Match Review
The final match of the season, which serves as a conclusion, was a matchup against Shonan Bellmare at Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka. In place of the suspended Yuto Nagatomo, Kosuke Shirai took the right side back position, and Tsubasa Terayama made his first league start in four months as a defensive midfielder. Kuryu Matsuki, returning from suspension, was utilized as an attacking midfielder.
It has been a difficult season, but we have secured a double-digit ranking for the first time since the 2017 season, and we want to end it with a win. We want to fight aggressively to deliver three points to the blue-red fans and supporters who came all the way to the away match in Hiratsuka.
1st HALF—Gradually gaining momentum with tenacious defense
The momentum of Shonan Bellmare heading into the final home match prevailed. They started sharply and were not outdone in recovering second balls. However, in the final moments near the goal, Tokyo gradually took control of the pace and increased the scenes ending with shots.
In the 9th minute, Adailton headed a shot from Matsuki's corner kick that went wide of the goal. In the 12th minute, Adailton carried the ball on a counterattack and passed it to Diego OLIVEIRA in the center. Diego then faced the goal and struck the ball with his right foot, but it missed the target.
The first half continued with a back-and-forth battle without any change in the score. Both teams created attacking opportunities, but mistakes occurred in the finishing accuracy and the processes leading up to it, resulting in no clear chances being created as the first half came to a close.
2nd HALF - Koizumi's first goal in Tokyo leads to victory after 5 matches
In the second half, which started without any player substitutions, Tokyo actively initiated attacks. Matsuki dropped back to the midfield to draw out the ball, and with his vertical passes, the number of times Diego TABA and Adailton surged towards the goal increased.
In the 2nd and 5th minutes, there were decisive shots in the area. In the 2nd minute, Diego TABA's powerful shot with his right foot hit the target but was saved by the opposing goalkeeper. In the 5th minute, Tsubasa TERAYAMA, who jumped in from the third row, aimed for the goal, but it only shook the outside of the side net. Nevertheless, Tokyo did not ease their attack and took the lead in the 7th minute. Masato MORISHIGE at the final line made a long feed. Adailton, who broke free from this, created time on the left side, and Kei KOIZUMI, who jumped in front of the goal, calmly evaded the opposing defender and scored.
After gaining a one-point lead, including the players who came on as substitutes, we managed to control the game well while running down the clock. Specially designated Soma ANZAI and Kanta DOI, who made his J1 debut, both delivered impressive performances.
In the final stages, we faced a fierce attack from Shonan, but our concentration today was excellent, and we secured a victory with a clean sheet until the end. This is our first "Uno Zero" victory since the match against Cerezo Osaka in Sec. 22, achieving our third win of the season away.
As a result, they accumulated 3 points for the first time in 5 matches and finished in 11th place.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kosuke SHIRAI/Yasuki KIMOTO/Masato MORISHIGE/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (substituted in 35th minute: Kanta DOI)
MF Keisuke KOIZUMI/Tsubasa TERAYAMA (substituted in 27th minute: Keigo HIGASHI)/Kuryu MATSUKI
FW Teruhito NAKAGAWA (substituted in 31st minute: Soma ANZAI)/Diego Oliveira (substituted in 27th minute: Naoki KUMATA)/Adailton (substituted in 27th minute: Jaja Silva)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Seiji KIMURA
GOAL
7 minutes into the second half: Kei KOIZUMI
<Shonan Bellmare>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Son Bum-gun
DF Takuya OKAMOTO (substituted in 27th minute: Sho FUKUDA)/Kazuki OIWA/Min Tae KIM/Kazunari OHNO/Daiki SUGIOKA
MF Masaki IKEDA (substituted in 27th minute: Akito SUZUKI)/Akimi BARADA (substituted in 12th minute: Kohei OKUNO)/Taiyo HIRAOKA (substituted in 12th minute: Junnosuke SUZUKI)/Hiroyuki ABE
FW Yuki OHASHI
SUBS
GK Hiroki MAWATARI
DF Shuto YAMAMOTO/Koki TACHI
GOAL
―
[Comments from Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI at the Press Conference]
Q, please review today's game.
