＜Match Review＞
Just one week after the Tokyo Verdy match last week, now we will face FC Machida Zelvia at Ajinomoto Stadium. We cannot afford to lose at home against a team based in Tokyo, where we will have our first official match. On the 17th of the midweek, we will also play against Y.S.C.C. Yokohama in the 2nd round of the J.League YBC Levain Cup, where Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA and SILVA scored their first blue and red goals, leading to a big victory with 4 goals and improving the team's atmosphere.
Keita ENDO, who scored a goal in the YS Yokohama match, has scored in two consecutive matches since the Verdy match, and on March 30, he will be named as a starting member for the first time since the Sec. 5 Kawasaki Frontale match. The other 10 players will continue to make up the team from the previous match. They are determined to achieve their first victory of the season at Ajinomoto Stadium and entered the match with momentum from the kick-off.
1st HALF - One goal behind despite the frantic development
It was an intense 45 minutes. Amidst the cheers of both teams' fans and supporters, the players showed off their high-intensity plays. The first chance was created by Tokyo in the 6th minute of the first half. Kota TAWARATSUMIDA cut in from the left side and sent a final pass to Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA, who then took the ball to the goal but hit it straight at the goalkeeper.
The game then moves at a dizzying pace. In the 13th minute of the first half, a quick throw-in by Machida leads to a shot. We managed to block it, but immediately after, Na SANGHO scores a direct volley from a corner kick, giving the opponent the lead. However, in the 19th minute of the first half, we break through the defense and draw a handball from the opponent, earning a penalty kick. KOBAYASHI then scores, with TANI's touch, making it the first home goal for number 11 and equalizing the score.
However, they couldn't take advantage of the momentum they caught up with. Just 4 minutes after the score returned to a tie, in the 25th minute of the first half, they were caught off guard on the left side by a long feed from the back line, and the ball was crossed to Se Hun OH at the goal line, who headed it in.
FC Tokyo, who quickly fell behind again, managed to create chances through Kota TAWARATSUMIDA's dribbling, but Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA's header from Kota TAWARATSUMIDA's cross in the 39th minute was cleared by a defender. In the 42nd minute, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA cut inside and took a shot with his right foot, but it missed the target, leaving them one goal behind at halftime.
2ndHALF - A chance to hit the crossbar, but one point is far away.
First, Tokyo, who wants to catch up, will have a big chance right away. Endo, who received the ball on the right side, controls it well on the inside and makes a through pass. Nakagawa Teruhito breaks through and faces a 1-on-1 situation with the goalkeeper, but his control is too big and he can't finish it off.
Tokyo, who continued to attack consecutively, passed the ball finely on the right side in the 15th minute of the second half, and when Kosuke SHIRAI took a shot, Tawara Tsumetai, who cut in from the left side, swung his right foot in the 17th minute of the second half, but Yasushi ENDO changed the course of the shot in front of the goal, but the ball hit the crossbar directly. They couldn't push in the rebound either.
After that, Jája Silva and Ryunosuke SATO were sent to the front line, and Riki HARAKAWA, the game maker, was also brought in as a midfielder, but they were unable to break through Machida's block and time continued to pass. They tried to move the ball wide on the pitch, but were unable to make vertical passes through the center of the block, and were unable to create chances.
In the final stage, Yuto NAGATOMO was sent to the pitch, but a tying goal was not born and the game ended 1-2.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING XI
GK Go HATANO
DF Kosuke SHIRAI/Kanta DOI/Henrique Trevisan/Kashif BANGNAGANDE (43rd minute: Yuto NAGATOMO)
MF Takuya TAKAU/Genki HARAKAWA (28th minute: Chikara HARAKAWA)/Kei KOIZUMI
FW Keita ENDO/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (28th minute: Ryunosuke SATO)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA
SUBS
GK Tsuyoshi KODAMA
DF Masato MORISHIGE
MF Tsubasa TERAYAMA
GOAL
First half 21 minutes: Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA
<FC Machida Zelvia>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kosei TANI
DF Henry Kai Mochizuki/Gen SHOJI/Doreshevich
MF Kazuki FUJIMOTO/Zento UNO/Keiya SENTO (26th minute of the second half: Takuya YASUI)/Kotaro HAYASHI/Daigo TAKAHASHI (0th minute of the second half: Byron Vasquez)
FW Nathan (16th minute of the second half: Shunta ARAKI)/Osehun (26th minute of the second half: Mitchell Duke)
SUBS
GK Koki FUKUI
DF Jurato IKEDA/Junya SUZUKI
GOAL
14' 1st Half: Na SANGHO / 25' 1st Half: Se Hun OH
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q, please review the game.
