In the second match of the J1 League against Cerezo Osaka, which came three days after the Levain Cup match against Avispa Fukuoka, high pressing, coordinated defense, and quick counterattacks functioned well, repeatedly threatening the opponent's goal. In the first half, Kazuya KONNO scored the team's first goal of the season, and although there was a long period in the second half where we were pushed back due to a red card, thanks to several big saves by Jakub SLOWIK, we managed to keep a clean sheet. Albert PUIG ORTONEDA's team secured their first victory in Tokyo on enemy territory.
<3/6 J1 League FC Osaka Match Highlights>
In this flow, on March 12th (Saturday), Albert Pobor's team will finally face their first match at Ajinomoto Stadium. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team could only train for one day before the match against C Osaka with the members fully assembled, but this time they have a preparation period of four days, ensuring they are fully ready for their first home game.
The football expressed in the last three matches was a clear reflection of the new Tokyo style that Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA aims for. Particularly, the team's tactics in the first half against C Osaka can be said to have functioned the best since the start. They pressed intensely from the front, quickly launched short counters after recovering the ball, and controlled the game by moving the ball patiently when the opponent was organized.
Additionally, Yasuki KIMOTO said, "While using good long balls, there were some comments that there were fewer balls behind in the match against Kawasaki, so I think we were able to use short passes and long passes effectively.", not only connecting short passes but also utilizing long feeds from the center backs to quickly change the flow of the game, which prevented the opponent from narrowing their focus.
Although Takuya AOKI, who has been a key player in both offense and defense, will be absent due to suspension, it will be interesting to see who will be utilized in that position and what the starting lineup will look like. We want to pay attention to how Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA will utilize the players and how they will maintain their style of play in the upcoming match.
The opponent, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, has also welcomed a new coach this season, and as mentioned in the soccer writer Satoshi Hojo's column, they aim for a style of soccer that is the opposite of Tokyo's. We want to carefully dismantle their relentless high press without panicking and connect it to goals.
It has been three months since the last home game. I want you to experience the exciting soccer of Albert Pobor's Tokyo at Ajinomoto Stadium.
