Previous Match Review: Sagan Tosu
A golden opportunity spilled right in front of him. The blue-red center back was only thinking about the shot.
The ball, struck powerfully with the right foot into the near side, hit the crossbar with great force and bounced once before piercing the goal net. It seemed that a first goal had been scored at a good time, just 11 minutes into the match.
However, mercilessly, the assistant referee's decision was offside. It seemed that a first goal had been scored from the flow of the corner kick, but the player who was supposed to have scored the heroic goal, Yasuki KIMOTO, quickly returned to his usual position as a center-back.
"In situations like that, it's often offside. The assistant referee raised the flag, so I thought it was offside and went back."
Ryotaro ARAKI's right corner kick was deflected, and Takahiro KO headed it forward, but the position of Kimoto, who remained in the front line, was ruled offside. However, with the support of VAR, the goal was confirmed. This was the first opening goal for Tokyo in six league matches.
Surrounded by the hero who shyly smiled, saying, 'I was embarrassed because there was a time lag,' a circle of joy formed among the players who had returned to their side.
In the end, this goal became the winning point, and Tokyo won 1-0. They achieved a clean sheet victory for the first time since the match against Kashima Antlers in Sec. 7.
In this match, as symbolized by player Kimoto dashing back to his position after seeing the offside flag, the defense was increasingly focused on keeping a clean sheet in the away game against Tosu.
"The only match where we kept a clean sheet in the league was against Kashima, and as a defender, I felt really frustrated. Even when the forwards scored, we often ended up drawing or losing matches due to conceding multiple goals, which made me feel responsible. Today, there were times when we struggled to finish, but I believe we all held on and defended well to secure the 3 points. The forwards did a great job of limiting the opponent, which made it easier for us to defend, and the backline managed risks well, allowing for good challenge and cover. As an individual, I am happier with a clean sheet than with scoring, and I want to continue having matches like this. If we can keep a clean sheet, victories will follow, so I want to keep focusing on not conceding goals going forward."
The team, struggling with four winless matches in the league, marked their first victory in five games at the "Kin J" in Tosu. This victory in away Tosu was their first since June 20, 2015, in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League 1st Stage Sec. 16, achieving a breakthrough after Fukuoka and Sapporo.
After the match, from the Tokyo supporters' section, the chant "My Lover is Kimoto" was heard to the melody of "My Lover is Santa Claus." He mentioned that he didn't understand the lyrics, but those lyrics, filled with the love of the fans and supporters, are surely proof of the outstanding presence he showed in both offense and defense in the away game against Tosu, wearing the number 4 jersey.
Match Preview
Tokyo has played three official matches since the last league game, losing to Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-5 on aggregate in the Levain Cup and being eliminated in the playoff round. In the subsequent Emperor's Cup All Japan Soccer Championship, they defeated V-Varen Nagasaki to advance to the 3rd Round. Although the result in the Levain Cup was disappointing, the emergence of new strengths in these three matches is a significant gain.
Players Divine OTANI and Shuto NAGANO, who are registered with FC Tokyo U-18, showed great performances, and Leon NOZAWA recorded assists in two consecutive matches. Meanwhile, veterans Masato MORISHIGE and Keigo HIGASHI also demonstrated their presence, accumulating positive factors as the league resumes. Player HIGASHI, who scored his first official goal of the season in the match against Mie, stated, "I understand that my ranking within the team has dropped due to injury. I want to be involved in matches in the league from here on and reclaim my position."
This match will welcome Júbilo Iwata to Ajinomoto Stadium. The league season is approaching the halfway point, but this is a crucial match that cannot be lost if we want to climb into the top ranks in the second half. Masato MORISHIGE is eager, stating, "I want to deliver results whenever a chance arises in any match." Young players and veterans are competing, and Tokyo aims to seize the upward momentum from here.
This matchday program is here
[Interview with Coach Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q, The players have returned from the Japan national team activities. How is their condition?
I think A has returned in good condition. They have just come back after a long-distance trip, so I want to take care of that aspect as well. The team has been fighting through a tough schedule with more than 10 matches in 6 weeks. It is also true that due to national team activities and injuries, some players have been absent, which has thinly spread our squad. Despite this, the players have always worked hard and have been fully committed to each match in front of them. Together, we want to overcome this and prepare well for the next match.