A, I think we were able to deliver a high performance and play worthy of winning. We had great respect for our opponent, Shonan Bellmare, and fought accordingly. I believe we managed to respond well and kept a clean sheet. In doing so, we effectively used the spaces we wanted to utilize and created good opportunities. The players fought firmly with their commitment and strong beliefs, giving their all on the field.
We are proud that all the players could share the victory with the fans and supporters. We believe we were able to deliver a good win for Adailton, a special player who has contributed to this club.
Q: Tsubasa TERAYAMA has returned to the starting lineup for the league match after a long time.
A worked hard while paying attention to the finer details. That level of play was something he showed even during practice, and I believed it was worthy of a starting position. I think he gave his best performance and worked hard to the fullest of his ability.
Q, please review the goal scene.
In scenes like the build-up, I think we were able to play while controlling things well ourselves. I knew how the opponents would move if I entered that position near the goal, so I think I was able to make good plays within that context. I believe I was able to move into dangerous areas, and it was Kei KOIZUMI's best goal. Also, I think it was a wonderful goal by the entire team.
[Player Interview]]
<Adailton>
Q: It was the last match in Tokyo, what was your mindset going into the game?
A, regardless of the fact that today was my last match as a Tokyo player, I played as usual to finish the game with a good result. As a result, thanks to all my teammates, I was able to secure a victory in my final match with Tokyo. I am very happy to have ended my last game with a win. I would like to express my gratitude to all my teammates.
Q: In the first half, there were many breakthroughs utilizing the characteristic speed and power.
A, we worked on countermeasures against Shonan Bellmare in this week's practice. We focused on getting behind the opposing defenders during training. My teammates also watched my movements and passed the ball to me, so I believe the practice paid off.
Q, please review the scene where Kei KOIZUMI assisted the goal.
A, I think this scene showed the part we worked on in training this week. Masato MORISHIGE gave a good pass, and the pass was made after considering the best place to pass to Koizumi, who was making a run.
Q: After the match, the calls for Adailton did not cease. Please give a message to the fans and supporters.
<div>A, although it ended up being my last match, I am filled with gratitude for all the fans and supporters who cheered for me. Despite coming from a country far away, many people always supported me, and today I felt their appreciation. That made me very happy, and it reaffirmed that choosing Japan was the right decision, which makes me glad. Thank you very much.
<Kei KOIZUMI>
Q、The first goal after the transfer led to a victory after about two months. Please reflect on the choices made for the shot and how it led to the goal.
When I received the ball from Adailton, I hesitated whether to shoot immediately, but since I saw the opponent closing in, I chose to carry the ball a bit further. Honestly, shooting is all about feeling. I didn't overthink it and trusted my instincts to take the shot. I'm glad the shot was well executed and scored.
Q: Your hard work on both offense and defense stood out. Please reflect on the entire match.
A, there are points to improve in building up play and being aware of the space behind, but the most important fundamental plays such as hard work, physical commitment in defense, and not losing duels were expressed by the whole team with a sense of unity. It was a match worthy of victory.
Q, Please tell us the reason why Koizumi, who is known for his strong defensive image, was able to advance to that position and contribute to the goal.
Adailton showed a move to challenge on the side, so I sprinted in coordination with that. I saw that there was space available, and since Adailton was in a one-on-one situation, I advanced with the awareness to support from the midfield position. It was good that the awareness of participating in the attack led to a positive outcome.
Q, In the first half, it seemed like you received the ball in a low position, with a lot of supply to the front line and disruption from the opponent's midfield.
A, throughout the entire match, of course there were some critical moments, but today we were especially able to show committed play in the crucial moments. We were able to play without breaking communication for the full 90 minutes. If we had been able to express the kind of game we showed today throughout the season, the results and standings might have been different. Personally, I feel that the number of times I was involved in the attack was low throughout the season. I regret not increasing that from the beginning.