A, I feel pain towards the result. When I look back at the performance, there were many positive things, and I think it was a game that we could have won, a game that we could have grasped victory. It is important to talk about the result without emotions. Analyzing the performance is the key, and it is important as a process for us to progress and aim for the top. We were decided by the opponent in two situations. We must learn from this as a tough lesson. Machida has been able to make decisive decisions. It is something that can happen in football, and we need to learn from it and become stronger from here.
In the midst of being behind, the players gave their all to catch up. It's unfortunate that we were scored on during the first corner kick. There was an offside in the play before that, so it shouldn't have been a corner kick. However, even in that situation, we had to respond well to the corner kick and not give the opponent the lead. The important thing is that after going down 0-1, the players were able to fight back without losing focus. And I think we gave the second goal too easily to the opponent, and it's frustrating and disappointing to go into halftime at 1-2. The players fought desperately to come back, and if we had scored a second goal, we might have been able to add another goal ourselves. However, we need to accept this defeat and work harder to come back stronger.
Q, what do you think happened for the second goal? Was it due to our own mistake or something unexpected?
A, it's not that we didn't expect it. We knew that the opponent would kick long balls and they were able to score, but I think we could have responded better. That was the difference between us and the opponent, and there were also moments where we could have made one more touch in front of goal. That was the difference today. If we can't create chances, then of course we need to improve other things. Today, we were able to create chances but we couldn't score. On the other hand, in terms of defense, we also need to defend more tightly. I don't know how many chances the opponent had, but they were able to score in a few chances.
[Player Interview]
＜Kei KOIZUMI＞
Q, please review the game.
A, I think the way we entered the game today was not good, and the way we conceded from set pieces was also not good. This is an important game where we can go up if we win, but if we lose, our ranking will drop. I think the problem with our first half entry is something that can be changed by our own consciousness, so I want to tighten our feelings and do it again.
Q, after the game, the players talked for a long time with each other.
A, I am currently serving as captain this season, so I feel that I have to take the lead in creating a "winning atmosphere" or such an atmosphere. As I have been entrusted with this role, I must do my job properly and I want to do it for the sake of the team.
<Takahiro KO>
Q, please review the game.
A, We had many chances, so we had to finish them. Obviously, we have conceded a lot of goals, so we need to tighten up as a team to pick up points, or each individual needs to constantly maintain their concentration without losing focus, so we need to thoroughly train again.
Q, the second goal was easily conceded.
A, It was honestly tough to be done in by just one shot from nothing when we were trying to come back with one point from here. However, we have already proven our ability to come back once again. We still lack the strength to take control and we need to reduce the number of goals we concede.
Q, How well were you able to prepare for FC Machida Zelvia?
A, I think we didn't give the opponent any chances except for the goals. Especially, Se Hun OH, who is strong in battles on the front line, was able to do well by talking with Kanta DOI and competing with him after I hit the ball first during goal kicks. We were able to recover a lot of second balls with Kei KOIZUMI, so in the second half we were able to push the game into the half court and I don't think our strategy was bad, but it doesn't mean anything if we don't win, so we need to focus on that.
Q, what do you think was the play that was needed to get one step closer to the goal?
I think we need more power when entering crosses. It's not just about swinging your legs, there are countless things to do, but I think we have to do it properly from training.
Q, next match is against my former team Albirex Niigata. How do you want to prepare for the game?
I think losing streaks are absolutely unacceptable, and I believe we can only allow for 3 points, so I want to make good preparations to win.
<Ryunosuke SATO>
Q, this was my first appearance in the league.
There was a completely different atmosphere and tension from the J.League YBC Levain Cup. Since different players were playing from the Levain Cup, there were some things that I couldn't understand until I played, but I was able to feel it firmly today.
Q, please review the game.
A, Although there were scenes where I was able to demonstrate my strengths such as pressing from the front in a short playing time, I was not able to make plays that threatened the goal or posed a threat to the opponent, so I want to improve on that. On the field, I wanted to firmly receive the ball and create a tempo, but there were many scenes where I couldn't connect passes, and I was left with frustration.
Q, there is Ryotaro ARAKI, who is currently playing in the AFC U23 Asian Cup, in the same position.
A, I also have a desire to play and perform well in that position, and I want to compete with Araki when he returns.
Q, What kind of play do you want to make for the next match?
A, age doesn't matter when you step onto the pitch, and I believe that winning is everything. I don't know when I will play, and I don't know who will play with me, so I want to focus on the team's common understanding and work together to adjust during the game, and strive to contribute to the team's strength.
