<Last Match Review: Vissel Kobe>
The one who cast a spell on the away Kobe's pitch was "Taro of Blue and Red".
First, in the 5th minute, he triggered the opponent's yellow card with a brilliant turn. The team showed fine saves in succession from Taishi Brandon NOZAWA from the 15th minute of the first half, and "there is a chance after a pinch". Tokyo succeeds in plunging the Vissel Kobe goal with Taro's fantastic play.
It was the 24th minute of the first half. Keigo HIGASHI, who had turned forward from a pass exchange with Takahiro KO on the left side, crossed to the near zone. Ryotaro ARAKI, who had escaped into the penalty area, skillfully twisted his body and dropped the ball behind him with his chest, assisting Keita ENDO's brilliant finish. He produced the opening goal with a light and graceful post-play that seemed like watching in slow motion.
Taro's magic doesn't stop. In the 7th minute of the second half, he excited the stadium with a beautiful looping shot, and in the immediate 9th minute, he brought an additional point from a set play on the right side that he earned by being fouled.
With sharp eyes, Taro aimed and released a ball from his right foot that skillfully slipped between the opponent's goalkeeper and the final line. Running towards the far side with a low trajectory that arched over the pitch was player Soma ANZAI. From Taro's fantastic right foot, number 38 twisted in a determined header, widening Tokyo's lead to 2 points.
However, the opponent is the defending champion and Kobe, who is aiming for consecutive victories this season, is only one point behind the top spot. They launched a strong soccer attack with a bold high press and long balls, and even in the final stages when they were trailing by two points, they continued to play a power play without hesitation.
However, the blue and red team did not give up. With determination and pride in their hearts, they continued to focus on defense until the end and successfully defended their goal. They put an end to Kobe's impressive streak of 6 consecutive wins and 12 unbeaten matches in official games, and after 3 consecutive wins in the league followed by a draw, they once again achieved a victory. Throughout the 90 minutes, they showed their strength and resilience in defense, and secured a satisfying away win.
<Match Preview>
Facing Sagan Tosu at home, they drew 1-1, and in the previous match, they achieved a 2-0 victory against Vissel Kobe away. In this match, an accident occurred during the warm-up when Kota TAWARATSUMIDA was injured, and Keita ENDO replaced him in the starting lineup. Manager Peter CKLAMOVSKI encouraged ENDO, saying "Show your mentality", and ENDO responded to that expectation by scoring the opening goal in the 24th minute of the first half. ENDO praised his teammates, saying "Not just me, but my teammates were amazing. We couldn't play beautiful soccer, but we were able to play good soccer by maintaining our focus," showing his admiration for his teammates who fought for 90 minutes.
After this, we will maintain our good form with no losses in 5 games since September, and this round we will face Shonan Bellmare, who have won 3 consecutive games at Ajinomoto Stadium. Shonan is a team on a roll, having secured a come-from-behind victory against the top-ranked Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the previous round. For Tokyo, the key will be to avoid the opponent's high press based on hard work and take control of the game.
Masato MORISHIGE, who has played in all 6 games in a row, said, "Having good training and playing good games is our strength. We want to continue this momentum and challenge without breaking our routine." In order to break into the top in the last 4 games, Tokyo will fight together as a team until the very end.
This week's matchday program is here
[Interview with Peter Cklamovski]
Q, In recent matches, we have shown flexible responses to opponents of various styles and have been building up wins.
A, following our own rules and completing tasks leads to hard work, and I believe that continuing to play with trust results in victory.
Q, this week's opponent is Shonan Bellmare.
A. We truly respect Shonan. They have many young and talented players. They are also a club where players under 21 get a lot of playing time. However, there is one team that surpasses them. Can you guess who? Yes, it's us, Tokyo. We won the last match 1-0, but it was a very difficult game. We believe this match will be a big challenge and we will prepare to the fullest. We want to give our best performance and make it an exciting game.
Q, there are only 4 games left in the J1 League.
A, of course, we will focus on each game. No matter which team we face, our motivation is to fight strongly and challenge ourselves. Therefore, we will give our all.
[Player Interview]
Teppei OKA
Q, In the previous match against Vissel Kobe, my position changed from the recent games and I played as a center back.
A, we are conscious of connecting the ball firmly to the players on the front line from behind, so the view naturally changes for the center back and side back, but the recognition of what we should do for the team does not change. We communicate well with the players we play with and the players we play close to from our daily training. We take care to ensure that the way we fight does not change significantly when the positions of the players around us and myself change.
Q, this round is a match against Shonan Bellmare.
A, I would like to coordinate and align our understanding in both offense and defense. It is important for the defense line players to communicate and push out Shonan's attacking force. We will focus on quality and prepare for various situations to approach the game.
Q, we expect Okas player's hard work to contribute to the team's victory this round.
A, The ideal is to have a long defensive time without increasing the number of pinches. However, when faced with such situations or opponents, I want to show a solid defense that does not give freedom. And I want to achieve a victory at home and a winning streak in the league.
<Ewerton Gaudino>
Q, In the previous match against Vissel Kobe, I stood on the official pitch for the first time in about a month and a half.
A, I have had times when I couldn't play due to injury, but I am happy to have been able to return safely. And above all, I think there is great value in being able to earn 3 points in an important match. Personally, my condition is also improving, and I want to prepare to play in a good condition for the Shonan Bellmare match.
Q, As a team, we have been on a good streak with 5 consecutive wins in our recent official matches.
A, I think it is possible for any team to experience a period of being far from victory while fighting a long season. However, it is because Tokyo has the strength to overcome difficult situations with a sense of unity as a team that I believe the team's condition is once again moving in a good direction. It is important to continue to improve our condition until the end of this season.
Q, there are only 4 games left this season. What kind of play do you want to show to the fans and supporters?
A, there were times when I couldn't play in the game and I felt frustrated that I couldn't contribute. That's why I want to first step on the pitch and contribute to the team's victory with my play. My goal is to continue winning until the end without stopping the team's condition and this good flow.
