TOKYOism

Match Review

The league matches have resumed, and the blue-red army has returned to Ajinomoto Stadium. Facing them in the home match of Sec. 26 is Kawasaki Frontale. It's a rivalry match across the Tamagawa River.

Tokyo made three changes to the starting lineup from the previous match. Taishi Brandon NOZAWA positioned himself at the back, with the final line consisting of four players from the right: Kosuke SHIRAI, Kanta DOI, Teppei OKA, and Shuhei TOKUMOTO. The midfield duo was formed by Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI, with Teruhito NAKAGAWA playing just behind the forwards. On the wings, Soma ANZAI was on the right and Keita ENDO on the left, while Diego Oliveira took the lone striker position.

With 10 wins, 7 draws, and 8 losses, we are in 7th place. In the last match, we managed to secure a valuable point by drawing against Gamba Osaka despite being pushed back while playing away, so we want to achieve a victory in this Tamagawa Classico to regain our momentum.

The player introduction featured lighting effects using moving lights, and amidst the best tension created by the theme of the Tamagawa Classico and the fireworks during the player entrance, the match kicked off at 19:03.

1st HALF - Created chances but conceded a goal due to a momentary lapse.

The first big chance was created by Tokyo. From the beginning, they built points on the right side starting from Diego TABA's hold-up play, showcasing intricate passing work. In the 5th minute of the first half, Takahashi crossed from the right. Endo attempted a diving header at the far side, but unfortunately missed to the left of the goal.

Furthermore, Tokyo's fierce attack continues. Just after that, in the 6th minute of the first half, Diego TABA reacted to a through pass and, as he trapped the ball, Endo skillfully switched and broke through vertically to send a cross, but it did not connect with anyone. Additionally, in the 9th minute of the first half, Koizumi's right cross saw Nakagawa dive in at the near post, while Endo aimed for the far post but was blocked by the opponent.

In the 12th minute of the first half, Diego TABA sharply reacted to a deflected through pass from a teammate. He faced off one-on-one against Sung Ryong JUNG, but was thwarted by the opposing goalkeeper and could not score.

Tokyo, unable to score despite repeated chances. After a period of overwhelming pressure, they allowed the first goal from a single opportunity. In the 15th minute of the first half, Kawasaki's MARCINHO made a cutback and delivered a left cross inside the penalty area. Shin YAMADA headed the ball while retreating, and although Nozawa desperately stretched out his left hand, he couldn't deflect the shot, and the ball hit the post and went in. While they held the initiative, they were caught off guard for a moment and lost the lead.

Was the flow interrupted by this? In the 20th minute of the first half, a right cross was headed in by player Yamada at the near post, resulting in a goal conceded. They now find themselves with a two-goal deficit early in the match.

Tokyo cannot afford to lose at home. Without being discouraged by conceding goals, they launch a counterattack. In the 25th minute of the first half, Koizumi stole the ball with a high press, and Diego TABA shot from Nakagawa's through pass. In the following 27th minute of the first half, Endo, who broke free from Tokumoto's long throw-in, aimed with his right foot, increasing the pressure in the opponent's territory.

After the 30-minute mark of the first half, the game became somewhat open, but neither side was able to create a decisive chance, and the score remained unchanged. After four minutes of added time, the first half ended with a score of 0-2.

2nd HALF - Substitutions made changes, but a frustrating home defeat

Tokyo, aiming for a counterattack, makes a move at halftime. Ryotaro ARAKI is brought in as an attacking midfielder in place of Anzai. Nakagawa is shifted to the right side to add variation to the attack.

At the start of the second half, based on Araki's possession, Endo from the left and Shirai from the right supplied crosses, closing in on the Kawasaki goal.

Araki contributes to defense by aggressively pressing back from the front line to win the ball. In front of the goal, he seeks to break through with outside through passes from the center, increasing his presence.

In the 15th minute of the second half, Tokyo brought Riki HARAKAWA onto the pitch in place of Koizumi. In the 19th minute of the second half, they were perfectly matched to the opponent's left corner kick in the center, but were saved by the crossbar and escaped danger.

