<Match Review>
Two days after the Japan national team secured their spot in the World Cup to be held in Qatar, Tokyo played the third match of the group stage of the Levain Cup at their home Ajinomoto Stadium. They faced Shonan Bellmare, who were at the top of the group. For Tokyo, tied for third place, this match was crucial as they desperately needed a victory to advance from the group stage.
Due to a schedule with about a week gap before and after the league matches, this game featured players who have participated in the league and those who have had limited playing time together in the starting lineup. In the defense line, Junya SUZUKI was positioned as the right back, and Ryoma WATANABE as the left back. Rei HIRAKAWA took the anchor position, with Shuto ABE and Keigo HIGASHI as the inside midfielders. The front line was set up with Keita YAMASHITA in the center, Hirotaka MITA on the right side, and Kensuke NAGAI on the left side in a three-top formation.
At the start, the team fell back slightly in front of the sharp-footed Shonan, but as they gradually began to move the ball, they steadily pushed Shonan's players into the opponent's territory. In the 7th minute of the first half, there was a quick counterattack leading to a scoring opportunity. Player Mita broke free on the left side and took a shot in front of the goal, but the ball deflected off an opponent's defender. Player Nagai picked up the loose ball and sent a cross in the negative direction. Player Higashi, who entered the position in front of the goal, made a one-touch attempt, but the shot missed the target. In the 9th minute of the first half, Player Nagai avoided a sliding tackle from the opponent's defender and continued with speed towards the opponent's goal. He entered the penalty area and took a curling shot with his right foot from a position just left of the goal, but unfortunately, it veered to the right of the goal. After creating consecutive chances, Tokyo took control of the pace. Against Shonan, who had all players back to solidify their defensive block, they first moved the ball wide to look for gaps in the opponent's formation.
In the 31st minute of the first half, Yamashita made a one-touch pass into the space on the right side. Mita broke forward and sent a cross into the goal area, but Higashi, who was free, headed the ball only to have it bounce off the crossbar. Tokyo continued to press and broke through the opponent's defense in the 39th minute. Near the halfway line, Masato MORISHIGE played a vertical pass towards the front line. An opponent defender intercepted the ball before Yamashita, but the ball, which could not be cleared, spilled towards the Shonan goal. Quickly reacting, Abe picked it up and went for the goal. He calmly finished in a one-on-one against the opposing goalkeeper, allowing Tokyo to take the lead. In the 41st minute, Mita also attempted a near miss with a looping shot, maintaining control of the game's pace throughout the first half.
Tokyo maintains possession of the ball just like in the first half. The opponent also tightens their formation to eliminate space, but Tokyo creates chances by threading through the gaps. In the 15th minute of the second half, a vertical pass from the final line is touched by Mita to Abe. Despite losing balance, Abe keeps the ball, and Mita, running forward towards the goal, picks up the ball and accelerates. With momentum, he strikes with his left foot, and the ball deflects off a defending opponent who tried to block it, catching the goalkeeper off guard, allowing Tokyo to score an additional goal.
After taking the lead, they continuously made substitutions to bring fresh players onto the pitch. Centered around Diego OLIVEIRA, they tried to maintain control by holding the ball up front, but as the match entered the final stages, they faced a counterattack from Shonan. In the 77th minute, they were broken down on the right side, and a cross was sent into the goal area, which was converted with a one-touch finish, reducing the deficit by one goal. Tokyo, wanting to regain control, entered the opponent's half with a counterattack in the 79th minute, where Diego attracted defenders and passed to the space on the left side. Adailton, receiving the pass in a free position, took a shot that just missed above the goal.
In the final stages of the match, the game opened up, creating scenes where Shonan pressed instead of attacking on the counter. However, the team maintained intensity in ball contests and slide speed, limiting Shonan's counterattack to just one goal, achieving their first victory of the season in the Levain Cup, finishing March's official matches with 4 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss.
[Interview with Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA]
Q, please review the game.
A, looking back at today's match as a whole, I think it was an unstable game. We have been able to continue good training regularly, but applying that in actual official matches is not so easy. There were times when we were able to play as we expected. However, the reality is that it did not continue consistently, and there were also times when we could not play well.
