<Match Review>
The J1 League resumed after two weeks, and Tokyo faced off against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in an away game. Both teams welcomed new managers this season, and they were separated by just three points in the standings. The match showcased how well Tokyo could navigate Hiroshima's aggressive press and how effectively they could maintain possession and build their attacks.
In Tokyo, Go HATANO made his league debut, and Hirotaka MITA, who was often used as an inside half, was placed in the starting lineup as a winger. New additions Luiz PHELLYPE, Koki TSUKAGAWA, and Seiji KIMURA were included in the match squad.
1st HALF - Creating many chances but allowing the opening goal
The first chance goes to Tokyo. In the 5th minute of the first half, Mita receives the ball in the vital area and is fouled while turning to face the goal, earning a free kick. Mita attempts a direct shot from the free kick, but the ball narrowly misses the top right corner of the goal. In the early stages, Hiroshima applies pressure from the front, but Tokyo moves the ball with exquisite positioning and distance, breaking the press and advancing into Hiroshima's territory. The wingers also participate in the buildup, neutralizing the opponent's press in the midfield area.
They had been struggling to create finishing opportunities, but in the 21st minute of the first half, they broke through the opponent's defense. Kuryu MATSUKI made a run into the space just outside the penalty area to become the starting point, and with a one-touch give-and-go with Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who positioned himself high up, they entered the area just in front of the left side of the goal. Mita, who drew the opposing goalkeeper, chose to cross and sent a pass that went across the goal, but Shuto ABE, who dove in from the far side, was unable to connect, and the shot went over the goal.
In the 34th minute of the first half, a mistake in the build-up led to a crisis. After losing the ball following a pass, a short counter-attack ensued, and the opponent closed in on the goal, but Go HATANO saved a close-range shot from Ben Khalifa. An opposing player rushed in for the loose ball, but Go HATANO also threw himself in front to touch the ball and protect the goal.
In the 39th minute of the first half, Masato MORISHIGE headed back a corner kick from Mita, and Diego OLIVEIRA hit the post in front of the goalkeeper. He aimed for the dropped ball, but it was blocked by the goalkeeper.
Tokyo had been controlling the rhythm of the match, but they were caught off guard for a moment. In the 40th minute of the first half, while trying to build up play by connecting passes in their own half, they lost the ball, allowing Morishima to receive it freely in the midfield space. As they tried to close in on Morishima, he unleashed a powerful shot from mid-range into the bottom right corner of the goal.
Tokyo maintained possession of the ball and created many chances, but Hiroshima capitalized on one opportunity.
2nd HALF - A comeback victory with two goals in the second half
Tokyo wants to counterattack, but in the 3rd minute of the second half, they failed to clear a corner kick from Hiroshima, allowing a loose ball to be picked up, resulting in a header shot from player Kawamura in front of the goal, which just went over the top of the goal. In the 7th minute of the second half, during a defensive situation from a corner kick on the same side, a header shot to the near side flew into the left corner of the goal, but this time Go HATANO made a sharp reaction, stretching out his arm for a fine save.
Tokyo, wanting to change the flow, made substitutions in the 15th minute of the second half. Luiz PHELLYPE, making his J-League debut, was brought in for Mita, and Adailton was brought in for Kazuya KONNO.
Tokyo struggled to create shooting opportunities, but a good chance arrived. In the 67th minute, after stealing a pass from the opponent in their own half, Diego sent Adailton running into space up front. Adailton surged forward and entered the Hiroshima penalty area. Although his shot was blocked by a defender, Matsuki picked up the loose ball and passed it back. Diego, receiving the ball outside the penalty area, controlled it with his left foot and struck a powerful shot into the bottom left corner of the goal, bringing Tokyo level with a magnificent goal.
Adailton's dynamism continues to bring chances to Tokyo. In the 28th minute of the second half, he took the ball on the left side, drove it into the penalty area, evaded a defender, and shot. It narrowly missed to the right of the goal, but the impact of the substitute players invigorates Tokyo's attack.
Tokyo then brought in new signings Tsukakawa and Kimura to try to break the deadlock in the match. Tsukakawa created rhythm by winning the ball and moving it simply. The match entered stoppage time. In the 45+2 minute of the second half, Tsukakawa put his body on the line to stop Santos's breakthrough and passed the ball to Adailton, who was waiting on the left side. Adailton, who made a run forward, delivered a cross towards the goal near the penalty area, but it turned into a looping shot that flowed directly into the bottom right corner of the goal, allowing Tokyo to succeed in turning the match around in the closing stages.
