conceding any goals, prepared for the opponent's playing style.
Q: The defensive line had a different formation with three players than usual. Can you tell us what points you focused on in terms of defense?
A, I think the biggest improvement was the attitude towards the match compared to the previous game. By changing the system, we were able to defend well. We still have an away match at Avispa Fukuoka, so we want to win properly and advance to the next stage.
Q: After a tough loss in the league match on Sunday, we faced today's game with a short preparation period. What were the significant improvements compared to the last match?
A, I believe that being able to focus properly and get into the game right from the start was the key to today's victory.
Q: I think that with the introduction of Wellington and Ryoga SATO in the second half, the time spent on defense increased. What kind of communication did the defensive players have with each other?
A, I can communicate in Spanish with Yuto NAGATOMO, and I have played many matches together with Masato MORISHIGE. By communicating well, we were able to maintain a good distance and keep the intensity high.
<Riki HARAKAWA>
Q: You made a significant contribution to the victory in your first starting lineup after the transfer. Please reflect on the 90 minutes.
Since it is a cup match, we first talked about playing solidly as a team. In the league match on the 3rd, we conceded a goal early on, so I think we were able to organize that point and approach the game accordingly. We told Adailton and Naoki KUMATA to decisively use long balls in the early stages, so having a shared understanding and playing with that intention led to Adailton's goal. I believe the team also gained a great sense of confidence.
Q, we saw you taking care of defense in a low midfield position and balancing offense and defense. Please let us know if there was anything you were particularly conscious of.
A, the opponent was not very aggressive in trying to take the ball when I had it, so there were many scenes where I received the ball freely. I think I was able to play the first half while observing the opponent's formation and pressing style. Throughout the match, rather than actively engaging in the attack, I played as a link between the forward line and the defense, maintaining overall balance and reading the flow. I was especially conscious of positioning myself to send the ball from a deep position to the forwards.
Q: I think there was a long period of time spent on defense after scoring. What challenges does the team face in order to secure additional goals?
After scoring, the play tended to focus more on defense. Of course, defensive play is important to avoid conceding goals, but I think the key point for the team is to increase the emphasis on the awareness of scoring a second goal a little more.
Q: Previously, you mentioned after the match that you wanted to increase the time spent touching the ball. How do you feel about that now?
A, gradually the number of times I receive the ball and touch it is increasing, and over time, I feel that they are understanding my playing style. If we can balance playing with more courage during the leading periods and decisively focusing on defense, I believe the team will become even better.
Q: The second match of the quarterfinals is coming up in three days. Please share your enthusiasm for the away game against Avispa Fukuoka, who has a poor winning percentage.
A, I have heard that Tokyo has a poor winning rate away in Fukuoka, but in a good way, I am not aware of that. Rather, personally, I have many good impressions of BEST DENKI STADIUM. With today's 1-0 victory, Fukuoka will come into the next match with even more momentum, so I want to approach the game considering the position in the second leg and the fact that it is a cup match.
<Kosuke SHIRAI>
Q, please review the game. It was your first start in a while.
In Sec. 24 of the J1 League against Yokohama F.Marinos, I conceded a goal due to my own mistake and we lost. I believe I was in a situation where I had to regain trust from scratch, and I think I was able to show through my play that I would defend with my body and run through. From here, I want to regain trust step by step.
Q: The left side was your starting position. Please tell us what you were conscious of, given that you have played on the right side many times before.
In the match against Avispa Fukuoka on the 3rd, there were few plays where I took the opponent's back, and confrontational situations stood out. In those moments, I lost possession and faced many scenes of the opponent's attacks. I consciously focused on actively taking the back today, making good use of my speed, which is my strength. It seemed the opponent's defense also disliked it.
Q: I noticed scenes where you positioned yourself well on the left side, suppressing the opponent's play both offensively and defensively.
A, Keigo HIGASHI and Yuto NAGATOMO were able to play while communicating well and maintaining a good relationship. HIGASHI skillfully appeared in the space created between NAGATOMO and me, allowing me to play with his support.
Q: Please tell us the major factors that were corrected since the match against Fukuoka on the 3rd.
A, I think the team was able to express plays that the opponent disliked right from the start. In the previous match, there were many scenes where we lost the ball battles. I believe that winning in each situation was the factor that brought the momentum to us.
<Kashif BANGNAGANDE>
Q, it has been since the match against Cerezo Osaka on May 24 that I have participated.
A, it was my first official match appearance in about four months, so I felt very refreshed. Until I arrived at Ajinomoto Stadium, everything was as usual, but when I stepped onto the pitch for warm-up, I truly felt that I had come back.
Q: It has been a long rehabilitation period, but what preparations have you made?
A, starting with a knee injury while playing for the Japan national team, I also suffered an ankle injury, so I worked on training to review how my body moves to prevent injuries. With the support of many people, I was able to overcome four months and stand on the pitch. I had been looking forward to this day for four months, so today I poured out those feelings. I believe this is truly the restart from here.
Q: After your injury, the coach changed, and I think there were often differences in tactics between before your injury and when you returned. What did you focus on during practice matches?
A, there was a change of manager while I was injured, so I observed from the outside to see what kind of football they were playing. Today, I played in a different position than before, but I was conscious of not losing the battle on the flank and preventing crosses from being delivered. I focused on carrying out the manager's instructions.
Q: You came on as a substitute, but what were you conscious of when you entered the game?
A, we were able to play with good momentum, so I wanted to maintain that flow and bring even more energy. Since I played in the last 10 minutes while we were winning, I was especially focused on strengthening the defense.
Q: Depending on the results of the next match, we will advance to the Semifinal Round. Please share your enthusiasm for the second match.
I think the Levain Cup prime stage is decided by a single 180-minute match. Since only the first half is over, if we don't achieve a result in the second leg, today's victory will become meaningless. We have lost away games in the league this season, so although the time is short, we will prepare thoroughly to win the next match and definitely want to secure a victory.