The Levain Cup is, of course, seen as an opportunity to give young players a chance and promote their growth, but at the same time, I hope we can make good use of it for the team's further development. Indeed, I believe the team was able to grow through today's match. As a coach, I will focus on the positive aspects as well as the areas for improvement to ensure we connect well to the next match.
Q: In the first half, the ball didn't get to Hirakawa much. Do you think it was due to the good positioning of the Shonan players, or was it Hirakawa's positioning that prevented the ball from being drawn out? What are your thoughts on this?
A, I believe both of the factors you just mentioned had an impact. Naturally, it is not easy for young players to perform well in official matches right from the start. There may have been some nervousness since it was their first time starting in the lineup today. In that sense, young players like him must grow based on such experiences. Throughout the match, I think he was able to play better as time went on. It was not just Rei HIRAKAWA who was the cause; the entire team was responsible for the slow pace of play in the first half. That remained a challenge for the whole team. The pace of play is one of the most important concepts for our playing style. I think we need to take a bit more time to grow in order to express that consistently throughout the full 90 minutes.
Q: Please tell us the reason for using players Mita and Takahagi as right wingers.
As a coach, what I need to do is to bring out the individuality of each player. For example, Kensuke NAGAI is a clear wing player in our playing style. He contributes well to wide attacks and is a speedy player who exploits the space behind. On the other hand, the characteristics of Mita are different from those of Kensuke. Mita may start wide, but I think his characteristic is to come inside from there and make good plays in the gaps.
In that sense, we aimed for Mita to come inside and contribute to creating a numerical advantage in the midfield. In the match against Kawasaki Frontale, we also asked Leandro, who was used as a right winger, to perform the same play.
Even if used in the same position, what is important is to bring out the player's individuality. Therefore, even in the same position, different roles may be required. Yojiro TAKAHAGI is the same. He was placed on the wing to target plays that come inside.
Q: Abe has been involved in many chances. What do you think about his strong points?
First, his contribution to defense and his quick pressing play have greatly benefited the team. We also hope that he will further level up in the attacking aspect of our play style, particularly in playing with the ball at his feet. We expect him to grow into a player who can contribute significantly to both defense and attack, much like a hybrid car.
[Player Interview]]
<Shuto ABE>
Q, please review the goal scene.
While I was running to get the ball behind, there was also an opponent's mistake, but the ball spilled into a good position, and since I was able to control the first touch well, I calmly placed it into the goal while watching the goalkeeper.
Q: You usually play as an inside half, and your style is characterized by high activity in box-to-box play, but is moving forward to score points, like today, a different style of play?
A, I also want to score goals, so I aim for it in every match. Today, a good ball came to me and I was able to score.
Q: What is necessary to consistently score goals?
I believe that making runs behind the defense, like today, creates opportunities, and I think it will be difficult for the opponent to defend against players making runs from the second line, so I want to continue to be proactive in making those runs in the future.
Q: It seemed that there were times when you felt a close connection with player Mita in today's lineup. How was that for you?
In the first half, I couldn't move the ball well and made many mistakes, but in the second half, I adjusted by dropping my position and Mita opened up.
If we could have improved during the first half, I think it would have led to a better development, and we could have moved the ball around more easily.
Q: Regarding the breakthrough to the back, Shonan was in a 5-back defense, but I think your path was blocked by the opposing players. Did you come up with any strategies to get around that?
If player Mita falls, I thought the opponent's side back would bite, leaving space behind. I believe that taking action while looking at my teammates will create space, so I want to focus on playing while observing my teammates.
Q: Do you feel that you have improved in terms of speed and timing when breaking through the defense?
A, last season it was difficult to push forward with a double pivot, but this year, like the year before last, I will be playing as an inside half more often, so I believe it is inevitable that scenes like today will increase, and being able to reposition myself is one of my strengths, so I want to continue doing that.
Q: I believe Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA mentioned being aware of the pace of play during halftime. Were there any points you focused on in the second half?
In the first half, we often touched the ball multiple times before passing, which slowed down our play speed, and we received advice from the coach. In the second half, I was conscious of passing the ball quickly to the players who were facing forward.
Q: What were you conscious of in your combination with those around you?
