＜Match Review＞
After defeating Fukushima United FC in the 2nd round of the Emperor's Cup on June 7th, July 12th became a "special day". One month later, the time has finally come to settle the score.
During that time, Tokyo changed coaches and is now in the process of building a new style starting with improving their defense. Some new players have joined the team, while others have left. It's a bit concerning that there are many injured players, but when it comes to facing Verdy, the team's situation doesn't matter. What's important is the upcoming match. In order to win, to defeat Verdy, and to show that Tokyo's club is blue and red, the team will give their all.
Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI said.
"I have experienced several derbies myself, but I know that this Verdy match is a special game. For fans and supporters, this match may be everything. There are emotions in football that cannot be explained in words, and that is also an important part of football. I want to play the game with that passion for them."
The first Verdy match in 12 seasons opened at Ajinomoto Stadium.
1st HALF - Tsukagawa's powerful middle shot takes the lead
'As the chant "We cannot lose to Verdy" continues to be sung, the game started with the opponent's kickoff. Although they were pushed back at the beginning, in the 8th minute of the first half, Shuto ABE took the team's first shot and turned the tide. In the 15th minute, ARHAN's long throw resulted in a header that hit the post, but they managed to survive the only dangerous moment and took control of the game.
The team successfully took the lead in the first 20 minutes of the game. Diego OLIVEIRA, who received the ball in the midfield, carried it forward and made a final pass to Koki TSUKAGAWA, who was running alongside him. Number 35, who was playing as an attacking midfielder, confidently struck the ball with his right foot and the shot bounced in front of the opposing goalkeeper before finding the back of the net.
After taking the lead, we proceeded with the game with even more ease. The final line showed a concentrated defense, with Kuryu MATSUKI and Abe players dominating the second ball recovery and increasing possession rate. Then, Tsukagawa created opportunities by pulling out space and Diego TABA put his body on the line to secure the ball, creating the starting point for the attack. In the 26th minute of the first half, Abe player, who had jumped in from the third row, had a chance to score an additional goal.
Even when defending, Henrique TREVISAN continued to shut down the opposing forward, not allowing any chances to be created from the flow of the game. Jakub SLOWIK, the biggest threat, also read the trajectory of the long throw from the second attempt onwards and caught it firmly. They snuffed out any potential attacks from the opponent and safely led by one point at halftime.
2ndHALF - Diego's close shot is caught up and extended
In the second half, Verdy, who had substituted two players at halftime, was pushed back, but they quickly regained control of the game and earned a corner kick in the 10th minute of the second half. Matsuki, the kicker, stirred up the crowd behind the goal, and from the resulting second attack, Diego took a shot that hit the crossbar. Furthermore, Tsukagawa broke through and scored a goal, but it was disallowed for offside.
As a result, the flow of the game gradually shifted towards Verdy. They were pushed back by the opponent who made early substitution and sent fresh players to the front line. And in the 25th minute of the second half, they conceded an equalizing goal from a corner kick.
The match has been a battle of wills since the score returned to a tie. Tokyo has been pushing hard, but the situation has not allowed for a winning goal to be scored. In the end, the match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes. The derby, which has not been played in 12 seasons, has now entered into a 120-minute battle.
EXTRA TIME—Unable to capitalize on the opportunity at the start
As the game went into extra time, Tokyo created a big chance just 38 seconds after the start. They broke through on the right side and Tsukagawa crossed the ball. Keigo HIGASHI ran in near the goal and headed the ball in front of the opponent's player, but the shot missed the target.
Both teams understand the value of the next goal and are moving the game forward with an attacking attitude while maintaining balance. In the midst of this, in the 11th minute of extra time, they were once again brought to a shot from a long throw, and in the 15th minute of extra time, they faced a scene that was almost a mistake in clearing the ball in their own zone, but were saved by the opponent's missed shot.
The balance of the game remains unchanged even after entering the extended second half. At this point, Naoki KUMATA is brought into the front line, but the team as a whole is showing signs of fatigue and is struggling to bring the ball up to the front. Before we knew it, the clock had reached 120 minutes. The game continued into penalty kicks without a resolution in extra time.
PENALTY SHOOTOUT - Kubo stops the 9th shot! Victory in a fierce battle
Tokyo, the first to attack, calmly scored to the right with Matsuki as the first player, followed by a successful shot from Yasuki KIMOTO as the second player. Then, the third player, Tsukagawa, scored to the lower left, and the fourth player, Kumada, scored to the lower right. Yuto NAGATOMO, the fifth player, also scored, and Verdy's five players all succeeded, leading to an extended penalty shootout.