Tokyo, having seized the momentum with the excellent plays of the players who came on as substitutes, achieved consecutive victories following the match against Júbilo Iwata in the previous round. Starting from the next match, there will be two home games in a row. Continuing to evolve their style of play while maintaining ball possession, they aim to carry this momentum forward and secure joy at home.
MATCH DETAILS
＜F.C.Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Go HATANO
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Yasuki KIMOTO/Masato MORISHIGE/Kashif BANGNAGANDE
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Keigo HIGASHI (42nd minute: Seiji KIMURA)/Shuto ABE (27th minute: Takaki TSUKAGAWA)
FW Keiki MITA (15th minute: Luiz PHELLYPE)/Diego OLIVEIRA (27th minute: Keita YAMASHITA)/Kazuya KONNO (15th minute: Adailton)
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Junya SUZUKI
GOAL
22 minutes into the second half: Diego OLIVEIRA/45+2 minutes into the second half: Adailton
<Sanfrecce Hiroshima>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Keisuke OSAKO
DF Tsukasa SHIOTANI/Hayato ARAKI/Sho SASAKI
MF Tomoya FUJII/Taishi MATSUMOTO/Takumu KAWAMURA (substituted in 40th minute: Yuta IMAZU)/Toshiki HIGASHI (substituted in 40th minute: Yusuke CHAJIMA)/Tsukasa MORISHIMA (substituted in 32nd minute: Kosei SHIBASAKI)/Makoto MITA (substituted in 32nd minute: Ezequiel)
FW Nassim BEN KHALIFA (substituted in 23rd minute: Junior SANTOS)
SUBS
GK Goro KAWANAMI
MF Yuya ASANO
GOAL
40th minute of the first half: Morishima
[Interview with Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA]
Q, please review the game.
A, first half, it was proven that we are growing as a team and moving in a positive direction. I believe our desire to keep possession of the ball was clearly conveyed. Especially Hiroshima is a good team that applies intense pressing. Maintaining possession against them is by no means an easy task.
In the first half, there were two clear decisive chances. However, we struggled defensively when we didn't have the ball, which was part of the first half's development. We weren't able to defend well, and we conceded the opening goal from the opponent's wonderful long shot.
The start of the second half was a difficult period. It seemed like we struggled when we lost possession of the ball. However, there were several players on the bench who could change the flow of the game. I believe the flow of the match changed significantly when we brought them on through substitutions. From there, the comeback began.
Not only did the team maintain possession of the ball, but they also demonstrated their decisiveness in scoring goals with the players who were brought in. This became a factor that intimidated the opposing players. When Tsukagawa and Keita YAMASHITA were brought in, they also brought a good flow to the team. They were able to create multiple decisive chances. On the other hand, allowing the opponent to create several decisive chances remains a challenge.
Soccer is not a sport that competes for the number of decisive chances. It is a sport that competes for goals, and today we were fortunate to score more goals than our opponent. More than the result of today's match, what remains in my heart is that the players consistently maintained the intention to connect from the back and move forward for the full 90 minutes. Unlike Guardiola's (Manchester City manager) team, we cannot immediately play wonderfully. We still have a long way to go in our growth process. However, I take pride in the fact that the players played with the intention to always retain possession of the ball and move forward with it.
I would like to commend the three new players who made their debut today. Although they have only been with the team for five days, they have adapted well. Despite the absence of key players due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, they provided something wonderful. I would also like to commend Go HATANO. The team needs to continue growing, but having the tailwind of victories can make the process of growth easier. Finally, I would like to commend our opponents today, Hiroshima. They are playing well with a good style under their new coach. It was an honor to compete against them.
Q: Please tell us specifically about the aspects of Go HATANO that can be positively evaluated.
A, if you are media personnel who have been following Tokyo for the past few years, I believe you can fully understand. Until now, Go had some unstable moments. Even within a single match, there were times when he played wonderfully and times when his performance was unstable. I think it is important for a goalkeeper to provide stability to the team. I have consistently emphasized this to him since the start of the season. And today, he stayed focused and continued to play excellently, with great footwork as well. What I expect from a goalkeeper is contribution to the attack with their feet and stopping what needs to be stopped. While I am happy when he makes fantastic saves, what I prioritize is stopping what must be stopped. I believe Go is moving into the next phase of growth.
[Player Interview]]
<Adailton>
Q, please review the game.
A. It was a very difficult match, but I think it was good that we managed to make a comeback and win in the end.
Q: How did you feel about the team's play before participating?
