Match Review
It became a game that truly tested their worth. Before the kickoff of the match against Kashiwa Reysol, news arrived of the defeat of the league leaders, Kashima Antlers. The point difference before the match was6. If they win this game, they can narrow the gap to just 3 points in one go. Defeating Kashiwa away will open up great possibilities by their own hands.
An important match to see if they can truly contend for the championship. The Blue-Red Eleven placed goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, and the back line from the right consisted of Sei MUROYA, Rio OMORI, Hayato INAMURA, and Kento HASHIMOTO. It was the first time the center-back pairing of OMORI and INAMURA started together in the starting lineup. OMORI said, "The team's finishing ability has improved, and if we can defend well, I am confident we can win. As a center-back, I want to keep a clean sheet." This game marked his first start since Sec. 8 against Verdy.
The same members have been in place for three consecutive matches from the defensive midfielder position forward. In the midfield base are Kento HASHIMOTO and Kota TOKIWA, with attackers Kaede SUZUKI on the right and Keita ENDO on the left,the two forwards formed a partnership between Marcelo RYAN and Ryunosuke SATO. Additionally, academy-promoted Kaede SUZUKI was on the bench for the first time as a professional. This versatile player, who can play in all positions of the back line as well as defensive midfield, aims to make his professional debut on away ground.
The blue-red family packed into the away SANKYO FRONTIER Kashiwa Stadium sent a passionate message to the players on the pitch during warm-up: "Put your passion into it! Grab the championship!" United as one, they went to seize the 3 points in this match, which kicked off at 16:03.
1st―Unleashing diverse attacksTaking the lead with a strike from Keita's zone
From the start, both sides showed an attitude of trying to control the ball and fight, and the first big chance was created by Tokyo. In the 5th minute of the first half, Kento HASHIMOTO applied sharp pressing, and Lucas RIAN picked up the loose ball and spread it to the right side. When Kei Sato crossed it back, Ryu Sato turned with fine touches inside the penalty area and took a left-footed shot. It narrowly missed to the left of the goal, but it was a chance born from Tokyo's characteristic aggressive defense and quick transition between offense and defense.
Awareness of the transition from defense to attack once again created an opportunity for Tokyo. In the 18th minute of the first half, after being pushed back into their own half, they connected passes, and Lukian dropped a vertical pass from Tokiwa, allowing Ryu Sato to break through vertically. Lukian then received the return pass and made a solo run toward the goal. However, this finish was saved by the opposing goalkeeper, and they could not shake the net to take the lead.
From the clash of possession styles, Tokyo searched for openings by mixing in drawn-back counters. They moved the ball in various directions—vertical, horizontal, and diagonal—while looking for the right timing to face forward and switch on their attack.At the 34th minute of the first half, after repeated exchanges from the back line connecting with Sato Kei and RIAN, Omori overlapped on the right side, advanced to the goal line, and earned a corner kick. They showcased a thick attack with players continuously surging forward from the rear.
The defense also protects the goal with physical play. The center backs struggle against Kashiwa's direct play. They cut off the final pass with a sliding tackle, closing the center and preventing the first goal.
The fearsome Tokyo attack, not just connecting passes, finally shows its true strength. In the 43rd minute of the first half,Lucas RIAN received the ball pushed back from his own half and made a solo dribble through the center of the pitch. Despite a sliding tackle from a pursuing opponent, he powerfully carried the ball forward and entered the area in front of the goal, then sent a final pass to the left side,where Endo controlled the ball from a trap and struck with his right foot from his favored position at a 45-degree angle to the left side of the goal! The well-aimed shot pierced the far side net, and Tokyo succeeded in scoring the long-awaited opening goal.
The first halfended 1-0 after 3 minutes of additional time. The exciting match between Style and Style saw the Blue-Red team take a one-goal lead into the second half.
2nd―3 Consecutive Wins with Ryunosuke's 2 Goals
With no substitutions, Tokyo approached the second half, while Kashiwa made changes at halftime by taking off Konishi and Hosoya and bringing in Riki HARAKAWA and Kakita. It was a switch that aimed to strengthen the midfield structure and intensify chasing from the front line.