The sixth kick by player Abe was initially touched by the opposing goalkeeper, but the timing was off and it rolled into the goal. The seventh kick by player Tsubasa Terayama went straight to the center. The following eighth kick by player Kei Koizumi was also successful, and the ninth kick by player Higashi was kicked into the upper left corner, making it a perfect success for all nine players from Tokyo.
And then, facing the opponent's ninth kicker. Jakub SLOWIK, who had been unable to stop despite reading the course several times, stopped this ninth kicker. They won the fierce battle against Verdy and advanced to the 4th round of the Emperor's Cup.
MATCH DETAILS
＜F.C.Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Kei KOIZUMI/Seiji KIMURA/Henrique TREVISAN (Extra time 13': Kyosuke KIMOTO)/Yuto NAGATOMO
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Shuto ABE/Takaki TSUKAGAWA
FW Ryoma WATANABE (Second half 31': Tsubasa TERAYAMA)/Diego OLIVEIRA (Extra time 0': Naoaki KUMADA)/Kota HYOZUMI (Second half 16': Keigo HIGASHI)
SUBS
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Shuhei TOKUMOTO
FW Leon NOZAWA
GOAL
First Half 20th Minute: Koki TSUKAGAWA
＜Verdy＞
Starting XI
GK Mateus
DF Yuta Narawa/Yuto Tsunashima/Tomohiro Taira (46': Kaito Chida)/Arhan (ET 105': Junki Koike)
MF Daiki Kusunoki (68': Ryojo Shirai)/Toyofumi Sakano (74': Kosuke Sagawa)/Hirotsune Kato (46': Kohei Yamakoshi)/Ryo Nishitani/Ryuji Sugimoto (63': Yuji Kitajima)
FW Keito Kawamura
SUBS
GK Yuya NAGASAWA
GOAL
25' Ryosuke SHIRAI
PENALTY SHOOTOUT
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Director Press Conference Comments]
Q, please review the game.
A, it was a cup match, and a heated match against Verdy, so I thought that many things would happen in the game. From experience, you never know what will happen in a cup match, so we had to be prepared for everything. It's the same in today's match. What was really important was to control our emotions and give our all.
I think they firmly stuck to their way of thinking and showed a very good football. There were also moments where we could have scored more points, but we couldn't convert those chances and ended up struggling. And we were caught off guard by the opponent's set plays. I think that's a shame. However, in the midst of that, the players fought bravely and selflessly with a belief in this club. I think it's the effort of everyone in the club. And for the fans and supporters, I think today's victory was something special.
Tokyo is blue and red.
Q, it was almost the same lineup as the Urawa Reds match in the league.
A, We have considered the balance of freshness and safety, and have selected this team. First and foremost, it is important to fight stably, and to ensure strong teamwork. We will continue to work hard in practice and take one step at a time to move forward.
Q, extra time, and it went into a penalty shootout.
A, It is wonderful that they were able to give their all until the end. They fought bravely and with heart. They gave everything they had until the gas tank ran out of fuel. I am truly proud that they were able to run for 120 minutes in that way.
I think we made history in the Q, 12th season Verdy match.
A, I have a lot of respect for the club's past pride, and it was a memorable battle that the people of Tokyo can be proud of. I am proud not only for myself, but also for the group and the players, that we were able to share this together. It was also important that we took one step closer to the trophy. I am proud of everyone involved with the club, and I am glad we were able to win for the fans and supporters.
Did you anticipate that the game would go into a penalty shootout?
A, I think preparation is everything, and within that, we were able to have good practices. We were also able to work on PKs during practice. This past week, we were able to make great preparations and prepare to fight for 120 minutes. Also, I really want to thank the fans and supporters. I am happy that I was able to send my teammates, who continued to cheer us on from warm-ups until the end of the game, home with a smile.
Q, since becoming coach, there have been no losses in 4 official matches.
A, this is the result of everything that everyone involved with the club, including players, coaching staff, and medical staff, has done. By coming together and preparing diligently every day, we have been able to perform well. It's a great start, but there is still a lot we can do. There is still a lot of potential and possibilities, and we will continue to work step by step to bring them out and not let our guard down. By doing so, I believe we can get closer to our dream team.
[Player Interview]
Yuto NAGATOMO player
Q, the match against Verdy was an intense battle that even went into a penalty shootout.
A, Although we wanted to settle the game in 90 minutes, Verdy also had many fresh players, and both teams fought desperately in this heat. We expressed our own soccer, ran for 120 minutes, and eventually it became a penalty shootout. I think there is also some luck involved in penalties, but I believe that the strong feeling of "We don't want to lose to Verdy" and "We, the blue and red, are Tokyo" that everyone had led to our victory.
Q, for 120 minutes, the endless up and down movement on the left side saved the team.