Tokyo, wanting to focus on offense, made substitutions in the 24th minute of the second half, bringing in Tsuyoshi OGASHIWA and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA for Nakagawa and Diego TABA. The formation changed to have OGASHIWA as the lone striker, Araki just behind him, with Endo on the right wing and TAWARATSUMIDA on the left wing.

However, just after this substitution, they conceded a painful third goal. From a set piece, Takai scored with a header, making it 0-3. Just when they had added momentum to move forward, they were forced into an even more difficult situation.

Tokyo wants to shake the goal net for the fans and supporters who continue to cheer passionately despite being at a disadvantage. In the 38th minute of the second half, Tawara Tsukita dribbled down the left side, and although Kogashi made a run on Araki's through pass, Sung Ryong JUNG caught it just in time. In the 39th minute of the second half, Endo made a run on Araki's through pass and took a shot, but once again, it was blocked by a save from Sung Ryong JUNG, preventing a goal.

Tokyo, wanting to show some determination, in the 42nd minute of the second half, saw Endo's sharp right cross met by Kogashiwa, who jumped in at the near post to head it, but it went just left of the goal. Continuing their fierce attack, Tokyo had Shirai sprinting up the right side to unleash a powerful long-range shot, but this too went just outside the goal frame.

In the 5 minutes of additional time, we aimed to counterattack while holding off the opponent's attacks with solid defense, but it was in vain. We failed to convert the good opportunities we created early on, and instead, we allowed the opponent to score first with a single chance, followed by three headed goals, leading to our defeat. We suffered a frustrating loss at home, resulting in a score of 0-3 in both matches of this season's Tamagawa Classico.

MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kosuke SHIRAI/Kanta DOI (39th minute: Masato MORISHIGE)/Teppei OKA/Shuhei TOKUMOTO
MF Hiroshi TAKAU/Kei KOIZUMI (15th minute: Chikara HARAKAWA)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (24th minute: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
FW Diego OLIVEIRA (24th minute: Go OBAKASHI)/Keita ENDO/Soma ANZAI (0th minute: Ryotaro ARAKI)

SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Yuto NAGATOMO

GOAL
-

<Kawasaki Frontale>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Chung Sung-ryong
DF Van Welmeskerken (substituted at 28 minutes: Yusuke SEGAWA)/Kota TAKAI/Akira SASAKI/Sota MIURA
MF Kento TACHIBANADA/Yasuto WAKIZAKA/Ryota OSHIMA (substituted at 28 minutes: Itsuki SEGO)
FW Akihiro IENAGA (substituted at 39 minutes: Yu Kobayashi)/MARCINHO (substituted at 12 minutes: Daiya TONO)/Shin YAMADA (substituted at 39 minutes: Hinata YAMAUCHI)

SUBS
GK Yuki HAYASAKA
DF Shintaro KURUMAYA

GOAL 15th minute of the first half: Shin YAMADA / 20th minute of the first half: Shin YAMADA / 27th minute of the second half: Kota TAKAI

[Peter CKLAMOVSKI Coach Interview]

Q, please review the game.
A, today's score is very disappointing, and not being able to earn points is very painful. In the world of football, there are times when such trials and challenges are presented. I believe that was the case in today's match. In terms of the game content, we were able to create more chances than our opponent. I think there were elements that showed signs of us becoming the strong team we aspire to be, but I believe we must learn from this as a harsh lesson. The difference in today's match was in the penalty area. Now, as a team and as a club, I think it is necessary to close that gap. I believe we can become stronger from here.

Q: Regarding the difference in the penalty area, do you think the fact that there were two young players as center-backs had any impact today?
A, it is possible for football players to experience such things. For example, when children grow up and their teeth come in, they may cry from the pain. I think that is a valid analogy. However, our center back also showed his wonderful quality. Kanta DOI is 19 years old and this is his 9th match today. Teppei OKA is also a young player, and this is likewise his 9th match today. The goalkeeper, Taishi Brandon NOZAWA, is also 21 years old. They are likely the youngest players in the league. Experiences like today are necessary for them. I believe that with this experience, they will become better players. And as time goes by, I hope we can become a good team, growing towards the team we have dreamed of.

