Sec. 1 of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Centennial Concept League held at Ajinomoto Stadium where snow was falling. Tokyo secured a victory in the opening match after a penalty kick shootout against Kashima Antlers, the Meiji Yasuda J1 League champions from last season.
In this match, the one who appeared on the pitch leading the team was Sei MUROYA, who was appointed as the new captain.
The First Step as Captain
"Since it was the season opener, there were some difficult moments at the start of the match, but everyone had the awareness to fight."
The opponent was last season's champion team. Even before the match, there was a shared understanding within the team that "we must surpass Kashima in the battle aspect to win." They embodied this on the pitch and, despite struggling against Kashima's tenacious defense after one of their players was sent off, they ultimately secured victory in the penalty shootout, thanks in part to goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu's crucial saves.
According to the regulations of this tournament, a victory in a penalty shootout is awarded '2 points.' For Muroya, who reflected, "I wanted to get 3 points, but these 2 were significant," it was a special day. It was the first time in his professional career that he stood on the official match pitch as captain.
"It definitely felt a little different than usual. Receiving a bouquet before the match and all (laughs)," he joked as he looked back on his debut, but once the game started, there was no change in the fierce fighting spirit and passionate soul that overflowed from him.
Muroya, who deliberately chose not to say much, reflected on himself during the match, saying, "I think being simple and using only a few short words is true to myself." Through his play, his presence, and running more than anyone else, he embodied a unique and unparalleled image of a captain on the pitch.
The Best Support
In the 41st minute of the first half, Kashima's Misao was sent off for stopping a clear scoring opportunity, giving Tokyo a numerical advantage. Keita ENDO brilliantly scored from the resulting free kick to take the lead. However, the joy was short-lived as the opponent equalized immediately from a set piece.
While Kashima was down to 10 players and solidifying their defense, right side back Muroya was cautious about risk management and Kashima's fighting spirit. "Kashima has the ability to score even with 10 players. While being wary of counterattacks, we wanted to somehow score one more goal. I was constantly thinking about that balance."
However, the match ended with a 1-1 draw, and the decision was left to a penalty shootout. As a result of the coin toss, we gained the support of our reliable blue and red teammates.
"I wanted to kick on the home side, so it was really significant that it became our own half. The fans and supporters put pressure on the opposing kicker and stayed quiet when it was our turn to kick. Creating that kind of atmosphere really helped us, and I am truly grateful."
It was truly a victory achieved with fans, supporters, and the team united as one.
Regarding how much joy to express after the penalty shootout, he said, "I still haven't quite grasped how much I should be celebrating (laughs). I'm sure the fans and supporters feel the same way," expressing some confusion unique to the new regulations, and did not indulge in the afterglow of this victory at all.
"We are challengers" Towards the next match
Although the team struggled in the opening match, they still secured a victory, showing no signs of complacency. His gaze was already fixed on the next match against Urawa Reds.
"No player is celebrating just because we beat Kashima. We are not Kashima. We are challengers who cannot afford to lose any match. The sense of urgency is strong both as a team and as individuals."
Urawa, the opponent in the next match, showed a confident performance against JEF United Chiba in the opening game. Urawa took the lead early with a goal from Matsuo, and also scored through Hidano, a university graduate rookie from FC Tokyo U-15 Fukagawa, securing a 2-0 victory. They achieved their first opening game win in six seasons and are a formidable opponent riding high on momentum.
Regarding the impression of Urawa, Muroya said, "They have many good players, and once they gain momentum, it is a difficult team to stop." He also vividly remembers the image from last season when they defeated Urawa 3-2 at home. "By winning the last match, I think the opponent has a slight psychological disadvantage. We want to exploit that and show more and more plays heading towards the goal," he said, expressing strong determination to continue the home winning streak.
As the new captain and as a fullback. Sei MUROYA's 2026 season has only just begun.
"Only one match has finished so far. From here, my condition will improve, and I believe my performance sharpness will also increase further."
In the home opener where snow danced, Muroya fights more passionately than anyone to turn the 2 points gained into true strength.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
