Match Review
Do your best and leave the rest to fate──. Finally, only the last two matches remain. Winning this week's match against the Urawa Reds will keep the dream of a comeback victory in the final round alive. The point difference with the top-ranked Kashima Antlers, who have a match the next day, is 4. This game is an opportunity to take the initiative, close the gap, and apply as much pressure as possible.
What is required for that is to defeat the strong opponent in front of us. It is necessary to overcome Urawa, who have won four consecutive matches since the appointment of interim manager Tanaka. The starting eleven chosen by manager Rikizo MATSUHASHI for that match featured goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, who was announced just before kickoff to be participating in his fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup as a member of the South Korean national team. The back line consisted of four players from right to left: Naruki Muroya, Alexander Scholz, Hayato Inamura, and Kento HASHIMOTO. The defensive midfield duo was Kento HASHIMOTO and Kota Tokiwa, while the attackers were Keisuke Sato on the right and Keita ENDO on the left. Up front, Marcelo Hian and Ryunosuke SATO formed the two forwards.2. Also, Yuto NAGATOMO, who was announced as a member of the Japan national team for the FIFA World Cup the day before the match, was on the bench, and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA was included in the squad for the first time in about six months since his injury at the end of last year.
The away side behind the goal was packed tightly, with chants for each player echoing from the warm-up, and at the players' entrance, loud cheers and countless blue and red flags inspired the team. It was also a wonderful atmosphere here, with the players showing a determined attitude to win the match as kickoff approached.
1st―Keep pressing without impatience,to thesecondhalfof the match
In the early stages, Tokyo aims for opportunities while connecting passes. They build up the ball from the back line, spreading it to the left and right as the fullbacks try to speed up, then deliver crosses or pick up loose balls to launch secondary attacks.
Urawa, on the other hand, adopted a flexible system based on a four-back formation, pushing left-back Naganuma up to positions closer to an inside half or winger during attacks. Including Tokyo's strong point of vertical relationships on the right side, the game became a challenge of how to prevent them from using that area and how to seize the initiative.
In the early stages, both teams based their play on connecting from the last line while mixing in long balls. For Tokyo, time passed as the game continued with difficulty in speeding up their attacks.
Even so, Tokyo's awareness of all-out attack and all-out defense is high, and after pressing with a thick attack, in a scene where they seemed about to be hit by a counterattack, player Inamura delayed Urawa's attack, and Kento HASHIMOTO pressed back with full effort to recover the ball, showing great effort. The team continues to create chances without rushing, united as one.
In the 35th minute of the first half, a big chance was created from a corner kick won on the right side. Kento HASHIMOTO received a short corner return and delivered a sharp cross with his left foot. Inamura rushed in and connected with a header, but the ball, which was skillfully redirected from the near side to the far post, hit the left post. It was a decisive moment, but unfortunately, they could not shake the net to take the lead.
Then, in the 44th minute of the first half, Tokiwa skillfully switched his body in midfield to intercept the ball, and after exchanging passes with RIAN, he advanced toward the goal and took a left-footed shot. However, it went over the goal. Good defense led to good offense, but this also did not result in a goal. The first half ended scoreless, leaving the outcome to be decided in the second half.
2nd―Winning the intense penalty shootout,EASTGroup keeps hopes alive in the race for the top spot
Tokyo made no substitutions at halftime, while Urawa took the initiative2players were substituted. They changed the forward players to strengthen their attack.
Tokyo, aiming to keep the possibility of a comeback championship alive, first wants to score the opening goal. At 5 minutes into the second half, Endo accelerated down the left side, Lucas RIAN attempted a dribble breakthrough, and thenat 51 minutes, Kento HASHIMOTO unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from a loose ball in front of the goal,showcasing their strong desire to score and continuously creating chances with a dynamic attack.
Then, at the 14th minute, from the build-up, a vertical pass was inserted and RIAN advanced forward with the ball. From there, the last pass reached Endo. However, his first touch was slightly too long, and he couldn't take a shot. The rebound cross ball from Kento HASHIMOTO was also blocked by the opponent.
Urawa made another attacking substitutionat the 18th minute of the second half,trying to increase the pressure and take the initiative. Meanwhile, Coach Matsuhashi, who had been carefully assessing the situation, made his move at the 25th minute. Teruhito NAKAGAWA came on for Hian, and Tawara Tsukida replaced Endo. For Tawara Tsukida, it was his first official match appearance since the FC Machida Zelvia game on November 9 last year.
That player Tawara Tsukida immediately impresses. Right after being brought on, he shows off his proud high-speed dribbling with a sticky ball touch on the left side and wins a corner kick. Kento HASHIMOTO sharply targeted the loose ball, but unfortunately, it was blocked by the opponent goalkeeper Nishikawa's fine save.
