Match Review
The game after a break of about two and a half weeks is the away match against Gamba Osaka at Panasonic Stadium Suita. This match against an opponent who is in second place with an 8-point difference holds significant importance for survival in the upper ranks.
Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who has just returned from the U-23 Japan national team, is included in the starting lineup, with young players Teppei OKA and Kanta DOI forming a partnership in center-back. Hotaka NAKAMURA is positioned as the right back, and Yuto NAGATOMO as the left back. In the holding midfield, Keisuke KOIZUMI and Hiroshi TAKU are lined up, with Riki HARAKAWA placed one row ahead. In the forward line, Soma ANZAI is on the right wing, Keita ENDO on the left wing, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA in the center. Ryotaro ARAKI, who has also just returned from the U-23 Japan national team like Taishi Brandon, is included in the substitute members for this important match.
1st HALF - Despite the difficult times, the guardian made three fine saves.
It was a tough 45 minutes. The match started with both teams sizing each other up, and in the 8th minute of the first half, there was an offside call, but Riki HARAKAWA, who played in the attacking midfield position, broke through behind the opponent's defensive line and got closer to the goal. However, gradually, the time spent being pushed back by Gamba Osaka increased.
After the 15th minute of the first half, the team was pinned back in their own half, facing a series of critical threats. In the 16th minute, a play was created in front of the goal, resulting in a powerful shot from Issam JEBALI. Then, in the 23rd minute, Yamashita broke through from the right side, allowing Issam JEBALI to take another header shot.
Still, after two shots were saved by Daishi Nozawa's fine saves, Dawhan's mid-range shot in the 32nd minute of the first half was also deflected by Daishi Nozawa, preventing the opening goal.
Somehow, Tokyo withstood Gamba Osaka's fierce attack and created opportunities to play in the opponent's territory towards the end. In the 38th minute of the first half, Riki HARAKAWA made a skillful turn to carry the ball forward and spread it to the left side. After connecting to a shot from Nagatomo, in the 40th minute of the first half, they moved the ball on the left side, and Nakamura, who entered the goal area, took a mid-range shot. Although it missed the target, they finally created a scene that approached the goal while moving the ball, changing the flow of the game as they headed into halftime.
2nd HALF - Araki & Kogashi counterattack. 1 point earned after a fierce battle
In the second half, after the restart, it was Tokyo that created the first chance. In the 2nd minute of the second half, they earned a free kick on the right side, and Harakawa delivered a sharp, low ball into the goal area. Anzai made a run from the far side into the goal area. He skillfully connected with a difficult bounce using his head and aimed for the goal, but it was saved by the opposing goalkeeper.
It seemed like they started well in the second half, but just 4 minutes into the half, they were pushed back in front of the goal and Ewerton took a decisive header shot. However, Nakamura made a desperate block by throwing his body to protect the goal.
After that, the match continues at Gamba Osaka's pace, but as space opens up in the midfield compared to the first half, Tokyo increases its opportunities to counterattack. Then, in the 19th minute of the second half, Araki and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA are brought in. The two players, who can change the situation with a single play, are sent in to aim for a counterattack.
In the 35th minute of the second half, the ace Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA was brought on, and the number 11, returning to the pitch after a long time, became an accent that shifted the flow of the game. He carried the ball powerfully, entering the penalty area and becoming a driving force towards the goal.
However, Gamba Osaka's defense, which has the fewest goals conceded in the league, was solid, and they did not allow the net to shake. In the final stages of the game, the match turned into a back-and-forth counterattack, but they managed to avoid conceding any goals and ended up sharing one point.
Starting from the next match, we will return to Ajinomoto Stadium to compete in a series of home games. In the next match, we will face Kawasaki Frontale in the 'Tamagawa Classico.' As we prepare for a summer comeback, Tokyo has connected the one point earned from a fierce battle with the top teams to the next match.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Hotaka NAKAMURA/Kanta DOI/Teppei OKA/Nagatomo Yuto
MF Takuto UHIRO/Kei KOIZUMI/Riki HARAKAWA (19 minutes into the second half: Ryotaro ARAKI)
FW Keita ENDO (19 minutes into the second half: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)/Soma ANZAI (35 minutes into the second half: Kosuke SHIRAI)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (35 minutes into the second half: Go KOBAYASHI)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Masato MORISHIGE
MF Keigo HIGASHI
GOAL
-
<Gamba Osaka>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Jun IIMORI
DF Shota FUKUOKA/Keisuke KUROKAWA/Shinnosuke NAKATANI/Riku MATSUDA (substituted at 35 minutes: Takeru KISHIMOTO)
MF Tokuma SUZUKI/Ryoya YAMASHITA (substituted at 35 minutes: Ryotaro MESHINO)/Dawan (substituted at 35 minutes: Neta LAVI)/Welton
FW Issam JEBALI/Isa SAKAMOTO (substituted at 25 minutes: Juan ALANO)
SUBS
GK Kei ISHIKAWA
DF Yusei EGAWA
MF Kota YAMADA
GOAL
-
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Coach Interview]
Q, please review the game.
A, Gamba Osaka had many very good plays, so it was a tough match. In the first half, there were parts where we made the game tough for ourselves. I think it would have been better if we could have created time to keep possession of the ball after winning it. Because we couldn't do that, the opponent continued to have the ball for extended periods. Due to that, the first half became a difficult situation. I think it improved in the second half. I believe our way of playing is to control the rhythm and advance the game ourselves. We earned 1 point in a tough match, but there are still areas to improve, such as finishing in the attacking phase. The important thing now is to recover from here and analyze our performance again. Then, we need to check what we can do to get better. An important match is coming up in a few days. It is a crucial match for both the club and the fans and supporters. We want to fight with all our strength so that they can be proud and happy.
