＜Match Review＞
After the away game against Yokohama F. Marinos and the game at Japan National Stadium against Vissel Kobe, Tokyo returned to Ajinomoto Stadium for the first time in about half a month. The match against the two teams competing for the top spot in the league was not inferior to the opponent in terms of content. On the contrary, Tokyo had control of the game for a long time, and the development where a draw became a loss due to a late goal against, and a victory became a draw, was very tough for Tokyo compared to the events that occurred on the pitch.
This round, which will clear the regret of these two matches, will face Avispa Fukuoka, who is ranked higher than Tokyo by 2 points. The quarterfinals of the Levain Cup Prime Stage, which will be played on the 6th with a two-day break, will also be the same match, making it a "3-match against Fukuoka" until the second match of the quarterfinals on the 10th, playing three games against Fukuoka in 8 days.
They approached the match with a strong desire to win at home, in order to gain momentum towards reaching the semifinals of the Levain Cup and to accumulate points by winning against opponents who are close in the league standings.
Tokyo, Seiji KIMURA, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, and Kuryu MATSUKI, who were selected for the U-22 Japan national team, all made it into the starting lineup. Kanta DOI was also included as a reserve member.
1st HALF - Continuous goals conceded in the early stages
The game starts moving right away. As soon as the kickoff happens, Fukuoka rushes towards the Tokyo goal. Despite setting up a solid block in front of the goal and responding well, they struggle to mark the players when the ball is played on the sides, and in the 2nd minute of the first half, a cross ball is played from the right side, leaving SATO player free on the far side and allowing the opponent to score.
Tokyo wants to reduce the opponent's momentum and move forward, but in the 11th minute of the first half, they were broken down from a set piece. The ball was thrown in from the right side near the goal line, and Konno carried it into the penalty area. When a pass was made in the negative direction, Yamagishi struck a powerful shot near the goal, widening the deficit.
Tokyo wants to score a goal early, but they are unable to bring the ball to the goal due to Fukuoka's quick transition to defense and retreat after losing possession.
In the flow of the game, with no attacking opportunities, they create a chance from a set piece. In the 21st minute of the first half, they earn a free kick opportunity on the right side. The ball, which was initially cleared, floats high in front of the goal. Seiji KIMURA player meets the ball with a back header, but the shot hits the crossbar.
In the 33rd minute of the first half, they were pushed into the penalty area after a set play and were unable to clear the ball, resulting in multiple shots being taken. However, they bravely blocked the shots and managed to survive.
In the latter part of the first half, we held the ball and tried to find attacking opportunities by moving in the opponent's half, but we couldn't find a clear path to a successful finish. We ended the first half trailing by two points.
2nd HALF - Kumada's goal is far from one point at the end
Tokyo, pushing forward with strength from the start and in the battles for the ball. Not only moving the ball in the opponent's territory, but also increasing the actions towards the goal.
As the play fighting for the ball increases, the chance to get a free kick near the opponent's penalty area increases. In the 17th minute of the second half, there was a chance for a free kick from the right side. Riki HARAKAWA, who was substituted just before, took the free kick, and Adailton, who also came on as a substitute, headed it but it narrowly deflected to the right of the goal.
Tokyo made a substitution early in the second half, but also attempted to change the game situation with substitutions towards the end. In the 29th minute of the second half, Koki TSUKAGAWA was substituted for Teruhito NAKAGAWA, and Naoki KUMATA was substituted for Diego Oliveira. The final substitution was made in the 38th minute of the second half, with Kosuke SHIRAI replacing Ryoma WATANABE to strengthen the counterattack.
The counterattack paid off in the 41st minute of the second half. After receiving a corner kick from the left, Riki HARAKAWA put the ball into the far side, and KUMADA headed it into the goal.
After that, even after entering additional time, there were continued set-piece opportunities, but the shots were unable to find the target, and we were defeated 1-2 without scoring a goal.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kei KOIZUMI/Seiji KIMURA/Henrique Trevizan/Yuto NAGATOMO
MF Keigo HIGASHI (15th minute of the second half: Chikara HARAKAWA)/Kusei MATSUKI/Ryoma WATANABE (38th minute of the second half: Kosuke SHIRAI)
FW Teruhito NAKAGAWA (29th minute of the second half: Koki TSUKAGAWA)/Diego OLIVEIRA (29th minute of the second half: Naoki KUMATA)/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (15th minute of the second half: Adailton)
SUBS
GK Jakub SLOWIK
DF Kanta DOI
GOAL
Second half 41 minutes: Naoki KUMATA
＜Avispa Fukuoka＞
STARTING XI
GK Masaaki MURAKAMI
DF Yota MAEJIMA (24th minute of the second half: Masato YUZAWA) / Seiya INOUE / Tatsuki NARA / DOUGLAS GLORE / Itsuki ODA
MF Kazuya KONNO (24th minute of the second half: Reiju TSURUNO) / Yosuke IDEGUCHI / Hiroyuki MAE
FW Ryo Sato (39th minute of the second half: Tatsuya TANAKA) / Yuya YAMAGISHI (15th minute of the second half: Takeshi KANAMORI)
SUBS
GK Takumi NAGAISHI
DF Masaya TASHIRO
MF Yuto HIRATSUKA
GOAL
First half 2 minutes: Ryoga SATO/First half 11 minutes: Yuya YAMAGISHI
[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Director Press Conference Comments]
Q, please review the game.
