Match Review
The 2025 J.League YBC Levain Cup 1st Round 3rd Round is a single-elimination match to decide who advances to the playoff round. Tokyo faced Shonan Bellmare away. VAR will be introduced from the quarterfinals onward, known as the "Prime Round," and will not be used in this 3rd Round.
Aiming for the “J's Holy Grail” for the first time since the 2020 season, the Blue-Red team made significant changes to the starting lineup from last weekend's Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 17 match against Urawa Reds. They approached the game with a fresh formation, replacing nine players.
The goalkeeper is Taishi Brandon NOZAWA. The back line, which returned to action in the previous week's match against Urawa, was arranged with 38-year-old Masato MORISHIGE, who celebrated his birthday on this day, in the center, Yasuki KIMOTO on the right, and Teppei OKA on the left. The defensive midfielders were Takahiro KO and Keigo AZUMA, both known for their excellent passing skills. The wing backs were Yuto NAGATOMO on the right and Soma ANZAI on the left. Inside halves were Teruhito NAKAGAWA and Leon NOZAWA, who made his first official start of the season, while Marcelo Hian, who has scored in three consecutive league matches, was deployed as the lone striker. The bench was filled with players with distinctive qualities, aiming for victory through strategic use of the squad as a united team.
The match kicked off at Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka, where the weather turned comfortable after the daytime heat.
1st HALF—Created chances including a penalty kick but went into halftime scoreless
Tokyo took control from the opening exchanges. Centered around defender Morishige, defensive midfielder Taka, and midfielder Higashi, they circulated the ball while searching for attacking opportunities, then quickly changed the rhythm with one-touch passes to exploit the space behind and press toward the opponent's goal.
Tokyo attacks by connecting passes. When player Nagatomo adds depth to the attack with aggressive inner overlaps, at the 22nd minute of the first half, Nagatomo's cross ball induces a handball by the opponent, resulting in a penalty kick. The kicker is player RIAN. However, the shot by number 19 is saved by player Kamifukumoto, and although they try to follow up on the rebound, the ball goes wide to the right of the goal, failing to shake the net for the opening goal.
Shonan launches sharp and substantial attacks, but Tokyo responds firmly by switching gears. They show their determination to win through physical defense.
At the 34th minute of the first half, RIAN applied aggressive pressing from the front against the opponent's back pass. This caused a mistake by the goalkeeper, leading to a 50-50 ball situation, but RIAN's cutback was too large, and he could not take a shot. Then, at the 35th minute, Nagatomo's cross was headed by Leon NOZAWA, but the timing was slightly off, and the ball went over the bar.
Then, at the 39th minute, Takahashi intercepted the opponent's lapse in the midfield, turned with precise ball touches to face forward and made a pass. He then received the ball again through a one-two with Nakagawa and took a shot. Although it did not result in a goal, multiple players coordinated to create a chance.
The first half additional time is displayed as 2 minutes. During a defensive corner kick, player Nagatomo suffered an injury from a contact play. While he was being treated, the referee blew the whistle to end the first half.
Tokyo showcased a variety of attacks but was unable to score a goal, and the match was carried over to the second half.
2nd HALF—Taishi Nozawa makes a series of great saves but concedes on a single chance
Nagatomon, whose injury status was a concern, also appeared on the pitch, and there were no substitutions at halftime. Since the first half showed aggressiveness in both offense and defense, this game is one where they want to quickly turn the good attacks so far into results.
Tokyo continues to apply effective pressing from the front even in the second half. In the 8th minute of the second half, Leon NOZAWA received the ball on the left side and powerfully drove it forward. Although the opponent initially seemed to clear it, he closed in and stretched out his leg to intercept. He then dribbled forward and sent a final pass to central player RIAN, but unfortunately it was blocked by an opposing player.
In the 13th minute of the second half, player Anzai intercepted the ball on the left side and dribbled powerfully and skillfully through the opponent's territory. However, the pass aimed at the pocket did not reach Leon NOZAWA, and the chance was not converted.
Tokyo struggled to change the course of the match. In the 14th minute of the second half, they allowed an intrusion into the left side of their own penalty area and faced a decisive shot, but Taishi Nozawa firmly blocked the near post and deflected the close-range rebound shot. Furthermore, after the ball was played again from the loose ball, Nozawa once again caught it while falling. Wearing number 41, returning to the pitch for the first time in three official matches, he energized the team with consecutive big saves.
In the 18th minute of the second half, player Hian and Leon NOZAWA were substituted, bringing in Keito Sato as the lone striker and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA as the inside half simultaneously. This was done to revitalize the play on the pitch.
Tokyo had multiple set-piece opportunities from the first half. In the 26th minute of the second half, player Anzai delivered a free kick from the right side, which player Kimoto headed towards the far side, but it was saved by player Kamifukumoto. Both teams' players crowded around the rebound, creating a chaotic situation in front of the goal, but neither team was able to push it in.
Tokyo, looking to make further changes, switched at the 27th minute of the second half from Higashi and Nakagawa to Kei KOIZUMI and Keita ENDO. KOIZUMI is expected to increase the intensity in midfield, while ENDO is anticipated to get involved in the finishing work. Then, at the 30th minute of the second half, Seiji KIMURA came on for Morishige, who was making his return to the starting lineup. KIMURA took his place in the center of the back line.