A, Hirakawa is also skilled with the ball at his feet and has great playmaking ability, so I left the play in our own half to him and tried to participate as little as possible.
<Hirotaka MITA>
Q, including the goal scene, you mentioned during the press conference the day before yesterday that you wanted to approach the goal while being involved with the ball. Please reflect on the results of that.
I entered the position of a winger, and although the coach told me I could play freely, I was still mindful of the plays that the entire team was focusing on.
Q: Did you feel confident playing as a winger?
A, there were mistakes from the entire team, but I think there are both parts that were done well and parts that were not.
Q: There were many times when things didn't go well outside of scoring, and it felt like we were experimenting and trying different approaches.
A, today we were pushed back a bit in the final stages, and the opponent took control and scored. Unlike the match against Kyoto, we couldn't hold onto the ball to finish the game, so I think that's a point for reflection.
Q: You played as a winger, but the coach mentioned that he expected you to move inside and play in the midfield. Did you feel confident about that aspect?
At first, I was conscious of it, but during the flow of the match, since Abe often occupied the position behind the forward, I played by positioning myself on the side where I wouldn't overlap with Abe and by finding intermediate positions myself.
Q: Please tell us about the relationship between Junya SUZUKI, who played as a side back behind Mita, and Abe in the midfield, if you felt any synergy among the three of you.
I am aware that using forward-thinking players has not always worked out, but there have been moments where it has created opportunities, so I believe we need to communicate better among individuals in those areas.
Q, I think the goal scene was a targeted moment, please review it.
By putting my body in front of the opponent, I was able to accelerate after receiving the dropped ball, which was exactly what I aimed for. The shot just happened to go in. After the shot, I rolled and didn't see where the ball went into the goal.
Q: Do you think scoring will give you even more momentum?
A, I believe I am starting from the very bottom, so I think I need to leave my mark in every match I play. I like the current style of the team, and I want to survive, so I want to treat each match with importance and play in a way that contributes to Tokyo.
<Rei HIRAKAWA>
Q: How did you feel after reflecting on the 90 minutes?
A, there were long periods of unease. There were also parts where we took the initiative and were able to attack, so I want to continue with the good aspects.
Q: What did you focus on while playing?
Since I played as an anchor, I thought it was important to participate in the attack while considering my positioning, and to distribute the ball to create the rhythm of the attack. I believe I was able to take a position to support my teammates, so I want to continue this in future training and matches.
Q: I think there were moments in defense where we were able to win the ball and aim for interceptions.
I think we could have done more. I believe we had fewer opportunities to win the ball in duels and interceptions in today's match.
Q: I think the passes were getting through with fewer touches as the match progressed.
A, I couldn't make good plays in attack, including the flow of the match, so I focused on simply passing the ball to my teammates.
Q: What preparations do you want to make for the next match?
A, there is competition within the team, so I want to make an impression from training.
<Keigo HIGASHI>
Q, please review the game. I think we were able to convert our chances into goals, what do you think?
We scored a goal from the opponent's mistake, and that created a good flow for us. I think it was good that we were able to score with few chances, but I believe we did some things well and some things not so well.
Q: I felt that it was difficult to break through the opponent's defensive block.
In the first half, we didn't have many opportunities to break through. At halftime, the coach told us to increase the tempo using one-touch and two-touch plays. As a team, we were able to enter the second half with that awareness, but everyone needs to increase their pace of play, and I want us to focus on that in practice.
Q: What factors contributed to the emergence of the attacking rhythm?
A, while the intensity of the opponent's press has decreased, I think it was good that we were able to move the ball quickly. Increasing the tempo can lead to mistakes, but I want to continue to challenge ourselves for the team's growth.
Q: It is significant that we were able to earn 3 points against the team at the top of the group.
In the first match of the Levain Cup, we lost, and in the second match, we drew, so we haven't gained many points. However, I'm glad we were finally able to win today. I think it's becoming a tight race, so I want to do my best to advance past the group stage.
Q: Next, there will be consecutive league matches. How will you prepare?
A, for next week's match against Yokohama, we want to aim for our fourth consecutive win, so we will all work hard to increase the intensity in our practices.
