<Match Review>
In the midst of a busy schedule with the Levain Cup in the middle of the week, Tokyo faced an away game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima. They had been struggling to secure a win, but three days prior in the Levain Cup, they were able to turn things around with a 1-0 victory against Gamba Osaka. In this match, they were able to regain their possession-based style and take control of the game, ultimately securing a win and regaining their confidence.
In this round, we aim for our first away victory of the season, which will also be our first victory in 5 league matches. We will face the same starting lineup as the previous league match. Shuto ABE will play as an attacking midfielder, with Kei KOIZUMI and Kuryu MATSUKI forming a double pivot in midfield. Kashif BANGNAGANDE, who was out due to injury, has returned to the substitute bench.
1stHALF - Nakamura's 1 goal and 1 assist, and Abe's first goal of the season
The game starts off with a bang. In the 5th minute of the first half, Matsuki takes a free kick from outside the left corner of the penalty area and sends a sharp ball into the goal area. Hotaka NAKAMURA, who had made a run to the far side, jumps in and heads the ball into the right corner of the goal. The powerful header from NAKAMURA, who had snuck in from the blind spot of the defender, finds its way into the goal and Tokyo takes the lead.
After that, the home team continued to receive the momentum of the counterattack. In the 14th minute of the first half, they were shaken wide and allowed Morishima to finish freely in front of the goal, but the shot was deflected above the goal. The time continued when they couldn't move the ball forward against the opponent's strong press, but Tokyo didn't miss their one chance.
In the 28th minute of the first half, Diego OLIVEIRA created a scene where he took the ball deep into the opponent's territory and dribbled it into the penalty area, passing a through ball. Nakamura, who had run up the right side, broke free and put a pass in the minus direction in front of the goal. Abe, who was waiting, touched it with one touch and slid it into the left corner of the goal, widening Tokyo's lead.
Although it seemed like we had grasped the flow of the game, in the 39th minute of the first half, we were caught on the counterattack by targeting the defense line that was in a high position, and Mori Island player scored a goal in the left corner, bringing the score to 1-1. It was expected that Hiroshima would push us back with momentum, but from here, Tokyo increased their intensity in the ball and brought the game to the midfield, maintaining a one-point lead and ending the first half.
2ndHALF - Unable to grasp the rhythm of the attack, but hold on to the lead
As the second half begins, the trend of enduring continues. Unable to connect my ball in front of the opponent's speed and strength, even when entering the opponent's territory, the attack ends in a single shot.
The substitution card is cut to change the flow, but it is not possible to change the flow that is pushed back to one's own territory. In the end, we will make adjustments to the defense line and deploy a battle with an eye on closing.
In the final stages, Adailton put his body on the line to collect the ball up front, creating time for his teammates to push up and keep the opponent away from their own goal as they progressed through the game. The match ended with the lead intact, securing their first away win of the season in the league.
Tokyo, who has been working on a style of advancing the game while holding the ball, was able to change the flow of the league match and secure 3 points by focusing on the game. Kei KOIZUMI, who scored a goal, said, "We want to make adjustments while winning" and expressed his outlook for the future. In the next match, they will return to their home Ajinomoto Stadium and aim for victory by sticking to their own style.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Yakubu Swobick
DF Hotaka Nakamura (31st minute of the second half: Yuto Nagatomo)/Yasuki Kimoto/Masato Morishige/Shuhei Tokumoto (37th minute of the second half: Henrique Trevizan)
MF Shuto Abe/Kei Koizumi/Kusei Matsuki
FW Ryoma Watanabe (37th minute of the second half: Keigo Higashi)/Diego Oliveira (31st minute of the second half: Adailton)/Teruhito Nakagawa (22nd minute of the second half: Kashif BANGNAGANDE)
SUBS
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
FW PEROTTI
GOAL
5 minutes into the first half: Hotaka NAKAMURA/28 minutes into the first half: Shuto ABE
＜Sanfrecce Hiroshima＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Keisuke OSAKO
DF Tsukasa SHIOTANI/Hayato ARAKI/Sho SASAKI
MF Sota KOSHIMICHI (17th minute of the second half: Shuto NAKANO)/Takumu KAWAMURA/Gakuto NOTSUDA (17th minute of the second half: Ezequiel)/Toshiaki HIGASHI (33rd minute of the second half: Pieros SOTIRIOU)/Makoto MANDA/Moriyoshi SHIMIZU
FW Nassim BENKHALIFA (0th minute of the second half: Douglas VIEIRA)
SUBS
GK Goro KAWANAMI
DF Takaaki SHICHI/Taichi YAMASAKI
GOAL
First Half 39th Minute: Tsukasa MORISHIMA
[Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Press Conference Comments]
Q, please review the game.