Tokyo was the first to create a chance in the second half as well. At 3 minutes into the half, from the left side towards the center, players Sato Ryu, Hian, and Tokiwa connected passes, and the last pass was given to Muroya, who was advancing dynamically. However, instead of taking a decisive shot, he chose to cut back, allowing the opposing player to close in and take away his freedom.
Kashiwa, who increased pressure from the front line, in the second halfat the 13th minute, quickly switched play to the left side, and Kakita, receiving the ball in the center, took a powerful right-footed mid-range shot. However, Sungyu made a fine save to firmly deflect it, not allowing an equalizing goal.
And once again, the match shifted. The key player was Ryu Sato. At 15 minutes into the second half, he firmly blocked the opposing player against a long feed from the back and delivered the ball to RIAN. Immediately, he ran aiming for the space on the left front. RIAN skillfully turned his body, faced forward, and passed to Ryu Sato, where number 23 took a precise left-footed shot to add another goal. Taking advantage of the increasingly heavy rain making the pitch slippery, the one-bounce shot broke through the opposing goalkeeper, extending Tokyo's lead to two goals.
Tokyo continues to launch sharp attacks. Taking advantage of Kashiwa's forward pushes, they counterattack, involving multiple players to display a thick and powerful offensive.
Second HalfAt the 27th minute, a middle-distance shot was scored from a loose ball after a set play, reducing the lead to one goal. Tokyo made their first substitution immediately after, at the 28th minute. Replacing Endo and Rian, Leon NOZAWA was brought in as the left attacker, and Divine OTANI was introduced as one of the two forwards.
In the second half, played in heavy rain, the Blue-Red family, determined to bring back the crucial 3 points,cheered loudly with such passion that it seemed to blow away the bad weather, supporting the players on the pitch.
And in the second halfat the 40th minute, the defensive midfielder was switched from Tokiwara to Takahiro KO. Then, immediately at the 42nd minute, Nozawa, who received a vertical pass from Takahiro KO on the left side and was dribbling forward, was fouled and earned a penalty kick. Ryuu Sato powerfully kicked it with his right foot to the upper right corner of the goal, making the score 3-1 and extending the lead to 2 goals again.
In the second half stoppage time,Fuki YAMADA and Teruhito NAKAGAWA came on, replacing Ryu SATO, who scored 2 goals, and Kei SATO, who continued to fight both offensively and defensively. The final substitution aimed to close out the match.
In the final stages, even as Kashiwa intensified their counterattack, the defense's committed play and Sungyu's fine saves secured the victory. In this crucial game where a win was essential,they firmly claimed victory within 90 minutes, achieving three consecutive wins. They closed the points gap with league leaders Kashima to 3, successfully entering the championship race in a true sense.
Interview with Manager Rikizo MATSUHASHI
Q, please summarize today's match.
A, I think they played a wonderful game. At one point, the score was just one point apart, but they managed to pull ahead again, and it was a very impressive game.
Q. In the previous match, you were defeated in 90 minutes for the only time this season by this opponent. Was there anything in particular you focused on for this game?
A. It wasn’t that we had any emotional feelings as a premise, but we understood the importance of this game, and we had enough time to thoroughly rehearse to win it. We were able to express that well today. Of course, there were some errors, but considering that we made corrections during halftime, they delivered a very excellent performance. I think it’s another good point that this led to the result.
Q,It was also a match that presented a chance to close the points gap with Kashima Antlers. What are your thoughts on that?
A,I think everyone probably understood that before the match. However, there have been several opportunities before to close the gap, and we had missed those chances, so I didn’t really see players having specific conversations about it. Still, they clearly understood the importance before the game, and they expressed a lot of energy on the pitch, firmly seizing the opportunity, which I believe will boost their confidence going forward. That said, we are still in a position where we have to chase, and there is still a long way to go, so it’s important to stay grounded and work hard towards the next match.