Tokyo is determined to secure a victory within 90 minutes. From behind the goal, a loud chant of "Put your passion into it! Grab the championship!" echoes, and with 15 minutes remaining, the team unites as one in red and blue to snatch the 3 points.
As if responding to that feeling, Tokyo intensified their offensive. In the 35th minute of the second half, player Tawara Tsukida cut in from the left side and took a right-footed shot.In the 38th minute, they launched a short counterattack with coordinated pressing from a high position.Furthermore, in the 41st minute, they intercepted on the left side, and Tawara Tsukida advanced with a dribble crossing the pitch to the right front, earning a corner kick.
Tokyo's fierce attack continues. Furthermore, in the 43rd minute of the second half, player Muroya made a diagonal pass, from which Kento HASHIMOTO exchanged passes with player Nakagawa and broke through in front of the goal to shoot. Then, in the 90th minute, Fuki YAMADA, who had just come on as a substitute, struck powerfully with his left foot, but this was saved by player Nishikawa with a horizontal dive. During the 3 minutes of second-half additional time, player Sato Kei also boldly attempted a vertical breakthrough, continuing to attack aggressively, but still could not shake the net before the whistle. The fierce battle ended up going into a penalty shootout.
The penalty shootout was held using the away side's goal. First, player Kim Seung-gyu saved the first kick from Urawa's Hajime MATSUO with a flying dive. However, Tokyo's first kicker, player Sato Megumi, was stopped by player Nishikawa. After both teams scored their second kicks, Urawa's third kicker, player Nemoto, hit the left post and missed, while Tokyo's Yamada struck a powerful left-footed kick to take the lead. However, Tokyo's fifth kicker, player Muroya, shot over the bar and could not seal the victory.
After that, three players eachtook their shots, and the ninth player, Sungyu, made a fine save against Nemoto's kick! However,Scholz from Tokyo was stopped by Nishikawa, and they still couldn't secure the victory here.
Both goalkeepers scored as the eleventh players took their shots, pushing the penalty shootout into the second round. At the thirteenth kick, Urawa's Watanabe's shot grazed the crossbar and missed, while Tokyo's Kento HASHIMOTO scored to secure the victory. Winning the intense penalty shootout involving a total of 26 players from both teams, Tokyo earned 2 points away from home.
With this,the point gap withKashima Antlers, who are in first place,was reduced to 2,and whether they can keep the hope of taking the top spot in the EASTGroupuntil the final round depends on the result of Kashima Antlers,which awaits on Sunday. After the match, as the players headed back to the locker room, the chant from the blue and red family behind the goal, believing in a comeback, continued: "Put your passion into it! Grab the championship!"
Interview with Manager Rikizo MATSUHASHI
Q, please review the game.
A, although the game ended with one point less than we originally wanted, the players really prepared well, and as an expression of that preparation, while it was not perfect, I think it was a game where they properly aligned their focus and performed well both offensively and defensively.
Although there were two penalty kicks and opportunities to secure the win early, even in suchsituations, not giving up and ultimately pulling the victory closer is something I believe holds great value. I truly think they played an amazing game.
Q. Finally, it seemed like the attack was somewhat lacking in further reinforcement. What were your thoughts on this?
A. With almost all the forward players changed,firstly, for Kota TAWARATSUMIDA who came in on the left, the aim was not so much to break through by individual skill, but rather to have one or two players close him down and then effectively use the space created. Regarding the opponent's final defensive line, the shape we had rehearsed was clearly displayed, and in the second half, there were moments when we began to capitalize on that, but failing to finish it off made things a bit difficult.
Regarding the players who were placed at the top, we focused more on defensive tasks rather than attacking. We aimed to increase the intensity of pressing a bit more, inducing turnovers from the opponent due to hesitation, and then transitioning into our specialty, short counters. Therefore, height was not particularly necessary, and we chose players who require mobility. Although Teruhito NAKAGAWA is not physically large, I believe he expressed very well the tasks we assigned him, such as holding the ball firmly and receiving the ball behind the opponent. Of course, considering the substitutions of one, two, or three players in the back to apply more pressure was also on our mind, but there were difficulties related to timing and planning.
Fuki YAMADA, who usually plays on the right side, is a very creative and technically skilled player. This week, considering the opponent's situation, we assigned him the role of becoming a pivot in the center—not exactly a free man, but moving around various positions. I believe he expressed this well after the game opened up. Also, Takahiro KO tends to be vulnerable to counterattacks, so we had him focus on shutting those down firmly and regaining control of the tempo for our team.
Q, Yuto NAGATOMO, who was selected for the Japan national team, did not play today. Could you please explain the reason?
A, It was a tactical decision. Of course, we had in mind the substitution to close out the game while we were leading. However, today was not necessarily a situation that required that, so we thought there was no need to make a major change. In that sense, the reason he was not in the starting lineup but came in as a game changer was for tactical reasons.
