<Last Match・Gamba Osaka Review>
A reliable guardian has returned.
The first match after the break was the 25th round of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League against Gamba Osaka away. From the beginning, the opponent held onto the ball and continued to push us back into our own half. It was a difficult situation, as player Takahiro KO recalls, "The first half was like being a punching bag." However, it was Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who had just returned from his activities with the U-23 Japan national team, who saved the team in that situation.
In the 16th minute of the first half, Issam JEBALI's shot was deflected by a diving save, followed by a superb save with one hand to block JEBALI's header in the 23rd minute. In addition, in the 32nd minute, the defense blocked the opponent's fierce attack with their bodies, and Yuzawa made an incredible save with his right hand to stop Dawhan's shot. In a short period of time, he made three fine saves and prevented the first goal.
In the second half, Gamba Osaka, who boasts the league's fewest goals conceded, sent in attacking players such as Kota TAWARATSUMIDA, who was aiming for a counterattack while enduring, Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA, who returned from injury, and Ryotaro ARAKI, who had just returned from the activities of the Japan national team U-23. However, they were unable to break through Gamba Osaka's stronghold. Thanks to the efforts of the defense, they managed to hold on and secure 1 point with a scoreless draw.
Nobuyuki Matsuki, who stood with a strong defense and an overwhelming presence, truly showed a sense of reliability with the phrase "There is a great ambition in front of the Tokyo goal". Teammate Araki also praised his fellow teammate who fought together in national team activities, saying "Today is the day of great ambition".
The player said, "I felt confident in my shot-stopping ability. I am the last line of defense. Even if I get scored on, I have to be able to stop it, so I'm glad I was able to do that. I just joined the team and I was also dealing with jet lag, but I am grateful to have been able to play in the game. Playing soccer is fun, so I want to continue playing with joy and gratitude." He had a satisfied expression. He also said, "There is still a lot I can do. I want to cherish this moment now and not let the special experiences and motivation I gained from playing for the national team fade away." He was preparing for the game against Kawasaki Frontale with a new mindset.
<Match Preview>
The match against Gamba Osaka, which was the first game of the J1 League restart, ended in a 0-0 draw. In this match, goalkeeper Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, who had just returned from the U-23 Japan national team, made a series of great saves. He contributed to bringing back a valuable 1 point from the away game. Reflecting on the match, Taishi NOZAWA said, "Even though we were pushed back, if we could keep the score at 0-0 until around the 70th minute, we could see a chance to win. That was our goal, so I'm glad we achieved it." On the other hand, he also emphasized, "There are still many areas for improvement. We want to discuss as a team about where to take the ball and how to move forward."
This round, we will face our rivals across the Tama River. Kawasaki Frontale, who has struggled since the beginning of the season, has regained their form with a recent unbeaten streak of 7 games. Kawasaki's academy graduate, Takahiro KO, is determined to seek revenge in his second Tama River Clasico, saying "Last time, it was my second game after joining Tokyo and it was the first game I lost. I was really frustrated and we were taken advantage of after one of our players was sent off. This time, we just want to get 3 points." For Tokyo, this is an important match in their pursuit of the top spot. All that is required is a victory.
This week's matchday program is here
[Masato MORISHIGE x Yu KOBAYASHI Tamagawa Classico Special Interview]
The two classmates have joined rival teams across the Tama River since the 2010 season and have been competing against each other. Tokyo's Masato MORISHIGE, who will turn 37 this year, and Yu KOBAYASHI of Kawasaki Frontale will talk about the history of the Tama River Clasico they have witnessed. (Interview: August 4th)
- Both of us joined in the 2010 season, so I think we have seen the same scenery in the Tama River Clasico. What kind of match is the Tama River Clasico?
Masato MORISHIGE We have more bitter memories, I think.
Yu KOBAYASHI Which one is winning in total?
---Overall, Tokyo has 11 wins, 9 draws, and 23 losses.
Kobayashi How about starting from the 2010 season?
─From the 2010 season, Tokyo has 6 wins, 4 draws, and 17 losses.
Kobayashi So that's it.