However, I do not think the goals conceded were solely their mistakes. It is not the responsibility of just one person. The first goal was scored at the far post, and I believe we could have applied a bit more pressure on the ball. The second goal also came from a situation where nothing was happening. In those five minutes, we found ourselves down 0-2 to the opponent. I find that very disappointing, and we must not allow such things to happen. To become the team we aspire to be, we need to eliminate those kinds of situations. The third goal came from a set piece. We must not show the opponent any openings in that manner.

As a positive aspect, we were able to play very good football. It wouldn't have been surprising if we had scored more goals than our opponent; we created that many good chances. Of course, not being able to convert those chances into goals brings frustration, and with that frustration, we want to become an even better team, to become a better club, and to get closer to the club we have dreamed of.

Q: This will be a series of home games. Please share your enthusiasm for the next match.
A, it is important to connect the lessons and regrets from today's match to the next, and I want to prepare well for the upcoming match. I feel that this is a very important match for the club and for the fans and supporters. First, I want to focus on good recovery and good preparation. I will do my best to achieve results for the fans and supporters. To win the 3 points, I will approach the match with a strong fighting spirit and determination. That is absolute.

I believe it is important to show that "Tokyo is blue and red." I recognize that this is important for me and for everyone here. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare well and to be ready to give our best effort on the weekend. It is a battle filled with various emotions within the match and in the stadium. We will transform that into our strength and energy. Fans and supporters, please come to the stadium to cheer for the players. Everyone will give their all to fight for 3 points.

[Player Interview]
<Kosuke SHIRAI>

Q, please review the game.
A, as a result, we lost 0-3, but honestly, I don't think it was a content that warranted such pessimism. In the previous match against Gamba Osaka, the performance was poor, resulting in a 0-0 draw. This time, the performance wasn't that bad, but we ended up with a 0-3 result. Such things happen in football, but still, my honest feeling is that I wanted to win.

Q: You seemed to sprint at full power multiple times during the 90 minutes. How is your condition?
I believe that I have been able to maintain a good condition, including my own sense of achievement, so I think I was able to at least do my job of running today.

Q: Although we conceded goals in quick succession and the opponent gained momentum, isn't there a certain level of confidence in how well we started the match?
A, I was able to create space with the forwards, and from there we built up well, putting several balls into the opponent's penalty box that created scoring opportunities. I think we had many chances to score, so I believe the start was particularly good.

Q: Please tell us what you would like to continue as a team and as an individual, Kosuke SHIRAI, as well as what needs to be improved.
Personally, I believe that build-up play is extremely important in this football. I think the escape route, especially, is through the full-backs, and we did well today in utilizing that. This season, there have been matches where we have succeeded in this and others where we have not, and personally, there are still some discrepancies. If we can consistently improve in that area, I believe the team will also start to improve. As a team, we must score when we have the chance and defend well; otherwise, we will lose matches that we should be winning. It's obvious, but we must ensure we do this properly.

<Takahiro KO>

Q: It seemed like a good start for the first 15 minutes. How did it feel?
A, we talked about approaching with intensity from the front, and I think we were able to express that well, creating chances as well. Whether or not we can finish in those moments can really change the flow of the game, and I felt that we need to concentrate especially at times like that.

Q: You conceded consecutive goals in the first half, but how did you feel about the balance of offense and defense in the first half?
There were times when we were relatively able to pick up the ball, and I really think we started well. Whether we could finish or not is one thing, and the opponent also scored from a cross with a single chance, so we need to concentrate overall and tighten up in those areas, which we must defend properly. If we easily concede a goal there, it really hurts, and I think it becomes Kawasaki's territory. We need to keep it at zero or extend the time we stay at zero; otherwise, it will become difficult.

Q: How was the overall recovery of second balls?
There are many scenes that we haven't picked up since the last match, and we are often being rolled over by the opponents in one-on-one situations, so I believe that both I and the entire team need to fight harder in that aspect. I think there are various ways to attack and defend in soccer, but the crucial part is definitely there (in one-on-one situations), so in terms of competition, both personally and as a team, we need to show more strength in that area. To demonstrate that strength, I believe we have to start from training, so we need to be more particular about that.

Q: The next match is against Verdy. The expectations of the fans and supporters are even higher.
I think it's a game where results are required, so we have to fight firmly, and if we keep conceding easy goals, we will never win. Everyone must have a strong mindset to win against the opponent in front of us, no matter what. We need to prepare well and ensure we win.