A, I think we were able to prove once again that we can compete with strong opponents in J1 when all players are present. When we reach that level, the course of the game can change depending on who scores the first goal. Today, we were lucky enough to score the first goal early on. In the first half, I think we were able to balance between targeting the space behind and playing calmly. And in the second half, Hiroshima, being the home team, came at us with an equalizer and a comeback in mind. In order to respond to that, we made substitutions and were able to handle it well. In order to successfully respond to Hiroshima's more attacking approach at home, we made various decisions and substitutions, and it worked out well. I am happy that we were able to stop their attacks and win in a good way. I think Hiroshima is one of the strongest teams in J1. I also want to praise Coach Skibbe. I think he is an experienced and great coach, as well as a great person. I also want to praise the club and the supporters. I am happy to have played in such a wonderful atmosphere. I thought there were great supporters who continued to support us from the beginning to the end here in Hiroshima. And I also want to praise the referees. I think the refereeing in today's game was very difficult.
Q, Do you feel that you have a good compatibility with Hiroshima since last season when you have won all the games against them?
A, we are not concerned about that. Just like we are not concerned about our consecutive losses to Tosu. In football, there may be winning or losing streaks, but we do not believe in those numbers. The league is a long battle. What is important is not each individual game, but where we stand at the end of the season.
How is the team's atmosphere after the first win in 5 games?
A, we had a tough time winning, but we were able to play well against Hiroshima in the preseason and had a good performance against Urawa in the opening game. However, after that, we had a series of injuries that caused players to be absent from each game. However, behind the negative developments, there are also positive ones. Because of the injuries, we were able to test the potential of our young players and encourage their growth. With their growth, I believe we are now ready to aim high in all three competitions. I came to this club to change the style, and I think we are making progress step by step. At the same time, I hope to encourage the growth of our young players. I believe this is also being done in parallel.
Q, What was the intention of using Kashif BANGNAGANDE as a forward?
A, I've been waiting for that question. Many people were skeptical about having two side-back players, Yuto Nagatomo and Yoshifumi Kashiwagi, on the bench. Everyone learns from different experiences. For example, when Hotaka Nakamura returned from injury, he struggled to regain his game sense. The same goes for Ryoma Watanabe and Shuto Abe. Kashiwagi is an attacking side-back who can also play on the wing. In his previous position, even if he makes a mistake, it doesn't necessarily lead to a big one. Nagatomo is one of the greatest players in the history of Japanese football. He can play on both the right and left sides. He offers various solutions depending on the flow of the game. Nagatomo is the heart and soul of this team, and of Japan.
[Player Interview]
<Hotaka NAKAMURA>
Q, please review the scoring scene.
I just believed and entered the goal because we had been practicing set plays since the training. I think it was all thanks to Matsuki's good ball. I think that goal was scored as a team. It was good because we haven't been able to score from set plays recently. There are times when games are decided by goals from set plays like today, so we want to continue to do it as a team.
Q, after taking the ball, the assist scene ran a very long distance.
During the game, we were expecting it to be fast-paced, so we talked about targeting the space between the opponent's three-back line after winning the ball. The opponent's players were also playing high up the field, so I believed that if I made a run, it would create a chance. Diego Oliveira also gave me a good pass, so I calmly looked inside and crossed the ball. It was something we had planned as a team, and I'm glad Shuto ABE was able to score for us.
Q, I also scored a goal in the previous Sanfrecce Hiroshima match.
A, that was my first professional goal. However, I wasn't really thinking about that today.
Q, we continued to fight as a team.
A, in the first half, both teams were showing their strengths. We had discussed as a team to not let ourselves get stuck in the back and to push forward, so I think it was good. However, in the second half, we had a long period of defending and it was a tough time. But because we had the attitude and determination to fight as a team, we were able to defend and win 2-1. Realistically, in the second half, both individually and as a team, we didn't have a good game, so we want to analyze today's game thoroughly and improve for the next one.
Q, please tell me your personal challenges for the next game.
Personally, there are many scenes where the space behind the side back player who challenged as a team is used. In the Cerezo Osaka match, my misjudgment led to a goal, so personally, I want to create less opportunities for the opponent. However, I don't think I can solve it alone, so I want to talk to players like Yasuki KIMOTO and Masato MORISHIGE and first stabilize our defense in order to have a good attack.
