＜Match Review＞
This is a game we definitely want to win.
The 2024 Meiji Yasuda J1 League resumed as the international match week break ended. Tokyo welcomed Nagoya Grampus at the newly built National Stadium, where they have remained undefeated in the past.
The team has been struggling since their last win against Albirex Niigata in the 23rd round on July 13th (Sat). In the 29th round before the break, they managed to stop their streak of 4 consecutive scoreless games with 2 determined goals in the away game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, despite being affected by Typhoon No. 10. However, they were unable to secure a victory. They enter the break with a bitter feeling.
This week, we will have a good match at the National Stadium. The players are fired up to give a win to the fans and supporters who continue to support them.
The starting lineup for Tokyo features Taishi Brandon NOZAWA as the goalkeeper, with Kei Koizumi, Masato Morishige, Enrique Trevizan, and Tetsuhei Oka forming the back line from right to left. In the midfield, Keigo Higashi, who is making his first league start of the season, is paired with Takahiro KO, while Ryotaro ARAKI is deployed as the attacking midfielder. On the front line, Teruhito NAKAGAWA is on the right wing, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left, and Diego OLIVEIRA as the lone striker. Additionally, Keita YAMASHITA makes his first appearance on the bench in over a year and four months. Leon NOZAWA, who also made the squad, will be looking to shine once again at the National Stadium, where he scored his first J1 league goal in the 23rd round against Niigata.
1st HALF - Kei goal and Diego goal put us ahead by 2 points
A louder than usual "You'll Never Walk Alone" echoes from the back of the National Stadium, tightening the atmosphere. In addition, special effect fireworks liven up the stadium just before the start. The players are wearing a limited edition black 3rd uniform for this match, and the game kicked off at 7:03 pm.
First shot is Tokyo. Starting at 40 seconds, the ball is connected from the left side and East player aims for a middle shot.
Tokyo continues to possess the ball and search for attacking opportunities. The play of both players, who had strong feelings for this match, will move the game forward. It happened in the 13th minute of the first half.
On the left side, player Araki, who has the ball, supplies a sharp pass that cuts through the opponent's defense like a side change to the front line. Nakagawa, who receives this, carries it powerfully to the center and aims with his right foot, and player Higashi, who was in position, follows up on the rebound from the opponent's goalkeeper. The veteran duo, who were determined to respond with results, showed their determination and Tokyo succeeded in scoring the opening goal. The blue and red team takes the lead, for the first time since the last game at the National Stadium against Niigata. The stadium continues to echo with the chant "Oh! Keigo Higashi!" to honor the number 10 who scored the crucial opening goal.
Tokyo continued to push into the Nagoya defense by mixing long and short passes. They showed a focused battle on the defensive side, such as player Nakagawa's press back, and demonstrated a game where they took control while managing risks against the opponent's counterattacks.
Number 39's determination to win. That feeling will bear fruit once again. In the 29th minute of the first half, Nakagawa receives a long feed from Morishige and starts running forward. He quickly picks up the ball that the opposing defender couldn't clear with his head and dribbles past him. He then enters the goal area and is brought down from behind, earning a penalty kick. The kicker is Diego. As usual, he takes small steps and sends the ball to the left, tricking the opposing goalkeeper, making the score 2-0 in the 31st minute of the first half.
After the break, the team was more aware of the second ball, and there were hardly any scenes where they lost the ball from aggressive attacks and were countered. The final line also firmly closed the center, bouncing back with stable cross defense.
At the end of the first half, after 3 minutes of additional time, Tokyo led with 2 points.
2ndHALF - National remains undefeated with Yangoal and Telgoal
Tokyo made no changes to their lineup while Nagoya substituted two players during halftime. They entered the second half with the intention of continuing the momentum from the first half.
The opponent has been increasing their attack from the side, but Tokyo remains calm and responds. The players on the pitch keep in mind their 2-point lead and control the game without forcing a speed up even when they steal the ball. They firmly take the lead and continue the game.
Three players were substituted in the 15th minute of the second half. Kanta DOI, Yasuki KIMOTO, and Keita ENDO were sent onto the pitch in place of the goal scorer Higashi, Henrique, and Tawarazumida. DOI was utilized as a left midfielder for his technical skills.
