＜Match Review＞
Tokyo suffered a frustrating defeat despite gaining momentum in the previous match against Yokohama F.Marinos. After a week, they faced Vissel Kobe, who is currently in second place, for the second time this season at the Japan National Stadium. Vissel Kobe is a strong team that is competing for the championship with Yokohama FM. In the first half of the season, they were defeated 2-3 in an away match.
A crucial match where we want to stop our losing streak and get a victory, including revenge from our previous match. Kuryu MATSUKI, who missed the last game due to injury, and Henrique TREVISAN, who was suspended, have returned to the lineup. Diego OLIVEIRA, who was substituted in the Yokohama FM match, also starts as the top striker.
After Peter CKLAMOVSKI took over as coach, the defense has been strengthened and the number of goals conceded has decreased, and we have been able to create attacking opportunities. It was a perfect match to prove our growth and show our determination and pride on the pitch at Japan National Stadium, where we have won all three matches since last season.
1stHALF—National's Diego Taba takes the lead in the midst of the excitement
The atmosphere of the Japan National Stadium seemed to make it a high-tension game from the kickoff. In the 7th minute of the first half, Kobe's Mutoh, who was facing his former team, took the first shot, and in the 8th minute, Tokyo's Kuryu Matsuki excited the stadium with a middle shot.
As the game progressed, it entered a more open phase. In the 14th minute of the first half, Kobe broke through and had a decisive shot by Yamaguchi, but escaped danger. Both teams created chances, but it was Tokyo who took the lead. In the 18th minute of the first half, Masato MORISHIGE's pass to Ryoma WATANABE didn't go through, but Watanabe put pressure on the opposing goalkeeper and caused a pass error. Teruhito NAKAGAWA intercepted the ball and passed it to Diego TABA, who calmly slotted it into the goal.
After a good start, we were hit by Kobe's counterattack. In the 20th minute of the first half, Mutoh had a header shot that hit the crossbar from a corner kick, and although it was ruled offside, in the 29th minute of the first half, Taki had a shot that hit the post from Osako's follow-up play.
Tokyo, which defended against the pinch by raising the defensive awareness of the entire team, also continued to maintain an attacking posture without ever retreating. In the 30th minute of the first half, Nakagawa scored a direct volley from Tawaratsumida's cross, and in the 39th minute of the first half, Tawaratsumida himself dribbled and swung his right foot from a cut-in.
The score remained 1-0 as the game entered halftime, but the high-intensity game has continued with a lot of excitement since the first half.
2ndHALF—The intense battle that moves the game in the final stage ends in a tie
After starting with the same 11 players, the second half also saw Kobe concede the first shot, but Tokyo's attitude of moving forward did not change. Although they couldn't score a goal, they created numerous opportunities to quickly approach the goal after stealing the ball in the opponent's territory.
And in the 20th minute of the second half, Yuto Nagatomo calls for a chance. He aggressively closes in on Takumi Osako and steals the ball, then entrusts it to Nakagawa and sprints up the right side at full speed. After receiving the return, Nagatomo surprises the opponent with an outside-of-the-left-foot cross, and the opponent's block is determined to be a handball with the support of VAR, resulting in a penalty kick being awarded.
Immediately after, Diego TABA was substituted, and Matsuki took on the role of kicker. He confidently went to pick up the ball and aimed for the right side, but it was saved by the opposing goalkeeper, and they were unable to score an additional point.
As Tokyo continued to lead by one point, in the 37th minute of the second half, Seiji KIMURA was substituted for Nakagawa and the formation was changed to a 5-back. Shifting to the winning pattern of the past few games, they prepared to close out the game.
However, Kobe Univ, who is also competing for the championship, does not easily let up on their attacks. In the 42nd minute of the second half, it was determined that Erik fouled Jean PATRIC in the penalty area with the support of VAR, and a penalty kick was awarded. Rui OSAKO calmly scored and equalized.
Entering the additional time indicated as 13 minutes, Kobe, who was aiming for a comeback, was pushed back. However, Tokyo had "Kunitachi Man". In the 45+10th minute of the second half, Adailton, who picked up the ball on the left side, started a powerful dribble towards the goal. Despite the numerical disadvantage, he forcefully cut through the two defenders and swung his right foot, hitting the opponent's leg and changing the course of the ball, which was sucked into the right side of the goal.
However, the game is not over yet. In the 45+14th minute of the second half, Rui Osako crossed the ball to Shun Yamaguchi, who kicked it in and equalized at the last minute.
The intense battle ended dramatically, with the score tied at 2-2, resulting in both teams earning 1 point.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kei KOIZUMI/Masato MORISHIGE/Henrique TREVISAN/Yuto NAGATOMO
MF Kuryu MATSUKI/Keigo HIGASHI (23rd minute of the second half: Riki HARAKAWA)/Ryoma WATANABE
FW Teruhito NAKAGAWA (37th minute of the second half: Seiji KIMURA)/Diego OLIVEIRA (23rd minute of the second half: Adailton)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (23rd minute of the second half: Jajá SILVA)
SUBS
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Kosuke SHIRAI
MF Koki TSUKAGAWA
GOAL
First half 18 minutes: Diego OLIVEIRA/Second half 45+10 minutes: Adailton
＜Vissel Kobe＞
STARTING XI
GK Daiya MAEKAWA
DF Gotoku SAKAI/Tetsushi YAMAKAWA/Yuki HONDA (30th minute of the second half: Matheus THULER)/Ryo HATSUSE (30th minute of the second half: Nanasei IINO)
MF Leo OSAKI (0th minute of the second half: Takahiro OHGIHARA)/Hotaru YAMAGUCHI/Daiju SASAKI (23rd minute of the second half: Jean PATRIC)/Koya YURUKI (13th minute of the second half: Mizuki ARAI)
FW Yoshinori MUTO/Yuya OSAKO
SUBS
GK Yuya TSUBOI
MF Haruya IDE
GOAL
Second half 45+2 minutes: Yuya OSAKO/Second half 45+14 minutes: Hotaru YAMAGUCHI
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Director Press Conference Comments]
Q, please review the game.