Morishige I don't have many memories of winning. In the past few seasons, I think we only won at the National Stadium last season.
Kobayashi I see.
Morishige Kawasaki is strong after all.
Kobayashi The fans and supporters are really excited about this game, so I have a special feeling. However, I didn't have the impression of such a good performance as I heard now. I didn't have the impression of losing so much, but I was surprised to find out that we were winning so much.
- Please tell us the most memorable match.
Kobayashi The Tama River Clasico was the match where I scored my 100th goal in the J1 League away during the 2019 season. The match was also a great one, as we won 3-0. The memory of that match remains strong.
Morishige 100 goals? Amazing. I...don't have any lasting impressions.
Kobayashi Hahaha. But, didn't we have a game where we were beaten by Morige and (Kosuke) OTA? At Todoroki. Morige scored and OTA scored a free kick. I wonder if we had a game like that.
Mori Shige's free kick. It was there.
Kobayashi At that time, didn't Morige score a header?
Morishige Am I the one who decides? But, certainly, the image of scoring in the Tama River Clasico remains.
---Unfortunately, there was no collaboration with player Ota, but player Kobayashi scored 4 goals and player Morishige scored 3 goals.
Morishige Oh, too bad (lol).
Kobayashi Amazing, amazing. Scoring 3 goals as a defender is amazing (lol).
Morishige Indeed, I have a clear image in mind.
- Todoroki has scored the winning goal in the 2012 season.
Morishige That was an impressive game, wasn't it?
Kobayashi Is it true? I don't remember (bitter smile).
Morishige No, because I decided, that match is particularly memorable.
Kobayashi is so random (lol).
Kobayashi scored the opening goal in the 19th round of the 2019 Meiji Yasuda Life J1 League, leading his team to a 3-0 victory over Tokyo, who were in first place at the time. In the 20th minute of the first half, he headed in a corner kick from the left side, becoming the 14th player in J1 League history to score 100 goals. He also assisted in the second goal by teammate Saito Manabu, showcasing both his team and personal best performance.
One of Morishige's memorable matches was the away game in the 2012 Meiji Yasuda Life J1 League Sec. 5. Early in the second half, Ariajasuru HASEGAWA was sent off, and the team was pushed back into their own half with a numerical disadvantage. They endured this difficult period and in the 42nd minute of the second half, they scored the winning goal from a corner kick on the right side.
--Why couldn't Tokyo beat Kawasaki so much?
Mori ShigeKawasaki is strong. I felt especially strong during that golden age. Anyway, all we could do was defend and counter. Looking back at the past J-League, I think it was probably one of the strongest teams, with no team that could match it.
Kobayashi Morige said that he had been playing since the 2017 season, and it wasn't because the opponent was Tokyo, but he didn't feel like he was going to lose anywhere. The players who came in from the middle were also of high quality, and it was a team where anyone could come out. I didn't think we were going to lose before the game.
- Even when Kawasaki was in a slump, they often gained momentum by beating Tokyo in the Tama River Clasico.
Kobayashi was there. I think it was such an important game. If we win, we can gain momentum and it was a game that could change the team's atmosphere. I remember there was a season where we won against Tokyo several times and raised our spirits. However, there was no special talk before the game.
Morishige We, as players, don't really have anything special to talk about just because it's the Tama River Clasico before the game.
Yu KOBAYASHI But I've heard that the practice week when Tokunaga (Yuhei) san plays against Renato is different in spirit (laughs).
Morishige Hahaha. Certainly, Tokunaga-san, who always maintains a calm mind, is the only one who can turn on the motivation switch within a year. That was the week of the Tama River Clasico (bitter smile).
Kobayashi There are no such episodes, but everyone is naturally motivated because the people around them are excited. They make videos and prepare various things for us.
Morishige It happened, right?
Kobayashi was also doing something interesting, right?
Morishige has also dressed up as a comedian.
Kobayashi He also did Sunshine Ikezaki's jokes. That's how he gets us pumped up, and that's when the switch of determination naturally turns on.