Tokyo, who never let go of their attacking hand, scored their long-awaited first blue and red goal in the 20th minute of the second half. Diego TABA and Matsuki kept the ball near the penalty arc and developed it to the left side. Endo made a vertical run and crossed the ball, which was met by a sprinting Takahashi from the far side who took a powerful right-footed shot. The sharp trajectory pierced the goal net, securing Tokyo's third goal of the game. For Takahashi, who had scored a "phantom middle shot" (which was disallowed due to a foul in the previous play) in the 6th round match against Urawa Reds at the National Stadium, this was his long-awaited first blue and red goal. After scoring, he ran straight towards the goal end and expressed his joy by hitting his chest emblem with both hands while making a strong fist pump. The fans and supporters in the goal end shared the moment of joy together, chanting "BAMO! YAN".
In the 31st minute of the second half, Kasper JUNKER, who scored a hat-trick in the previous match, took a powerful shot from the left side, but goalkeeper Taishi NOZAWA made a fine save with his right hand. The defensive line is supporting the attacking line's performance firmly.
In the 33rd minute of the second half, Leon NOZAWA was substituted for Araki on the right wing. Nakagawa moved to the attacking midfield position. This change in position led to further excitement at the National Stadium. Number 39, who had been fighting hard on both offense and defense since the first half and was involved in 2 goals, finally experienced a moment of joy.
It was the 35th minute of the second half. Endo player carried the ball vertically from a short counter and made a through pass. Nakagawa player, who had broken through here, pierced a powerful left foot shot from a dribble and scored the fourth goal. He headed towards the goal behind with his hands on both ears, stopped there and listened to the chant while receiving a huge cheer. The man who had said, "I want to respond to the people who support me with results no matter what," left an overwhelming result with 3 goals including his own goal in front of a crowd of 55,896 people.
In the 40th minute of the second half, Yamashita was substituted for Nakagawa after conceding one goal. It was his first official game appearance since returning to Tokyo, but he showed his presence by boldly aiming for a shot.
The match ended 4-1 after 5 minutes of additional time. "Our National Stadium" showed a brilliant attacking soccer and won the league match for the first time in about 2 months with a large 4 goals. The chant of "The City That Never Sleeps" echoed throughout the stadium, and the players and the entire Japan National Stadium shared the joy with the victory's "You'll Never Walk Alone". It was a night of excitement for the National Stadium, Tokyo, and the fans.
MATCH DETAILS
＜FC Tokyo＞
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Kei Koizumi/Masato Morishige/Henrique Trevizan (substituted in the 15th minute of the second half: Yasuki Kimoto)/Tetsuhiro Oka
MF Uto Takahashi/Keigo Higashi (substituted in the 15th minute of the second half: Kanta Doi)/Ryotaro Araki (substituted in the 33rd minute of the second half: Leon NOZAWA)
FW Diego Oliveira/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (substituted in the 15th minute of the second half: Keita ENDO)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (substituted in the 41st minute of the second half: Keita YAMASHITA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Yuto NAGATOMO
GOAL
First Half 13th Minute: Keigo HIGASHI / First Half 31st Minute: Diego OLIVEIRA / Second Half 20th Minute: Takahiro KO / Second Half 36th Minute: Teruhito NAKAGAWA
Nagoya Grampus
STARTING Ⅺ
GK LANGERAK
DF Akinari KAWAZURA/Kennedyegbus MIKUNI/Takaya Uchida (Sub 0': Katsuhiro Nakayama)
MF Ryosuke YAMANAKA (Sub 21': Taichi KIKUCHI)/Keiya SHIIHASHI (Sub 30': Ken BEI)/Sho INAGAKI/Mamoru MORISHIMA (Sub 0': Ryuji IZUMI)/Yuki NOGAMI
FW Cássio JUNIOR/Kensuke NAGAI (Sub 21': PATRIC)
SUBS
GK Yohei TAKEDA
DF Hachanre
GOAL
40' Second Half: Sho INAGAKI
[Interview with Peter CKLAMOVSKI]
Q, please review today's game.
A, it was a game where we were able to show many good elements that lead to our important rules and strong performances. There were many good points in the game, and we were able to reap the rewards of what we did. However, there are still areas that we can improve on, and we want to continue without changing the process that we have been doing. We will analyze our performance thoroughly and continue to improve our way of playing. The players fought very well. I think they had a great mentality and spirit. For the fans and supporters, they gave their all to win 3 points. And as a result, we were able to score good goals. However, I am disappointed that we were not able to end the game without conceding any goals. This is an area that we need to improve on.
There were many good moments. We were able to move the ball well in the spaces we wanted and it led to four goals because we fought with a strong awareness of moving forward. If we can do our best, we can create an attack that is difficult for the opponent to stop, and I think that is something the opponent will dislike. We were determined to give our all and deliver three points to our fans and supporters. I am proud of the players who accomplished that. It is not just the players on the field today, but the entire team, all the staff, and everyone involved with the club. And tonight, I hope everyone enjoys this three points we have earned.