Q. Including the penalty shootout, I think goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu also had an outstanding performance. From the coach's perspective, how was his play today?
A. It wastruly amazing. "Amazing" is the word that sums it up.
Player Interview
Player Seung-gyu Kim
Q, please review the penalty shootout.
A,This was the first time I experienced such a long penalty shootout, and since we really needed the points, I am glad we were able to win. There have been many penalty shootouts this season, so the opponents analyzed me, and I analyzed them as well. I was careful not to lose in the psychological battle, and since the opponents knew my rhythm, I played by gradually changing the tempo.
Q, there were moments when you served as the kicker. Were you nervous?
A, it was my first time kicking, so I was a little nervous. However, I tried to kick while making it look like I wasn't nervous.
Q. How do you reflect on the entire match?
A.The Urawa Reds had a new coach and their style of play changed, and there were parts that improved, so we prepared well defensively against the opponent's preferred style. While keeping a clean sheet, I believe we also had chances in attack. However, we were unable to capitalize on those chances and score, and as a result,in the 90 minutes,we couldn't secure the victory.
Q. How do you feel about the situation of chasing Kashima Antlers in the final stages of the league?
A. Kashima Antlers' match is tomorrow(5/17), so the result is still unknown, but since we are in a position to chase by accumulating points, I believe we can only strive to win until the very end.
Kento HASHIMOTO
Q,Please reflect on today's match.
A, Honestly, I wanted to win within 90 minutes, but I think we achieved the minimum required result. Our mission today was to bring back 3 points, and I believe we did what we could.
Q, I think it was a very tight game.How did you feel on the pitch?
A, I believe there were many chances, but we lacked the "quality" to finish them off. We see this as a challenge for the next game.
Q. What kind of preparations has the team made for this must-win match?
A. We received the words "Put your soccer life on the line" from coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI. We understood that if we didn't win, the possibility of being first in the EAST group would disappear, and I believe the passion for this match influenced the outcome. I think the team was able to express what needed to be done.
Q. Kento HASHIMOTO himself also had some close moments.
A. I want to create more of those moments, and I believe I can do more. I want to face this as my own challenge.
Q, It was an intense penalty shootout. Please share your thoughts on it.
A, It was very long. Personally, it was my first time taking two shots in a penalty shootout, and there was a different kind of strategy involved. In the moment where "if I score here, the match will be decided," I assumed the opposing goalkeeper wouldn’t dive to the center, so I started my run-up with that in mind. But since goalkeeper Nishikawa didn’t move until the last moment, I shifted slightly to the right just before kicking. I think I was able to kick reflexively by watching the goalkeeper’s foot movement.
Q, for the next match, please share your enthusiasm for the game against Kashima Antlers.
A, we cannot control Kashima's result tomorrow, and regardless of that outcome, we want to show our fans and supporters a 90-minute victory against Kashima to prove Tokyo's strength this season.
KotaTAWARATSUMIDA player
Q. This was your first appearance this season, how did you feel going into the match?
A. Since it was probably my first match in about half a year, I just thought I would give it my all, return to my original mindset, and focus on going straight for the goal.
Q. What did the coach say to you?
A. I was told"Go and enjoy yourself."
Q. When did you start to see that you would return in today's match?
A. After the camp,Sec. 2 was when I planned to return, but recovery took longer and I injured other parts, so various things happened and it ended up being this time.
Q,In the past, it was quite difficult to win at Saitama Stadium 2002, but in recent years we have been able to secure victories there.
A, I believe that a team with a superstition like "we can't win because it's this stadium" cannot become champions.We must become a team that can win at any stadium.
Q. You were quite aggressive from the moment the match started. What was your mindset while playing?
A. I just focused solely on trying to score a goal.
Q. It was your first official match in a while, but was there any difficulty in showing explosive plays right from the start?
A. I wasn't really thinking that much about it. The coach told me to "enjoy it," and my teammates understand my strengths, so I thought I should be more proactive. Even my first play felt like my body moved instinctively and explosively. I swung my leg to take a shot, but I really need to score in those situations, so I want to keep improving.
Q,During the time when player Tawara Tsukida was absent, the team has been getting results. How did you think you wanted to contribute in this match?
A,Last year was tough, and during that time various players joined the team. I think it’s truly wonderful that we have been able to win up to this point this year. That’s why I have been constantly thinking about how I should play when I get on the field.
During this period, I have been very focused on strength training. I have completely rebuilt my body from scratch, including my diet, over the past six months, so I want to show a more evolved version of myself.
Q. As a kicker in the PK shootout, you seemed quite nervous.
A.Yes. I was a bit too nervous and felt like I was completely out of breath, but I’m just glad I was able to score.
Q. By accumulating points in today's match, didn't you put pressure on Kashima Antlers as well?
A. Yes, that's right. While making them feel that pressure, although it depends on others, we want to keep winning until the end.