A,It was a great game with high entertainment value, where both teams fought hard against each other. The result was unfortunate, but I believe it was a game that deserved a win. There were many positive aspects in it, but there were also areas that need improvement. The positive aspect was that we were able to create many chances. However, it was a game where we had to score goals and pull away from the opponent.
Although we put up a strong performance, we were unable to secure a victory, which is disappointing. With this pain, we will organize the areas that can be improved and strive to make it better. I truly think that the fans and supporters were amazing. I am grateful that so many fans and supporters came to support us. It is extremely regrettable that we were unable to take 3 points.
Q: With more than 10 minutes remaining, Seiji Kimura was brought in as a player. And the team switched to a 5-back formation. How do you evaluate the overall performance of the team?
A,We made substitutions considering the balance. Teruhito NAKAGAWA player had been giving his all until the end, so we made the change at the right moment. It may be possible to focus only on that aspect, but it is necessary to analyze the overall performance. We had chances to pull away from the opponent from the first half and we were able to create opportunities that could lead to multiple goals, which I think is a positive point. Among them, we were able to fight against Vissel Kobe, who is competing for the championship, firmly.
I think the team is moving in the right direction and there are still many areas where we can grow. I believe we can further develop our strengths from here. While it is possible to focus on specific scenes, I would like to reflect on the entire game while capturing the positive aspects.
[Player Interview]
Yuto NAGATOMO player
Q, it was a frustrating match at home. Please review the game.
As a team, I think we were able to show our strength in the game from the beginning and our fighting spirit. I keenly felt our own vulnerability in turning a winnable game into a draw.In the previous match against Yokohama F.Marinos and today's match against Vissel Kobe, we played against top teams, but we couldn't accumulate enough points due to our vulnerability in small details such as positioning, concentration, and how to close out the game. I realized that if we don't push ourselves to improve in these areas, we won't be able to compete with the top teams. It's as frustrating as losing.
Q, in the pre-match interview, you expressed the difference you felt as "maturity". Is it correct to say that it came out as you expected?
A, well. It is important for the team to unify their intentions on how to finish the game in a winning situation and how the players on the pitch will fight. I think it is necessary to improve each person's judgment and positioning.
Q, it seemed like you were able to fix the issues from the first half properly in the second half.
A, the distance feeling of support within the team has become even better in the second half. By improving the distance feeling, we were able to recover second balls and connect them to our attacks. I think being able to play with a good distance feeling was a major factor.
Adailton Player
Q, there were plays throughout the game that added an accent to the attack. Please review the game.
A, I entered the pitch feeling the difficulty of coming on as a substitute in the midst of a very intense game. There was an atmosphere of ending with a victory after scoring an additional goal in the second half's additional time, but we ended up conceding a goal near the end due to the opponent's momentum, making it a very frustrating game. I want to build on this experience and achieve victory in the next game.
Q, the impression is that the number of times I have been substituted in at the one-top position has also increased.
Even if I have to play in a position that is not my natural position, I will give my all if the team needs me there. In today's match, Jean Jean SILVA was also brought in at the same time, and we were able to be aware of each other and get involved with the ball well. Although I entered the position of the lone striker in the attacking phase, the other players covered me well.
Q, it seemed that the collaboration with player Jaja also activated the attack.
A, including player Jaja, there are many Brazilian players belonging to Tokyo, and as fellow countrymen, we can coordinate the finer aspects of play. I think that by further deepening the cooperation with player Jaja, we can both become better.
Q, I think the goal in the second half additional time was a goal scored from a favorite zone.
I am happy that we were able to score a goal during a crucial time as a team, in a time when we wanted to score. I would like to express my gratitude to God. The league matches are still ongoing, so we will continue to put in more effort and strive for victory.
＜Kei KOIZUMI player＞
Q, it was a frustrating battle. Please look back on the game.
A, it's a waste. I think the current ranking is a result of not being able to win in such a game. We need to accept reality and in order to win the league or always be at the top, I think we need to become stronger as a team and win games like today.
Q, this time I played as a fullback again. There were many matchups against fast players. What were you conscious of?
A, without fear, I actively received the ball in order to connect attacks with a good rhythm as a team. On the defensive side, there were several crosses allowed among many players with distinctive characteristics, so I reflect on that point and want to connect to the next. There are also many players with distinctive characteristics in Tokyo's front line, so I want to actively utilize them.
Q, in the previous section, you played in the midfield, but in this section, you played in a different position as a side back. What kind of preparations did you make during this week?
A, the view is completely different between the midfield and the full-back, so I have organized my thoughts and prepared everything for today. I don't know where I will play in the next game, but daily training leads to the game, so I think it is important to concentrate on each play.
Q, please tell us your enthusiasm for the next match against Avispa Fukuoka in the three consecutive matches.
A, it will be a three-game series with Fukuoka, but first, I want to focus on the upcoming match. I think the first game of the three-game series will be very important. Since we can play the first game at home, I want to take advantage of the home advantage. Today, many fans and supporters came, but we couldn't win, so we will prepare again this week to deliver a solid victory in the next game.