Tokyo aimed to upgrade both offense and defense, but in the 37th minute of the second half, they allowed player Fujii to break free from a long ball. Although player Anzai desperately tracked back, the ball was cut back near the goal line and passed to the center, where player Hiraoka scored the opening goal.
Tokyo fell behind by one goal. In the 42nd minute of the second half, Endo's left corner kick created a chance in front of the goal, but they couldn't push it in. Despite creating some close opportunities, they just couldn't get that final touch.
During the 6 minutes of second-half additional time, they launched a fierce counterattack aiming to fight back. Although they faced a danger from Shonan's counterattack, Taishi Nozawa made a spectacular save with a diving block against Hiraoka's powerful shot. They showed desperate play to keep their hopes for victory alive. However, despite aiming for the goal until the very end, they could not shake the net of Shonan's goal, and the time was up. Unable to turn their efforts into results, this season's Levain Cup ended in tears at the 1st Round 3rd Round.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING XI
GK Taishi Brandon NOZAWA
DF Masato MORISHIGE (35' 2nd half: Seiji KIMURA) / Yasuki KIMOTO / Yuto NAGATOMO / Teppei OKA
MF Soma ANZAI / Woo Yang KOH / Keigo AZUMA (27' 2nd half: Kei KOIZUMI) / Leon NOZAWA (18' 2nd half: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
FW Marcelo Hian (18' 2nd half: Yoshimasa SATO) / Teruhito NAKAGAWA (27' 2nd half: Keita ENDO)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Kanta DOI/Kosuke SHIRAI
MF Kyota TOKIWA
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
－
<Shonan Bellmare>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Naoto KAMIFUKUMOTO
DF Naoya TAKAHASHI (30th minute 2nd half: Junnosuke SUZUKI) / Koki TATE / Kazunari ONO / Taiga HATA
MF Yuto SUZUKI / Masaki IKEDA / Akimi BARADA (30th minute 2nd half: Tomoya FUJII) / Kohei OKUNO (24th minute 2nd half: Taiyo HIRAOKA)
FW Luis Felippi (24th minute 2nd half: Shohei FUKUDA) / Akito SUZUKI (44th minute 2nd half: Hiroaki OKUNO)
SUBS
GK Kota Sanada
DF Kazuki OIWA
MF Senagi Ishibashi
FW Yutaro Oda
MANAGER
Satoshi YAMAGUCHI
GOAL
37th minute of the second half: Taiyo HIRAOKA
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, please review today's game.
It was a game where A held the initiative throughout, so conceding at that one final chance is truly frustrating. However, I believe the high quality of Shonan Bellmare, who firmly capitalized on that opportunity, brought them the victory. After that, we struggled a bit offensively; although we maintained some attacking presence, we couldn't create clear-cut chances. Even though there were a few opportunities, we couldn't break through, so the result is very disappointing.
Q. I think we played a good game, but what do you think was lacking?
A, of course, it is to score goals. We ended up with no goals. While it’s true that if we had converted the early penalty kick, things might have been different, it’s not just that—we also created several good chances, so finishing those is definitely important. We hold the initiative and have longer possession of the ball, so the challenge is to avoid rushing and to determine when to shift gears without losing composure.
If we absolutely cannot hold the ball and create clear scoring opportunities, there is a real possibility that psychologically we might fall into doubt, thinking "How can we do this...?" But at halftime, I told them, "That won't do." As long as we keep possession of the ball, we won't concede goals, and while holding it, we can create chances. It's about the mindset, and in the second half, we had several opportunities. If those had been converted, it would have made a difference. However, it's not about "what ifs"; we must finish our chances.
Following this defeat, we can only continue moving forward. Of course, in the world of competition, winning is essential, but losing in a game like this does not take away everything. There are certainly positive aspects in our performance, and I believe it is important to recognize those and keep progressing steadily.
Q. Even in defeat, I think there haven't been many matches where, for example, Leon NOZAWA could get involved in the flow of the game this well so far, and Yuto NAGATOMO played the full match as a starter for the first time in a while, showing overwhelming play against his opponent, Hata.
A, I truly think it was wonderful. Regarding Leon NOZAWA, he often created the play rhythm, so I believe he could have challenged himself a bit more as his original role. In the second half, while taking the initiative himself, he also firmly won the ball back on defense. However, the point to reflect on is that he couldn’t deliver the final pass properly, and I think it would have been good if he had chosen to go forward himself instead of passing. But I don’t think that option was absent from his mind. Although he was part of the squad, he hadn’t been given many opportunities to play, so considering that, I believe he had a strong determination. Both players were able to fully demonstrate their strengths.
Q. With Masato MORISHIGE returning, and Keigo HIGASHI and Takahiro KO playing as defensive midfielders, I believe this is the first time this season that these three start together. Having three skillful players with good ball control, it seems the team is closer to the style of football Coach Matsuhashi wants to play. What are your thoughts on this?