Q, I think this is the first time for 4 goals this season, was there any trigger?
A, what we have been building up throughout this season, we were able to show it today. We were able to show our discipline and dedication, and we were also able to break through and aim for the back. In the midst of that, there were times when we were able to control the ball and successfully hit the back or match our intended intentions. What we want to analyze is what we do on a daily basis. Today, our daily efforts paid off. I think it was really good for the players to be able to score four good goals.
[Player Interview]
＜Keigo HIGASHI＞
Q, please review the scene of the first goal in two months.
A, I had injuries and had fewer opportunities to play for more than six months, but I am the type of person who thinks surprisingly, so I have been thinking about what the team can do better and what should happen. When Teruhito NAKAGAWA had the ball, I ran ahead, but I thought that the team as a whole had fewer runs to help teammates, such as the "decoy" movement. When I saw that scene, Teruhito NAKAGAWA took a shot and I took a shot after it bounced off. That kind of movement is my strength, and as a defensive midfielder, I don't usually go forward, but in that scene, I happened to go forward and entered the goal area. I was lucky that the ball bounced to me there.
Q, I think the ball was moving smoothly during build-up.
A, Today, there were many changes in players and I think their individuality came out well in each situation. We did well today, but there are also times when things don't go well, so we need to think about what to do in those situations. Even in small details, I think judgment is important, such as not forcing ourselves when we need to go for the ball in defense, but maintaining balance.
Q, before the game, it was impressive to hear the voice saying "Let's have fun."
A, I think everyone starts playing soccer because it's fun. However, when you carry pressure, you can't help but feel cramped. Recently, everyone was like that. When I watched the game, everyone was so serious that I thought if we could just have fun and smile, we would naturally get into it. Once again, soccer is fun, so if we tighten up where we need to and don't make mistakes in how we enjoy it, the team can also improve. I think everyone went in a good direction today.
Q, please share your enthusiasm for the next match.
A, we have only won one game so far, so we cannot let our guard down. We must continue to say that this ranking is not good enough. The upcoming games will be even more important than today's. From tomorrow, we will prepare well and aim for consecutive wins.
Teruhito NAKAGAWA
Q, compared to the recent matches, it seemed that there was a high awareness of winning and scoring among the entire team, including player Nakagawa.
A, We played aggressively and only focused on unleashing our frustration from the previous match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the Japan National Stadium. That's why I think we were able to achieve such a great result. Winning is the best feeling.
Q, Keigo HIGASHI's opening goal came from Nakagawa's middle shot.
A, There was also the option to pass to Higashi before shooting, but I decided to take a slightly aggressive shot after observing the opponent's defense. Since it was still early in the game, I wanted to instill a sense of shooting awareness in the entire team. I think it was a well-timed goal with Higashi closing in on the play.
Q, it was a game where you could feel a particular awareness of trying to aim for the opponent's defense behind the ball.
A, while basing on connecting, we were able to consciously send the ball to areas that the opponent dislikes and firmly collect the second ball. This intention led to good scoring and plays.
Q, after the game, there was a scene where fans and supporters sang "Yuruneva" together for the first time in a while.
To all the fans and supporters, we always receive the best support from you. We always feel your cheers and the amazing atmosphere on the pitch, and it was great to see everyone singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" with a smile.
<Takahiro KO>
Q, please tell us the good points of playing with Keigo HIGASHI as a defensive midfielder.
A, there was the opponent Nagoya Grampus, so I had a sense that I could pull and move the ball relatively easily. By thoroughly managing the risks, I was able to actively move with player Higashi and find opportunities to attack, so I think that part went well.
Q, I also think the game management was very good.
A, it was important to take the lead with Higashi's goal and we were able to score an additional point. At halftime, there were voices in the locker room saying that we should aim for a third goal in the second half, so it was good that we were able to decisively win the game.
Q, the long-awaited first goal was born for Takahashi. How do you look back on it?
A, that was good. I was happy, but the cancellation from last time came to mind and I thought it might be a cancellation (laughs). It was the type of cross that the coach was looking for from the team, and it was a wonderful cross from Keita ENDO, so I was able to score with my senses and it was good.
Q, how was the voice from the fans and supporters behind the goal after the game ended?
A, We had a long period of not being able to win, and in the previous match, there were fans and supporters who supported us despite the influence of the typhoon, and they cheered us until the end. We really wanted to deliver a victory as soon as possible, so we approached the game with that feeling. It was great to be able to celebrate together.