Q: It's been a while since the last league match. Please tell us what you think should be changed and what is important to you.
First, we need to secure a victory against Júbilo Iwata. Under this theme, we are required to showcase our football and express a strong mentality on the pitch. Iwata is a very good team, but we have a clear understanding of the spaces we should target and the awareness needed. We want to organize how we will attack in different areas and increase our plays towards the goal with intensity. Additionally, it is important to finish the match with a clean sheet victory. We also want to maintain a high intensity in our defense.
Q: This match will be the last home game of the first half of the league.
We are focused solely on delivering victories in response to the passionate support and encouragement from our fans and supporters.
[Player Interview]
＜Masato MORISHIGE＞
Q: I think the match against V-Varen Nagasaki was fruitful both for the team and individually, as we scored a goal.
I felt the difficulty of facing teams from different categories, even considering past results, and I believe the players on the pitch were also aware of this as they approached the match. However, more than that, the players, including myself, who had spent a long time unable to participate in league matches, were strongly determined to achieve results as starters. It was a match where each person's feelings were expressed, and since my goal contributed to the victory, I think it turned out to be a good match.
Q: Please tell us about your feelings and challenges regarding the current team.
As a team, we have been struggling with unstable performances in recent matches, and I believe that the high number of goals conceded per match is a major reason for this. We definitely need to build a stronger defense, and since we are scoring consistently, if we can stabilize our defense even more, I think we can accumulate more victories. This has been a challenge for the team since the start of the season. We want to improve on this.
Of course, reducing the number of goals conceded is important, but individual effort, growth, and improvement are also necessary. However, I believe the most important thing is how the team faces the challenges together.
I feel that there are many aspects of defense that can be improved based on how to defend, what responses are needed depending on the time and situation, and the effort put into it.
Q: The situation is such that we can aim for the top, but please tell us what is necessary to catch up in the second half of the league.
A, the most important thing is the stability of the defense. In terms of offense, I think we need to increase the goals scored from set pieces. If we can clear those two points, I believe we can naturally move up the rankings, and I think it's a crucial point. I believe that winning is difficult if the balance of the team and the overall cohesion are not in place, so I want to make adjustments throughout the matches, including the game against Júbilo Iwata.
Q: Please share your enthusiasm for the match.
This will be the first match after the break as part of the league, and since it's our home game, I want to show a solid victory. As we head into the summer, we will face a series of matches and difficult games, so we will work hard to accumulate points and deliver many victories at home.
<Hotaka NAKAMURA>
Q: The league matches that were suspended will resume. How is your personal condition?
As a team, we have been continuing to play in the Levain Cup and the Emperor's Cup, and during that time, I have been getting playing time, which has gradually improved my condition and match awareness. Although it's a gradual process, I believe I am getting closer to a good feeling.
Q: You have returned from injury, and your playing time is gradually increasing.
I think that the quality of play and my own identity, as well as information and sensations that can only be understood on the official match pitch, are still lacking. In the Levain Cup match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, I played for 60 minutes, but before that, I spent a lot of time confirming my sensations and play during 20 to 30 minutes of playing time. In the last few matches, I felt like I was overthinking my own play. The first thing I felt when I returned to the pitch was that "soccer is not about logic." I want to clearly organize what my own identity is and apply it in the match.
Q: The league matches are about to reach the halfway point.
A, after returning from a long-term injury and being given the chance to play, I unfortunately got injured again. I see the short amount of playing time in the league as a point of reflection and a challenge moving forward. From here on, my primary goal is to participate in matches, and beyond that, I want to achieve goals and assists as a full-back.
What I felt during the long time watching the match from outside the pitch was that we couldn't maintain a stable flow in the game. It's not just about individuals; I want us to work as a team, and as other players have mentioned, I believe that "reducing goals conceded" is the most important point for improvement. If we concede two goals, we have to aim to score three; we need to get the number of goals conceded per match close to zero in order to accumulate points. As a team and as defensive players, I want to delve deeper into this.