In recent practices, I have been learning detailed aspects such as how to get involved in the attack and positioning before receiving the ball from Keigo HIGASHI. Thanks to HIGASHI's excellent way of explaining, I was able to understand and play accordingly during practice and today's match. Tokyo has many outstanding players, including HIGASHI. Regardless of whether they are experienced veterans or young and energetic players like Tsubasa TERAYAMA and Kuryu MATSUKI, I want to absorb what I can and make it my own. I cannot grow by my own strength alone. Since I was not able to approach this mindset from the start of the season, I want to make use of this reflection moving forward.
<Tsubasa TERAYAMA>
Q: It has been since the match against Sagan Tosu on April 1 that you started in the league. How do you reflect on the game?
A, it was my first start in a while. I believe my starting position was a result of the efforts I put into daily practice and training matches, so I made sure to play in a way that would meet those expectations. There were still areas where I fell short, but there were also many things I was able to do well, so that was a positive point.
Q: What specific things that you have built up through daily practice were you able to demonstrate in today's match?
A, this is the part that Coach Klamovski constantly demands: hard work and quick transitions between offense and defense. We have been consciously working on this in practice, so I think we have achieved it to some extent. However, I feel that the number of times we get involved with the ball and the attitude to push forward are still lacking, so I want to improve these going forward.
Q: In the first half, I think there was a lot of focus on dealing with the two shadows of Shonan Bellmare. How were you aware of that?
A, I believe my strength lies in breaking down the opposing forward who receives vertical passes and completely taking the ball away, so I focused on disrupting and recovering the ball in defense. Today, there were many scenes where I was able to recover the ball, so it was good.
Q: I think there were many scenes where you participated in the attack in the second half. Did you change your mindset at halftime or when the second half started?
A, since we are playing to win, we discussed within the team at halftime the need to score goals, and we consciously tried to increase the number of times we made runs into the pockets, which were few in the first half. I believe that maintaining possession of the ball in advanced positions and continuing with secondary and tertiary attacks also contributed to our victory.
<Soma ANZAI>
Q: It was a difficult situation coming in as a substitute in a match in Tokyo after a long time. How did you approach it?
<div>A, when I previously played in the J1 League, it ended in a frustrating way, so personally, I had a strong desire to make up for it. This season, I was registered as a special designated player, so I didn't have many opportunities to be involved with the team, but I wanted to prove that I was fighting as a member of Tokyo. I really wanted to deliver a victory to the fans and supporters who cheered for us throughout the season, so I’m glad we were able to win.
Q, I think there were many parts where Soma ANZAI's characteristics were highlighted.
<div>A, I often played as a side back, but this time I played as a winger, a position one level higher. Winger is also the position I usually play when representing Waseda University. Since we were leading 1-0, I focused on creating time when I got the ball and on making breakthroughs, which is my strength. Defensively, when I came on as a substitute, although we were winning, it was a tough period, so I was especially conscious of fighting for the ball in close contests.
Q: Although the duration of participation in practice was not very long and I entered the game midway, did you feel any difficulties?
A, it was my first time playing together with Kosuke SHIRAI on the right side, but I had already organized what I needed to do in my mind. While watching Tokyo's matches, I imagined various situations, so when I actually played, I just had to solve things by communicating with my teammates. I think it was good that I was able to communicate, especially with SHIRAI.
Q: How does Anzai want to grow in the future?
A, I mentioned this when I joined, but I want to be a player who can convey my feelings to the people watching. Ultimately, I want to become a player who can deliver victories.
Q, please give a message to the fans and supporters who came to the away game today.
A, I was only able to participate in 4 matches this season, and just like in my debut game, the cheers from the fans and supporters truly gave me strength. Although I couldn't achieve the results I hoped for, I am filled with gratitude towards the fans and supporters who sent passionate cheers throughout the entire season, both at home and away games.