Q. Please tell us your evaluation of the front line combination that produced the two goals.
A. Regarding the goals, Marcelo RYAN and Ryunosuke SATO, especially the awareness and precision in defense as the starting point for the two strikers, are one of the factors that have positively influenced various aspects and the flow of the game. Of course, scoring goals is wonderful, and since they play in the striker position, having those results boosts their confidence and is a point that can be highly evaluated. However, not everything lies there; rather, their outstanding performance as part of the team is what I believe has led to these results.
Q. Was one of your aims to switch to attack by restricting the opponent's defensive midfielder?
A. Yes. In defensive sessions, we confirmed how the opponent attacks, and in attack, we focused on identifying where the opponent's weaknesses arise within the flow of play, especially from the first half,and the defensive midfield players expressed this well. While maintaining a good balance between offense and defense, we rehearsed with high awareness, which allowed us to effectively exploit the opponent's weaknesses and commit enough players to the attack. I believe this led to the goal.
Q. Please tell us your evaluation of the two young center backs, Hayato Inamura and Rio OMORI.
A. I think they delivered a very impressive performance. There are still some fine adjustments to be made, but I once saw them talking right in front of me about wanting to play together someday, so I told them to go for it. I believe this was a game where I could properly evaluate them.
Player Interview
Ryunosuke SATO
Q. This was a must-win match on the road to the championship.
A. We had information before the match that Kashima Antlers had lost, but the players didn’t let that affect them, and against Kashiwa Reysol, they were only focused on securing a win within 90 minutes. I think it was a very important victory in that sense.
Q. I think it was a well-rounded match in terms of content.
A. In the previous match against Kashiwa, we were outperformed in terms of content, but today we created many chances and were able toscore goals, so I think that can be evaluated positively.
Q, how do you evaluate yourself for scoring in such an important match?
A, from here on,every match is important, so I intend to score in all of them and base my efforts on fighting for the team. Since there was also a penalty today, I am still not satisfied.
Q, please review the game.Myfirst goalmoment.
A, I firmlyblocked,and when the ball reached Marcelo RYAN, I increased my speedand ran,which I think gave Marcelo RYAN options. From there, I could see the play leading to a goal if the ball came to me, and since the field was slippery, I thought it was good to take the shot.
Q. Did you deliberately aim for a ground shot?.
A. Yes, that's right. I had the image of hitting a strong shot firmly on target.
Q,From the moment it became a penalty kick, I kept the ball the whole time.
A, I thought Leon NOZAWA probably wouldn't take the shot (laughs). Keito Sato alsohad previously taken a penalty during a match,and asked if he could take this one.
Q. How is your relationship with player Hian?It feelsvery good.
A. I feel that our relationship has improved as we have played more matches together, and both I and the other playersunderstandplaying in the current position, so I think we were able to bring out the best in a good relationship.
Q, We can see the leader's back.
A, If we can win all the remaining matches from here, in the endwewill be able topull it closerwith our own strength, so we want to keep up the current situation.
Q, you mentioned that you came back to succeed here, and that is becoming a reality.
A, I came back to win the championship, so I want to seize it.
Keita ENDO
Q,In a situation where we absolutely had to win, we firmly secured 3 points.
A,It was a tough match, and the opponent was of high quality, making it a difficult game, but I believe the result came because we played even better football than a good team, so I am proud of the team.
Q, Did the team have information that Kashima Antlers were losing in today's match?
A,Of course, they had the information, but Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI did not say anything about it, and it was a situation where each player reacted based on that result.
Q,You scored the important first goal. Please review the goal scene.
A,Recently, other attackers besides myself have been performing well, and I felt a bit of jealousy. It was frustrating to be supported by the younger teammates after a long time, so I thought that if I didn't produce results here, I wouldn't be able to continue playing in matches. I'm glad I was able to deliver results without losing to them.
Q,When the ball came from Marcelo RYAN, was it as you imagined from the moment you adjusted your hold to the shot?
A,There wasn't much space, so I focused on creating a shooting lane before taking the shot. Rather than dribbling, I think I was able to play by working backward from the flow to the shot.