- - At first, we were all excited about this match, including those around us, but as time went on, Yoshito OKUBO started going back and forth across the Tama River, and the tension between us grew little by little.
Kobayashi Yes, that's right.
Mori Shigeru Mr. Yoshito, but while Kawasaki built an era, we were left behind. I still want to catch up there, and I have become aware of Kawasaki in the sense of eating and going. Because there are people of the same generation like Yu and Akihiro IENAGA, I think that I have gradually become aware of the Tama River Classic personally.
Kobayashi Morige said that there were many players of the same generation in Tokyo. Now, Yuto Nagatomo is also here, and there were many players who were close friends in Tokyo. I think it will be an exciting match with a lot of motivation.
- - Now, as for this Tama River Clasico, both teams are currently in an unsatisfactory position. Do you have any intentions to use this match as a turning point?
Mori ShigeThere is also the frustration of not being able to beat Kawasaki in an exciting game. With new young players coming in, I think we can create a new era together in the Tama River Clasico. This time, I think it will be a clash between the new generation.
Kobayashi Right now, we are not in a good position, but personally, I think we were able to end on a good note before the league was suspended, despite the difficulties. With injured players returning and competition becoming more intense, I believe we are in a good position to turn things around from here. That's why I think this will be a very important match.
- Please tell us the points you want us to focus on in this match.
Morishige Tokyo's this season, everyone is aiming for a hard-working soccer that can score goals, so it may become a competition for points. We are aiming to surpass ourselves there, so I hope you will have high expectations.
Kobayashi We have been conceding a lot of goals this season and when we improved our defense, we couldn't score goals. We have been repeating this cycle, but I think the team is finally coming together. The results have also been coming and we have many players who can score goals, so we want to focus on scoring and keep going.
─Finally, let's end with a bang of comments.
Mori Shige has had a lot of painful experiences with Kawasaki. We have been losing in the first half, so we absolutely cannot afford to lose two games in a row this season. Right now, the team is in good shape and our condition is also good. Our injured players have also returned, and we can face this match with our full strength. We want to show our revenge and Tokyo's strength in this Tama River Clasico.
Kobayashi I think Frontale has become stronger by overcoming the difficult times in the first half, so I think we can face Tokyo in a good condition. I believe we can win the Tama River Clasico here and climb up to the top in the second half. We will do our best to win with determination.
The two who have faced each other across the Tama River are rivals, but they have been bound by a strong friendship. Their conversation seemed to be looking at the relationship between Tokyo and Kawasaki. However, the Tama River Clasico, which is now in its 44th edition, has added more and more memorable moments and grudges with each game. They cannot give in to the competition. That is the path that they have shown to make the Tama River Clasico a true tradition.
Text by Koji Baba (Freelance Writer)
At SportsNavi, we are currently featuring "37-year-old Tama River Clasico Masato MORISHIGE x Yu KOBAYASHI ~A Summer of Stimulating Veterans~". Please take a look.
[Interview with Peter Cklamovski]
Q, Gamba Osaka will face Tama River Clasico in just 3 days after the match.
A, first of all, we are analyzing the game mainly with the coaching staff. On Thursday, we had a meeting to review the game and the players were divided into two groups for training and recovery, taking into consideration their fatigue. We are preparing for the game while improving our condition.
Q, The Gamba Osaka match was able to maintain a clean sheet due to concentrated defense, but isn't the exhaustion and fatigue of each player who continued to play with high concentration and intensity also significant?
A, the content we talked about is a major element required in football. Maintaining concentration is always required in football, whether it is when defending or building an attack by holding onto the ball. In addition, there are many things that are expected of us. We want to promote growth and be able to play good games.
Q, Is it about wanting to keep the ball for a longer period of time?
A, of course that's right. It is ideal to take the lead and dominate. However, it does not mean reducing the amount of movement. We continue to move the ball and aim for zones that the opponent dislikes, and we demand sprints that jump forward. If the center of gravity moves forward, the players behind must also raise the line in unison. Physical demands are not only for defense, but also for attack. In other words, we must concentrate and judge the situation. We want to focus on our play and approach all elements.