A, from an outside perspective, I thought it was not bad, and we were able to keep the ball with a good rhythm. However, honestly, it looked bad because we conceded a goal. We were focused on continuing to play while maintaining possession and scoring goals.
Q: Was the goal scene as you imagined it?
A, when I looked inside, there were three players, so I consciously aimed for a cross, but honestly, it just happened to head straight for the goal.
Q: I think I was able to make many plays that changed the flow of the team after coming on as a substitute.
A, Not only myself, but each player participating played with the desire to contribute to victory by showcasing their own strengths, and in that regard, it was a team-wide awareness rather than just because I joined.
<Go HATANO>
Q, this was your first appearance in the league match.
A, I had a feeling this opportunity would come a few days ago, so I prepared thoroughly. I was very determined for this match, so although we conceded a goal, I’m glad we won.
Q: You mentioned that you are well prepared. What has been your mindset in approaching this so far?
A, I am still young myself, so without getting discouraged, I have always been practicing while waiting for the chance to play in matches, and I have been working on it by also referring to the play of Jakub SLOWIK. Recently, Hayashi has also returned from injury, and since I have been working with Hayashi since my first year as a professional, I have learned various things from him. I think I was able to show that kind of play.
Q: I think you showed stable play today. What aspects have you been working on to improve?
A, in the 2021 season, I was allowed to play in matches, so I focused on my own play with the mindset that I had to do something myself. However, this year, I have been working on taking on the role of brightening the atmosphere in a positive way. As a result, I was able to approach today's match in a relaxed and well-paced manner without becoming too tense. No matter what position I am in next, I want to continue working so that I can perform well if given the chance.
<Koki TSUKAGAWA>
Q, please review your first appearance in Tokyo.
A, I am grateful to my teammates. They made it the best first match, so I want to work hard from here to give back more to the team.
Q: I think there was a strong awareness of actively receiving the ball.
A, after all, the style of soccer the coach demands involves that kind of play, and during tough periods, the players who come on as substitutes help the team by stepping up and receiving the ball. I was conscious of that while playing. I believe there were other things I could have done, such as being more involved in the attack, so I want to work on improving those aspects further.
Q: What aspects of the team's collaboration went well?
A, I myself still have many parts to adjust, and there were moments when I thought I wanted it at this timing. I think there are parts I need to request myself, and everyone else probably has things they want to request more as well, so I hope we can coordinate with each other.
Q, next is the home game at Ajinomoto Stadium.
A, I believe I have not yet earned everyone's trust, so I want to achieve more results and contribute to the team. I am looking forward to fighting together at Ajinomoto Stadium.
<Masato MORISHIGE>
Q: It was a tough game, but what is the value of being able to win?
A, finally, regarding individual abilities, I think we were able to catch a glimpse of the team's desired style. If we can continue that and connect it to goals, it will be even better.
Q: I think you were struggling at the start of the second half. What was your intention for defending during that time?
A, ideally we want to keep possession of the ball all the time, but when we can't do that, if we can hold firm and avoid conceding goals, our time will come again. Enduring and fighting patiently during tough periods is what led to the result today.
Q: Today, I played with Go HATANO for the first time in a while. How do you feel about his growth?
A, he was good at handling the ball, and at Go's position, he was able to create time without rushing and make the opponent commit. I think he showed his strengths there.
Q: I believe it is ideal for the team to grow while winning like this. Please share your enthusiasm for winning and connecting it to the next home game.
A, we want to continue winning matches like this, where the outcome could go either way. We still don't fully understand what makes the difference, but we believe we just have to focus on what we need to do and be decisive where necessary, and keep doing that.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q: You won a difficult match. How do you feel looking back on it?
A, in such a difficult match, and moreover in a challenging away game environment, being able to bring back 3 points made it a very good match.
Q: I think we were able to execute our intended plays from the start of the first half, but wasn't it difficult to fall behind in that situation?
A, there were parts where we were controlled by the opponent from the start, so that is a point we need to correct. Regarding the goal conceded, it was difficult for the center back to come out there, but I believe it was a goal we could have prevented if I had been able to slide.
Q: In the second half, it felt like a different team as we were pushed back at the start.
A, the substitute players performed well, and I think it was important that we were able to secure the win within that.
Q: Isn't it significant that you were able to win the first match after the league resumed?
A, Winning the first match after the break is significant, and since the next game is at home, we want to keep this momentum going.
Q: You have won against Shimizu in the first half of the season, do you have a good impression?
A, It doesn't change regardless of which team we play against. First, I want to contribute to the team's victory by maintaining our own pace.
