<Match Review>
The third match against Urawa Reds in the three-match series with clubs participating in the AFC Champions League has arrived. In the previous match, Tokyo faced Vissel Kobe, where they allowed an early goal in the first half but regrouped in the second half to score three goals and achieve a comeback victory. They gained significant confidence in terms of performance as they approached this home series.
Due to the back-to-back matches with only three days in between, there were slight changes in the member composition. Henrique TREVISAN was used as a center-back in place of Yasuki KIMOTO, who had participated in all league matches so far. Kazuya KONNO was positioned as the left winger instead of Adailton. On the right wing, Kensuke NAGAI, who assisted the equalizing goal in the previous match against Kobe, was included.
Tokyo, showing high intensity from the start, maintained possession of the ball and pressed towards the Urawa goal. Although they struggled to create finishing opportunities, they moved the ball quickly and pushed the opponent back. Even when Urawa applied strict pressure from the front line, Tokyo maintained positional superiority and moved the ball with few touches, carefully breaking the press. As they struggled to get to the finish, Urawa gradually had more time with the ball. In the 22nd minute of the first half, they were pushed back in front of the goal, and David MOBERG scored, but it was ruled offside, resulting in no goal. In the 33rd minute of the first half, a cross from the right side was headed by Hiroki SAKAI at the far side. Jakub SLOWIK couldn't react, but defender Morishige cleared it just in time. The closest Tokyo came to the Urawa goal in the first half was in the 40th minute. Nagai broke through on the right side with speed. Before the opponent could recover, he dribbled close to the goal line and delivered a ground pass in front of the goal. Diego OLIVEIRA made a one-touch attempt, but it was blocked by a defender, preventing a goal. Towards the end, they had more opportunities to maintain possession and took control, but they couldn't shake the opponent enough to break through as the match went into halftime.
Even in the second half, both teams share possession of the ball. Tokyo manages to carry the ball close to the opponent's penalty area, but they fail to take a shot due to miscommunication in the plays leading up to the finish. On the defensive side, they face a close call in the 21st minute of the second half when a counterattack brings the opponent close to the goal, resulting in a shot. In the 26th minute of the second half, they concede a free kick in front of the goal, but Takahiro AKIMOTO's shot aimed at the top left corner of the goal is met with a big save from the goalkeeper Swoboda. Tokyo, looking to make changes through substitutions, brings on Hotaka NAKAMURA for Kuryu MATSUKI in the 19th minute of the second half, Hirotaka MITA for Ryoma WATANABE in the 29th minute, and Keita YAMASHITA for Nagai in the 36th minute. Struggling to create chances, in the 38th minute, Adailton takes a shot from mid-range, but the curved shot that targets the goal is blocked by the opposing goalkeeper. In the 40th minute of the second half, Adailton delivers a cross from the left side, and as they contest for the ball in the penalty area, YAMASHITA attempts a jumping volley but sends it over the goal.
In the latter stages of the second half, there was a period of being pushed back, leading to a tense situation. However, the team responded with resilience, sliding together to deal with the lateral ball movement, locking down the goal and closing the match at 0-0. The three consecutive matches against ACL teams resulted in 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss, providing challenges for harvest and growth over the nine days. The series of matches continues, with a Levain Cup match against Shonan Bellmare on the 13th, followed by an away game against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in the league on the 16th.
[Interview with Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA]
Q, please review the game.
A, I think there were several flows in today's match. It wasn't that the flow was different between the first half and the second half; rather, it was a match where the time zones of Tokyo and Urawa alternated throughout the 90 minutes. I believe today was a more tactical, more European-style match. It was an attractive game with chances for both sides. Both teams' goalkeepers did a wonderful job. I think both teams played aiming for victory, and it was a very closely contested match. In that sense, I believe that if either side had scored and won, it wouldn't have reflected the flow of the game, and a draw was a fair result.
From the start of the second half, we aimed to utilize the space behind the side by bringing Adailton onto the flank. Midway through the second half, we substituted Kuryu Matsuki for Ryoma Watanabe to control the game better, but Ryoma got injured, which slightly disrupted our game plan. In any case, the players gave their all on the field. I would especially like to comment on Yuto NAGATOMO's wonderful performance. He was very focused and provided excellent defense.
I conveyed directly to the players that while it is frustrating not to achieve victory, it can be seen as a positive in a sense. Regardless of the match content, having a constant hunger for victory is wonderful. Our project has only been underway for three months. Nevertheless, I am proud of the team that was able to have a competitive match against a team that has been working on positional play for over a year. Furthermore, Urawa is one of the teams representing Japan in the ACL. As a Japanese team, I wish for success in Asia.
Q: It seemed that the formation in the midfield had changed. What kind of strategy is this?
A, I felt that Urawa was playing dangerously in the center. In the match against Kobe, there were times when we struggled similarly in the central midfield. Taking that into account, we decided to defend with a double pivot approach. Today, Urawa's forwards and attacking midfielders dropped back to play on the opposite side, and the wingers came inside to create numerical superiority in the central midfield. To respond effectively to that, we defended with a double pivot approach. In order to maintain stability in our defense in the central midfield, we were unable to push forward as aggressively as usual. There were times when we conceded the ball to the opponent in that manner. In terms of our attack, we played in a 4-3-3 formation.
[Player Interview]]
＜Adailton＞
Q: You came on in the second half. What instructions did you receive, and what did you focus on while playing?