Q: You were under pressure for a while, how do you evaluate the defense?
A, of course, I think it would have been better if we could have played a better match than today. We needed to improve how we applied pressure a bit more and there were parts in defense where we had to go on the pressure. We will analyze those parts and work on improving them. A positive thing today was that although we spent a long time defending, we were able to finish the match without conceding any goals. However, we want to build up so that we can defend more aggressively from the front. In the attacking part of the first half, when we had the ball, we were not able to show our own style. It got better from about the last 10 minutes of the first half. It improved even more in the second half, and we were able to put pressure on the opponent. We want to be able to play like that from an earlier stage. It was good to have earned points today, but we believe we can get even better.
Q: How will you improve for the match against Kawasaki Frontale?
A, I want to improve every aspect. There were still points that needed improvement in both offense and defense. It is important to steadily build on those areas. Although there were negative aspects where we did not perform well, there were also parts where we showed the style of football that represents us. We want to continue to work on that firmly. And from the lessons learned today, we aim to get better. We understand that the next two matches are very important for the fans, supporters, and the club. We will properly recover and prepare well for the next match.
Q, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who returned from the activities of the U-23 Japan national team, was used in the starting lineup. Please provide your evaluation.
A, Nozawa's performance today was very good. I believe he gave his best effort.
[Player Interview]
＜Taishi Brandon NOZAWA＞
Q: You just returned from activities with the U-23 Japan national team, and it must have been difficult, but how do you feel about today's match when you reflect on it?
A, it might be that the fatigue from returning from the national team is still lingering, but even so, I was truly happy to be able to play the match, and playing soccer is enjoyable, so I am grateful for that. Taking home a point with a 0-0 draw is positive, but at the same time, there were parts where we could have played better, and I think there are still challenges remaining. However, Gamba Osaka's overall quality was quite high, and we were pressed for a long time, but precisely because we went into halftime at 0-0, we started to get some chances in the second half. I think the flow of the game was not bad.
Q: The match was saved by Taishi Brandon NOZAWA's saves. Were there any key scenes or saves in today's match?
A, there were about three dangerous moments in the first half, but I think it was good that we overcame them. Throughout the entire match, as a goalkeeper protecting the goal, I was able to contribute to the team, so that was good.
Q: I believe you have absorbed a lot in Paris, but as you have home games against Kawasaki Frontale and Verdy, what kind of progress will you be making?
A, I need to talk with my teammates and make improvements to become a better team. There are a few days until the Kawasaki match, but first, I want to properly recover and then focus on practicing the things we need to fix as a team. Since it's a home game at Ajinomoto Stadium, I want to play soccer that the spectators will enjoy, win the match, and celebrate together with the fans, supporters, and teammates.
<Kanta DOI>
Q, please review the game. It was your first full appearance in a while.
A,unlike the practice match against Kashiwa Reysol, the build-up did not go well, and the defense was not very effective, but I think it was significant that we endured until the end without conceding a goal. For the nextmatch against Kawasaki Frontale, I believe we have identified major issues in defense and build-up, so I want to prepare to correct those.
Q: I got the impression that you got stuck during the passing sequence.
A,I think we lost in the physical battles today, whether it was due to poor spacing between players, losing the ball after winning it, or the second balls going to the opponent. It felt like the spacing was too far apart, so if we can bring each player's spacing a little closer together, I believe we will be able to connect the ball better.
Q: What adjustments did you make during the match, including halftime?
A, although our center-back line was low, in the second half we made sure to raise the line and focused primarily on pressing from the front.
Q: From here on, we have crucial matches against Kawasaki Frontale and Verdy that we cannot afford to lose. Please share your enthusiasm once again.
A, even with the way things unfolded today, I think we were able to prove that if everyone puts their body on the line, we can keep the score at zero. From here, we want to improve the quality of our play, keep the goals conceded at zero, and be able to score goals.
<Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA>
Q: You came on in the latter stages of the second half. What was your intention when entering the match, and how did you feel on the pitch?
In Group A, it was a quite challenging match from the first half with Gamba Osaka setting the pace. Even so, the defenders kept the scoreline at zero, so I believed that if I could score just one goal, we could win. With that in mind, I entered the match aiming to score.
Q: You may not be at 100% condition yet, but we saw plays where you broke away from your opponent and made runs towards the goal. How did you feel about your performance?
A, there were some parts that went well, but due to the position, I was required to apply pressure from the front line and maintain high activity levels. There were moments when I got a bit winded from continuous movement and couldn't receive the ball, so I thought I need to improve my condition from here on. I couldn't take a single shot, so I think my challenge is to break free and take a shot at the end, carrying the play through to the finish.
Q: The first half was a match where we were continuously pressed. What kind of play do you think will be necessary for the forwards to improve this situation in the future?
A, today Suzuki had the ball, so I thought we needed to communicate more about whether the forwards should close in to cut off the passing lanes by tightening the middle or if the defensive midfielders should push out. I believe the players on the pitch felt this too, but after winning the ball, we immediately lost it again, and there were many moments where we were continuously attacked. I think it is important to figure out how to release the ball and create our own rhythm in those situations.