A, it was a very disappointing result and a disappointing night. I take responsibility for not being able to start the first half in our best form. Conceding a goal early on made it difficult for us to play our game. Despite that, the players tried to show their strengths and resilience. I think we were able to play with our momentum after the first 30 minutes. After the halftime discussion, the players showed a fantastic reaction. We tried to change the flow with a goal, but it became a tough situation as we couldn't score. I wish we could have scored a goal earlier. The players fought desperately to turn the game around. I apologize for not being able to deliver 3 points for the fans and supporters.
Q, what instructions did you try to change the situation during halftime?
A, we were able to play well after the first 30 minutes, so we talked about continuing that and reaffirmed our basic playing style. In this tough match, I think the players were tested in various ways to see what kind of characters they are. They fought tenaciously and were able to play in a positive manner that suited themselves from the latter part of the first half.
As a positive point, we were able to play good football when we grasped our own flow, move the ball quickly, go out to space, and enter dangerous areas. I thought that if we could score one point, the momentum would come to us, and it would have been good if we could have taken three points by scoring one point a little faster. It was a very disappointing result, but we will stand up firmly from here.
[Player Interview]
<Kuryu MATSUKI>
Q, please review the game.
A, the lack of concentration at the start of the game led to 2 goals conceded, and I have nothing but regret. However, in the midst of that, we were able to create attacking opportunities towards the end of the game and Naoki Kumata's goal was born. I keenly felt that we need to prove through our play that we can win against defensively strong teams like Avispa Fukuoka.
Q, we conceded a goal early on, but how did you fix it on the pitch?
A, Fukuoka had a difficult time breaking down their defense as they set up a five-man defense when defending. They were unable to effectively create attacking opportunities throughout the first and second halves, and it left an impression of a disappointing performance.
Q, there have been no victories in the league matches.
A, I think it is important to firmly accept this result. Although we cannot participate in the Levain Cup matches, I believe it is necessary to address the challenges in order to aim higher as a team.
Riki HARAKAWA
Q, what was your impression watching from the bench in the first half?
A, we conceded a goal right at the beginning of the first half, and we also conceded the second goal with the same momentum. However, it is common for the tide to turn when we score a goal, so I didn't think there was any problem and I wasn't particularly pessimistic.
Q, chances were created from the kick, which is also a characteristic, after entering the game.
A, as a team, I think we needed to show our momentum by stepping up our gear even if we were spinning our wheels from the start of the second half. The tempo picked up after we scored a goal, so I thought if we could score within the first 20 minutes of the second half and maintain our momentum, it would be a different game. I wish we could have shown more plays that would give the opponent a sense of our momentum. This is not something that can be done alone, so we need to create an atmosphere within the team that says "we can come back even if we concede 2 goals". In any situation, if we can score one goal, the game becomes unpredictable, so I want to use it strategically throughout the 90 minutes.
Q: Fukuoka will have back-to-back matches in the Levain Cup. How will you approach the game and make improvements against a defensive opponent?
A, I think the tempo will slow down if we let the opponent hold the ball when they are in a defensive state. If the opponent is playing with a 5-back formation like today, I think it is most important to not concede the first goal as the game progresses. In the next match, the regulations will change, so the importance of each goal will be even greater than in the league matches. I want to approach the game while considering our strategy.
Naoki KUMATA
Q, this was my first appearance since the Kashima Antlers match on July 16th. What was your intention when stepping onto the pitch?
A, compared to before, I was able to play in the early hours. I thought I would definitely be able to score because I played during the time when Tokyo was pushing. It was a shame that we couldn't score the second and third goals as a team, considering the momentum we had.
Q, it was my first goal in the league. Please look back on the goal scene.
In the forward position, it is natural to achieve results in the form of goals, so I want to continue scoring from now on.
Q, it gives the impression that you were able to improve your condition by scoring in practice matches.
A, I entered with the feeling of achieving the minimum result, so I think it was good that I was able to score the minimum points. The first half was regrettable, so we have another game against the same opponent soon, and I would like to make adjustments as a team and focus on the results in the next game.
Q: There has been a period without any appearances. What kind of preparations have you made?
A, this summer we have had many practice matches and have been working on increasing our physical activity, including during practice, and focusing on transitioning between offense and defense. I have been personally working on improving my defensive intensity in order to play in league matches, and I hope to continue doing so and extend my playing time in the league.