Q, We got our first victory in the league in April. How do you want to continue next?
A, Even though we haven't been winning, when we look back on today's game, the performance wasn't great, but I think it's positive that we can reflect on our mistakes and win. I believe both the players and the fans/supporters can be happy about the victory today, but I also think that the win today doesn't matter for the next game, so we need to reflect on today's game and make sure we don't make any mistakes and do it again.
<Shuto ABE>
Q, please review the game.
A, We were able to score two points in a good time zone in the first half and proceed in a good flow, but it is a reflection that we lost a goal just before the end of the first half. In the second half, the time we were attacked increased, but I think it was very important that we fought patiently with everyone and won.
Q, it was a game where a strong feeling towards victory was conveyed.
A, we were far from victory in the league match. "Let's win today and go home" was the talk among the players before the game. It's really big that we were able to win.
Q, I felt the synchronized breathing between Shuto ABE's goal and Hotaka NAKAMURA's.
A, Hotaka NAKAMURA was watching my movements closely. Instead of running forward, he stopped and sent the ball to me. It was an assist that showed NAKAMURA's composure.
Q: Is it also a split-second decision for player Abe to position himself before scoring?
A, yes. I stopped and switched to receiving the ball because I saw the opponent running ahead of me. Nakamura sent me a good ball, so I just focused on kicking it into the goal.
Q, you have played in the attacking midfielder position for two consecutive matches in the league. How do you feel about it?
First and foremost, I am conscious of aiming for the goal and as a top attacking midfielder, I believe that scoring is expected of me. I am also aware of utilizing my strengths, such as my physicality, both in attack and defense.
Q, What kind of discussions were held within the team in preparation for today's match?
In the Levain Cup on Wednesday, players who haven't been involved much in the league were able to show their determination and contribute to a victory. We discussed with today's members about continuing this positive momentum in the league as well. It was a really long time to endure while being hungry for a win, but it feels great to have won.
Q, we achieved our first victory in the league in April.
A, we were finally able to achieve victory. We have a series of games coming up during the Golden Week holiday period, so we want to continue this momentum and aim for more wins.
Q, with the return of injured players, it seems like the team's condition will improve from here on.
A, I think it will be a total battle as we have back-to-back games coming up. As a professional, I believe that if we don't get results in the upcoming game, there won't be a next one. There are many great players in Tokyo, so I always want to compete and strive to improve.
Masato MORISHIGE
Q, please review today's game.
A, I don't think anyone was satisfied with today's game. However, I think it's good if we can make improvements while winning. Even in a game like this, I think we can calm down and work on improvements by winning, and our perspective will also change, so I think it's good that we were able to win.
I think that everyone running and fighting for 90 minutes led to our victory.
A, Although there were some good scenes in the first half, it is important to think about how we can regain our time during the time we were pushed back in the second half. Today, we were unable to recover and switched to defense.
Q, Did the players Higashi Keigo and Nagatomo Yuto coming in during difficult times also have a big impact on the team?
A, I think the current situation in Tokyo is that everyone is fighting for the team in a situation where it is not clear who will participate. I hope that the veterans will do a good job of leading and that the younger players will be given an environment to actively challenge themselves.
Q, we achieved our first victory in the league in April.
A, I think we have no choice but to accumulate corrections, so today the content was not good and I feel there are many challenges. As it is gradually being organized, I think we have no choice but to continue organizing and increasing the time to express it.
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q, please look back on the opening goal that brought us a big victory.
A, the first goal and goals from set playsare said to be what moves the game. With solid kicks, there are many players in Tokyo who can score, so I want to continue supplying balls that lead to goals through free kicks and corner kicks.
Q, was it the kick you were aiming for?
A, aimed for a high ball to avoid being touched by the goalkeeper. The ball drifted to the far side, but before the game, Nakamura had told me he wanted it on the far side, so we discussed it and I positioned myself on the far side. I'm glad he scored.
Q, it was an assist in the midst of seeking plays involved in scoring.
I was able to contribute to the goal in the form of an assist, but I am always aiming for goals. Players who can score as a defensive midfielder are highly valued, so I want to become that kind of player by making runs into the box and scoring.
Q, I think the value of this one win is significant.
First of all, it is important to earn 3 points.We were not able to express the type of football that coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA wanted in today's match, but I think it was good that we were able to secure 3 points away from home.
Q, please share your enthusiasm for the next match.
A,I think Albirex Niigata is a team that actively involves the third player while passing. We want to increase the defensive strength and express our possession-based soccer thoroughly.