A, not only for them, the defensive midfielder position involves a very large number of tasks. Furthermore, it is an important position where you need to consider to some extent how to control the game and how to position yourself. In that sense, even though Higashi hasn’t had many opportunities to play, he has consistently maintained a performance in training that makes a clear difference, which is why he can play calmly during the actual games. Of course, with his experience and ideas, he is a player who can fully demonstrate his abilities.
After the match, I spoke with the players, and I believe it was a game where each player's unique qualities really stood out. However, the fact that this did not lead to a victory in the end shows that we still have some weaknesses. These weaknesses refer to whether we can accurately pass the ball, whether we can fully close down the opponent, whether we can prevent shots—small details that need to be perfected over the full 90 minutes. I think we need to refine these moments a little more. That said, in that sense, they played a very wonderful match.
[Player Interview]
<Keigo HIGASHI>
Q, in the first half, you created good chances with a good rhythm, but you couldn't secure the win.
A, this is the reality. We are not here to play a good game, but to win. I feel that our current situation is that we cannot win there. That is our weakness.
Q. What is lacking?
A, the final quality, deciding the crucial moments, and when unable to decide, the defense endures to prevent conceding. Shonan Bellmare has this, but we did not, which is a very important point in football. This is reflected in the league standings, and I believe this is why we cannot move up at the moment.
Q. I think the three of us—Masato MORISHIGE, Takahiro KO, and I—were able to play the style of football that Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI wants, exchanging the ball between midfield and defense with one-touch passes to target the space behind.
A, in that regard, while different players bring out different strengths and there are good moments, the purpose is not just to move the ball around, but to score goals. Since we cannot connect to goals, of course the content is important, but I believe the current state of football is that if you don't focus on the final part, you cannot advance to the top.
Q. While gaining confidence, were there also lessons learned?
A, you have scored many times already. Having done this much, after all. It’s meaningless if we don’t win, and nothing gets recognized in this world. Of course, with Morishige returning and results following, it would be even better, but this is the reality of the team, including myself, who can’t make that happen. How we change this is up to us.
Q. Similar to the previous match against Urawa Reds, the flow of the game continued in this match as well, where we were able to control the rhythm and create many chances.
We have to keep going, and as I said earlier, we need to turn those chances into goals. Of course, creating more opportunities increases the probability, but the opponent changes and their tactics change as well. Instead of focusing on that, we need to look at what was lacking to win, otherwise it will be difficult. The previous match against Urawa Reds was the same; in the end, Urawa won. Including myself, we need to pay more attention to the finer details. Today, I was given the captain's armband, and my weakness is that I couldn't lead that to victory. I believe I need to become stronger.
<Leon NOZAWA>
Q: It was your first start of the season.
A, since I played in a forward position, I wanted to get some numbers, and although I was able to stay involved with the ball, I needed to use my strengths to push further forward. That is what is expected of me now, and I deeply feel my lack of ability for not being able to fully demonstrate that. However, it’s not that I had no chances, and if I had scored then, things might have changed, so I think the lack of finishing there became an issue to work on.
Q. You had many opportunities to get involved with the ball to create rhythm. Did you feel that you were able to bring momentum to the team in that way?
A, I feel like I have gradually been able to achieve that within myself. There were many scenes where I faced forward more, or passed forward and moved in myself, but the parts I couldn’t do before, I gradually started to see my surroundings and felt connected with those around me. I was able to show that in today’s match, so it’s a part that gave me a bit of confidence.
Q, the Levain Cup ended here, but there are the league matches and the Emperor's Cup. How will you connect this match to the next?
A, as one of the players who participated in the match, I feel a great sense of responsibility for losing one of the cup competitions. The league matches are coming up soon, and we also have the Emperor's Cup, so we need to reflect on the parts of the game we lost here. However, without getting carried away by emotions, we want to focus firmly on what we need to do first. If we ourselves hesitate, the club cannot move forward, and we cannot grow as individuals, so it is important to do our best with everything we can do now. I want to work harder for the team.
<Taishi Brandon NOZAWA>
Q. There were moments when you saved the team, but it ended in a frustrating defeat.
A, I am very disappointed that one of the titles we were aiming for is now out of reach, but I believe we have no choice but to continue growing as a team from here. Including how we manage and close out matches like today's, I think it comes down to how the defense can stay focused and control from the back when we are able to attack well.
Q. There were also moments where you inspired the team with focused plays, such as saves from close range.
A, I absolutely did not want to give up the flow of the game. I myself made mistakes during the build-up and had moments where my teammates had to help me, but I was able to switch gears properly and make plays that led to counters. Conceding a goal when I was determined not to let the opponent take control of the game flow led to a difficult situation.
Q. In the league matches, you have been out of the starting lineup for two games, and I believe this was a match where Taishi Nozawa also wanted to deliver results.
A focused solely on the team winning and approached the match with that mindset. While the idea of personally standing out in this game was in the back of my mind, I was determined to do whatever I could to help the team win. I feel responsible for not being able to secure a victory.
Q. How will you use the frustration you experienced to move forward?
A, I want to keep growing and be prepared to perform at my best in any situation.