A, I feel that my condition has improved a lot. I played for 120 minutes, but I had no physical problems at all. I will be 37 years old, but I still feel like I can play and I gained confidence in my physical abilities once again.
Q, in the PK shootout, you aimed for the goal with a calm shot. Did you decide on the direction before taking the shot?
A, I calmly judged the shooting course by watching the movement of the opponent's goalkeeper. Even when I was with Inter Milan, I have experience of being the kicker in penalty shootouts, such as in the Milan Derby, and scoring. I was able to approach it with confidence and above all, I was able to compete with a strong mindset.
<Koki TSUKAGAWA>
Q, please review today's game.
It was a game where we had to decide the outcome in 90 minutes, but with the Emperor's Cup at stake, the importance of scoring an additional point was deeply felt. I want to be more aggressive in the next game. Also, despite it being a weekday night, it was impressive to see so many fans and supporters come out and create an atmosphere that we as players alone could not have created.
Q, it was a splendid goal with a powerful swing of the right foot.
A, when I received a pass from Diego Oliveira, Diego Taba moved again and Ryoma Watanabe was also in front, so at first I was looking for a passing option, but when I saw the goal, I swung and it landed nicely on my foot, creating a curved trajectory like a knuckleball, and it went into the goal. Scoring goals is one of my strengths, so I want to make sure to be conscious of scoring when practicing shooting or playing mini-games.
It was a PK shootout after a 120-minute game, but I was able to stay calm and make the shot.
A, I couldn't put any strength into my legs anymore, but I pushed myself to score with determination.
Q, there is a league match against Kashima Antlers in 3 days. Please tell us your enthusiasm.
A, since the Emperor's Cup and the league matches are different, I want to build up from practice and do my best. (Looking at Kei KOIZUMI sitting next to me) In the next match, Kei KOIZUMI will be playing against his former team, so I believe he will score and I will play boldly to contribute to the victory (laughs).
<Tsubasa TERAYAMA>
Q, What instructions did you receive from Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI before entering the pitch?
A, first of all, I was focused on whether I could enter this heated battle well. Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI told me to express my own strengths clearly. We were caught up in a tie and in a situation where we had to score a second goal, so I was conscious of directing the team's vector forward and recovering the ball in the defensive midfield position to connect to the attack.
Q, I think we spent a lot of time defending. What kind of balance did you strike on the pitch?
We were conscious of both going for the second goal and not giving the opponent any additional points. While communicating with Kuryu Matsuki, who formed a double pivot, we were aware of balancing offense and defense, recovering second balls, and playing either role depending on the situation. We were especially playing with the aim of scoring additional points.
Q, In the game against Urawa Reds and this week's Verdy game, it seemed like I was able to smoothly enter the game despite the difficult game situation and increasing opportunities for substitute appearances.
A, while I often come on as a substitute, I feel the difficulty of coming on to the pitch in a close game. In the past few games, I have been conscious of making the first play and showcasing my own strengths to create a rhythm in my play. I have been able to express good plays more often in games, but my positioning and mistakes have also been noticeable. I want to continue to improve and eventually be able to start instead of coming on as a substitute.
I was very impressed by the performance and passion after scoring a goal in the Q, PK match.
I was conscious of delivering goals and victories to the fans and supporters. I was a little nervous, but I was determined to kick it right in the middle. I wanted to firmly decide and push the voltage of Tokyo's fans and supporters to the highest level, especially with the strong desire to support SLOWIK, who could stop the PK.
<Seiji KIMURA>
Q, please review the game.
A, in the first half, I was able to show my strengths and control the opponent well. I had a good play and felt confident. However, in the second half, there were many passing mistakes and I couldn't keep up with the opponent's forwards, allowing them to create opportunities. I believe that if we don't fix these small mistakes and details, we will lose the game. As a center back, it is important to not give the opponent freedom in their attacks and to prevent any potential danger. Therefore, I want to work on fixing these issues one by one in practice.
Q, we started the game with a focused start, and at times we saw plays that served as the starting point for our attacks.
A, as we entered extra time, many players on the pitch were fatigued and I thought it was important to not force passes and instead focus on simple plays. We were particularly conscious of utilizing long feeds from our own half and pushing up our defensive line towards the end of the game. As the game went on, Verdy also made substitutions and focused on scoring with fresh players, but we made sure to not lose in speed and predict chances to shut them down.
Q, the stadium was enveloped in a unique atmosphere throughout. How did you feel on the pitch?
Despite being a weekday night game, many people came to the venue. There were overwhelmingly more Tokyo fans and supporters than Verdy, and I could feel the excitement on the pitch. I felt the support pushing us towards victory, and I was genuinely happy to share the joy with the fans and supporters.
