<Last Match Review: Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo>
Round 20 of the 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League. In the first game of the second half of the league, Tokyo secured a 1-0 victory against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo at Ajinomoto Stadium, where they had only managed one win in the first half of the season. The hero of the match was Soma ANZAI, who scored the winning goal, his second consecutive goal at Ajinomoto Stadium since his first professional goal.
Tokyo, who started the game by carefully observing the opponent's tight defense, gradually took control of the pace and pushed the opponent back after the 30-minute mark. However, they were unable to score and the mood in the stadium began to turn sour. In the 39th minute of the second half, player Yasuaki, who had switched positions from right wing to left wing, scored a brilliant opening goal.
When connecting the ball on the right side, Riki HARAKAWA supplies a perfect cross that goes over the heads of the opposing defense with one touch. Number 38, who escaped from behind the opposing defender, stretched out his left foot to meet the ball. The attacker's shot, which he focused only on meeting, hit the crossbar and was sucked into the goal.
"I thought I would enter the most dangerous spot of the opponent as soon as Harakawa entered the kicking motion. I knew the opponent was marking, so I moved first and was able to take a position to get behind the opponent so that they couldn't deal with it. Until the very end, it became a competition with the opponent, and (after shooting) I couldn't see the moment when it entered the goal, but I knew it was decided by the cheers of the stadium. I think it was a goal that was pushed in with real determination."
The heroic attacker who dashes towards the goal end. Despite the tough result of only one win at Ajinomoto in the first half, he was driven by the desire to share the joy with the fans and supporters who had been cheering him on. His first professional goal in the 18th round against Iwata was an equalizer, so he couldn't fully enjoy the joy of scoring due to the overwhelming desire to win. The taste of the goal scored in a difficult situation must have been the best.
"He has always said, 'I want to win with the team,' but he also had another feeling hidden in his heart. The red card he received in the away game against Verdy Tokyo. That memory is still vivid in his mind. Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, the team managed to come back from 0-2 and bring the game to a draw in the final stages."
"After the Verdy match, I felt even stronger about wanting to fight for the team and make sure we win. Not in a negative way, but truly feeling like it's my turn to help the team. It took some time to see visible results, but it's a big accomplishment for myself. As a forward, my numbers are still not enough, so I want to give back even more. Not just for myself, but as a team, I will continue to work hard to achieve better results."
After a good start at home, the second half began. In a post-match flash interview, he spoke powerfully towards the stands.
"FC Tokyo is not like this."
We will repay the home crowd with results from now on.
We can do more. We can go higher──。
It must have been because he believed in it. Number 38, who has gained a sense of scoring and confidence in addition to his dedicated playing style, will lead the team with his passionate play from the front line.
<Match Preview>
In the previous match, we won 1-0 against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, achieving our second consecutive shutout victory. In the 39th minute of the second half, Soma ANZAI jumped in to score the winning goal with his left foot, after Riki HARAKAWA sent a cross from the right side. ANZAI, who scored his second goal of the season, said, "I feel like I can play freely right now," while talking about the key to his good form and promising to continue to perform well. "As a forward, I'm still not satisfied with my numbers. I want to work harder to achieve better results for both myself and the team."
In addition, Teppei OKA, who contributed to two consecutive games without conceding a goal, said, "In the previous Shonan Bellmare game, we were caught off guard, so we were conscious of preparing faster than the opponent. I think we were able to challenge and cover as center backs and had good coordination," with pride.
This round, we will welcome Avispa Fukuoka to Ajinomoto Stadium in just 3 days. For Tokyo, Fukuoka has been a tough opponent since the 2016 season with 8 winless matches in the league, but in the last match we were able to secure a 3-1 victory away. It was a game that could be called the best of the season, and we were able to dispel our weakness. If we can continue our winning streak and ride the momentum, we can compete for the top spot. Tokyo's "hot" summer is finally beginning.
This week's matchday program is here
[Interview with Peter Cklamovski]
Q, the team is currently on a 2-game winning streak. How do you plan to continue this momentum and secure more victories?
A, It is important to continue to promote growth with a high mentality towards what we have built up so far, and to approach the game. The match against Avispa Fukuoka is expected to be a tough one, but we will prepare well and give our all.
Q, I think we were able to pull off the victory by fighting tough until the end in the previous match against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo.
A, it was an important point in the game. In the early stages of the game, there may not have been many threats to the opponent. However, by calmly advancing the game, a rhythm was created. As the first half came to an end, we gradually gained control and increased our attacking play, leading to the late goal. It was important for the team to continue expressing what we have built up, and in the Sapporo match, it became the catalyst for a good flow. As in the first half, there are times when we have to be patient. In the second half, we were able to control the game, including the substitute players. The role of the players who came on the pitch at the timing when the opponent was getting tired is very important. I think the hard work of everyone on the pitch paid off with the late goal. It was a very important victory for the team.
Q, we won consecutive games, but both matches required "patience" from us.
A, the development and content may vary depending on the match. I believe that the solutions to various challenges that may occur on the pitch are within what we have built up so far. The Shonan Bellmare and Sapporo matches had a lot of patience, but it was important for us to be able to connect to victory. The Fukuoka match will also be a difficult one, but we will aim for victory.
[Player Interview]
Teppei OKA
Q, you made a big contribution to the victory in the two games you started. How do you feel about it?
A, keeping the number of goals conceded to zero is always a goal for me as a defensive player, and in the games I played, I approached it from practice with the premise of keeping a clean sheet and winning. In this season, there were many games where the team conceded multiple goals, so being able to contribute as a starter in the few clean sheet games and winning games where we kept the goals to zero was really meaningful for both the team and myself.
Q, How do you feel about your personal response in that?
A, the Shonan Bellmare match had a bit of tension and a cautious approach, including how the opponent played, and I couldn't defend the way I wanted to. The impression was that we spent a long time defending against Shonan's momentum and pressure from the sides, and we couldn't express ourselves in defense or attack. In comparison, for the Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo match, we were able to organize the issues and points for improvement from the Shonan match and enter the game, and I think it was good that we were able to fight tenaciously and toughly. I am currently learning and absorbing various things from the matches I have played. I think the speed of growth is also required, and I am organizing what I can do for each match and approaching it.
Q, What kind of person do you envision yourself becoming as you grow?
I want to become a player who can excite Tokyo. Masato MORISHIGE has been my role model since my time in the Tokyo academy. I want to grow into a defender that the academy players look up to, just like I did.
Riki HARAKAWA
Q, I started in the starting lineup in the position of the defensive midfielder in the previous match.
It was a good element to be able to create a rhythm of play from the beginning of the game with my first starting appearance in a while. In the recent league games, I had many opportunities to come on as a substitute, and there were also difficulties in playing while understanding the flow of the game and the situation of my teammates. Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI both have their own strengths as defensive midfielders, and I hope to show a relationship and combination that will increase the team's options without canceling out each other's strengths.
Q, last match was a double volanche with Takahashi and a long time.
A, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo has always communicated with each other to prevent an open game due to their unique defense. This round, we will be facing Avispa Fukuoka, and our approach will naturally change as our opponent changes. I believe the game content and flow will have a different atmosphere, so we cannot rely on the same approach as the Sapporo game. We will be conscious of this and approach the game accordingly.
Q, What are the characteristics and strong points of Fukuoka?
A, I think there are many parts that are hard to understand until the game starts, but Fukuoka's strong defense that tries to nullify the opponent's strengths is impressive. Especially in the first 10-15 minutes of the game, if you can understand Fukuoka's intentions as a team, I think you can progress the game in a good way.