In the first half, we were under pressure from the opponent's press from the front line, which created a difficult situation. We were instructed to utilize space and regain our rhythm, and we focused on that. While we were able to regain our rhythm, it is very frustrating that it did not lead to three points.
Q, I think there were many times when plays were initiated by Adailton.
A, Urawa is a team that attacks using the central space, and there were many times when that space was utilized. However, after winning the ball, we were conscious of attacking the spaces behind the opponent and on the sides, so the ball often gathered on my side. Next, I want to connect this to scoring.
Q: How has the team's growth been so far?
A, the area where I feel the most growth as a team is possession. There are still parts that feel challenging, but I believe we are improving day by day, and I think we will continue to get better from here.
Q: What is the biggest difference you have felt so far?
I feel that the positioning is the most different from before. Since we have more time with the ball, it has become clearer where my teammates are and where the passes are coming from, making it easier to understand where I should position myself. I hope to improve with each match and continue to grow.
<Henrique TREVISAN>
Q: You are sharing the center-back position with players Morishige and Kimoto. Can you tell us about this competition?
I believe there should be competition within the team, and that competition will lead the team in a positive direction. Looking back at the entire match, I feel positive about finishing the game without conceding any goals given the opportunity I had today.
Q: I believe that Henrique is expected to play to his strengths with his dominant foot. Do you feel that you are able to utilize your characteristics with your current usage?
A. The current answer to the question is "no." I believe that my build-up play using my left foot can still improve, and I think I have not yet reached the level to effectively break down the opponent from the build-up play. Considering that I will get better from here on, please allow me to answer "no" for now.
Q: It has been three months since we started, do you feel any growth during this period?
A, regarding the team's growth, the build-up has improved, and we are becoming more capable of fulfilling what the coach demands in each match. Also, in terms of transitions. I feel that those two areas are where we are growing the most, and at the same time, we are experiencing the team's growth as we improve the quality of those two aspects in each match and are able to play well.
Q: What was the most concerning aspect of Urawa's attack today?
A, Urawa's attacks were frightening, utilizing the central space effectively and leveraging the speed of the center forward. We focused on tightly closing down the middle to intercept the ball and maintained concentration for 90 minutes to avoid giving them chances to exploit the space behind.
Q: When watching Henrique's defense, I get the impression that he stretches his legs out at the last moment or uses his body to block.
As a team, not conceding goals is the goal as a defender, so I believe that one of my characteristics is to never give up until the very end and to throw my body to block.
<Yuto NAGATOMO>
Q, it was a tough match, but please review the game.
A, it was a tough match due to the temperature during the consecutive games, but we all defended well and there were parts where we could attack effectively. However, I felt that there are still many issues to address, so we need to correct them properly. We are still a developing team, and I want us all to improve further.
Q: How was the matchup with Hiroki SAKAI, who also plays for the Japan national team?
A, Hiroki SAKAI has returned, and I felt motivated saying, 'It's a matchup.' My motivation increased. It was a really tough match, but the 90 minutes I spent competing against him today were enjoyable.
Q: Please tell the children watching about the appeal of being a full-back.
I felt once again that Hiroki SAKAI is a wonderful player. The position of a full-back involves a lot of work, and he does a lot of work in areas that are not visible. I believe that by running for the team in those unseen areas, it is a fantastic position that can lead to the team's victory, so I definitely want children to try playing as full-backs.
Q: In the matchup with player Sakai, both of you were tough on the ball.
A, he was really aggressive. He is definitely a good player. He is strong in one-on-one situations, has good positioning, and was very troublesome to face. I didn't want to lose, so I played while watching Hiroki SAKAI. However, there were several difficult situations when midfield players also came in, but in the end, I think we managed to defend well as a team.
Q: I think the fatigue must have accumulated quite a bit during the three consecutive matches, but how was the overall condition of the team?
A, the three consecutive matches plus today's heat were extraordinary and surprising. However, I believe we were able to do what we could as a team. That said, if we can increase our time with the ball a bit more and extend our own time, I think we could create more chances in terms of possession, so I want to work on that aspect.
Q: How is the team's atmosphere?
A, we are having very good practices and the atmosphere is great. I think the situation is wonderfully good. If we continue like this, I believe it will definitely lead to the team's growth, and we just need to believe and keep going.
Q: Please share your enthusiasm for the upcoming Levain Cup and league matches.
A, I want to work hard to connect today's issues with good attacks and earn 3 points.
<Kensuke NAGAI>
Q, please review the game for the last match of the three consecutive matches.
It was hot. It was a closely contested match where either team could win with just one goal, and I believe that if we can score from set pieces in games like this, the team will continue to improve. We secured a solid point, so I want to take that positively.
Q: I think we were able to effectively use the sides while maintaining possession of the ball to attack.
In the second half, we struggled to push forward, so there are areas for improvement, but I want to make adjustments so that we can attack more from the sides like we did in the first half, and I want to improve.
Q: Towards the end of the first half, we broke through the right side and created a chance.
It was good to adjust to Diego, but since we couldn't do it often, I want to increase the frequency, and I think we need to create more time for the whole team to push forward.
Q: Were there any gains that will lead to the next match?
A, I was playing defense differently than usual, so I want to improve in that area. I believe that as we play through a long season, various defensive strategies will emerge, and I want to learn each one while growing through victories.
Q, many fans and supporters rushed to Ajinomoto.
A, it was the best. It felt like a long time since I experienced that. I want to make sure we can finish strong with a solid win, and I think it would be even more enjoyable if the fans and supporters could cheer loudly, so I was thinking about that while playing the match today.