Q,Wasn't that the moment when your cloudy feelings cleared up?
A,As long as it is the role of an attacker to help the team, there are many other good attackers, but I want to play in a way that leads my team without losing to them. In that sense, I am honestly happy to have scored a goal today.
Q,The race for the championship intensifies from here. Please share your enthusiasm for the upcoming consecutive matches.
A,We are still in second place, and I believe we need to keep winning every match to have a chance at the top. So, rather than looking too far ahead, I want to give my all to the matches right in front of us. Simply playing the matches won’t be enough to win, so I think the entire team’s strength—both players on the field and those not playing—will be necessary.
Q. Both the fans and supporters understood it was a chance to close the points gap, and there was unusually loud cheering even during the warm-up. The support conveyed a feeling of energizing the team throughout the match.
A, recently, the players have noticed the strength and changes in the support, and it is certainly a driving force for them. From now on, every match will be important. We want to fight without regrets, and I believe the fans and supporters feel the same. We want to celebrate together when we win, and when we lose, we hope to share the sadness together after giving our all. Right now, I think we are able to face the matches united with the fans and supporters.
Player Seung-gyu Kim
Q. Were you aware of the results of matches at other venues?
A. As a team, it wasn't a special topic of discussion, but I think some players personally checked the results. I was aware as well, but we believed it was important to focus on the match in front of us. Of course, before the match, the results from other venues were on our minds, but more than that,'Onematchata time, winning each match surely' was the mindset we strongly held.
Q. Today, Hayato Inamura and Rio OMORI played together as center backs for the first time. Did you have any advice or things you were conscious of when communicating with these two young players?
A. Since we had always maintained solid communication during training, I didn’t feel any issues during the match at all. Although they are young players,both have match experience with the current team, and each has been contributing to victories by showcasing their strengths, so they can play with confidence. I believe they are reliable players I can trust. For my part, I focused on covering from behind while keeping an eye on the overall balance of the team.
Q. How do you view the attackers' good form from the back?
A. Since the attacking players are in excellent condition, as a defender,I have the confidence that 'if we don't concede, they will definitely score.' Because of that, I focus first on not conceding goals, and I believe the team will never lose. I play with the mindset of contributing to the team in that way.
Q. Did your decision-making in play change in the second half when the rain got heavier?
A. It may have seemed like difficult conditions for the goalkeeper, but thanks to the good condition of the stadium's turf,there was no particular change in decision-making during play. However, since substitutions and timing can affect the flow of the game, we responded accordingly to those situations.
Q. The point difference with Kashima Antlers is now 3, and from here on, it will truly be a battle for the championship. Is there anything you are particularly conscious of?
A. Since Tokyo is in the position of chasing,winning eachmatchand accumulating 3 points per game is the only thing that matters. I believe the pressure is actually on the opponent, so as challengers, we want to keep fighting with all our might in every match ahead. Although it is a busy schedule, the current team is in a state where anyone who plays can perform at a high level. Everyone is well prepared, so while maintaining the overall strength of the team, we want to keep winning.
Rio OMORI
Q, for the first timeI formed a center-back partnership with my same-age teammate Hayato Inamura.
A, we had practiced and trained together. Although we didn't play much together during the academy,we understood each other's strengths. Conceding one goal was unfortunate, but besides that, Inamura was actively disrupting the opponent's key positions, and his distribution was excellent. Overall, I'm glad we were able to secure the win.
Q. It was your first appearance in a while, but were you able to show what you had prepared?
A. Yes, that's right. However, when looking at various small details, there were many areas for improvement. Since today was an important match, I think it was good for me personally that the attacking players scored and we were able to secure the win.
Q. Before the match, we already knew the result of the top-ranked Kashima Antlers.
A. I think everyone was able to focus on this match. Our goal is the championship, so we had to win to get even a little closer,and we were also motivated to repay the loss we suffered at home. We approached the game with a strong mental state, which I believe led to the intense match we saw today. I think it was really good.
