<Match Review>
A rivalry match across the Tamagawa River. Following the previous round, this is another game that absolutely cannot be lost.
Tokyo is currently on a four-game losing streak in the league against Kawasaki Frontale. Furthermore, it is important not to forget the humiliating fact that they have lost the last three matches all by a score of 0-3. Yuto NAGATOMO, who is preparing for this match the next day, sounded a warning, saying, "Honestly, the team has been shown such a level difference that it’s questionable whether we can even call it a 'Clasico.'" He also expressed his determination, saying, "From here on, we want to work hard to show what we can do." Of course, past results do not determine the outcome of this match, but there have been instances where conceding goals due to momentary lapses or mistakes on our part have led to difficult situations. We want to enter the match with even greater focus than usual.
The starting eleven changed three players from the previous match. Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu was selected, and the center backs were Alexander SCHOLZ and Kanta DOI as a pair. The side backs were arranged with Soma ANZAI on the right and Nagatomo moved to the left. The defensive midfielders were Takahiro KO and Kento HASHIMOTO, with attackers Keita ENDO on the right and Marcos Guilherme on the left. Up front, Teruhito NAKAGAWA returned to the lineup for the first time in about a month, forming a two-forward system with Motoki NAGAKURA in a 4-4-2 formation for the match.
1st HALF—Identifying the right moment to attack, taking the lead securely with Endo's header
Tokyo showed aggressive soccer from the start. In the 3rd minute of the first half, Nagakura headed a right cross from Anzai, and in the 4th minute, Nagakura took a turning middle-range shot. They clearly demonstrated an intent to finish with shots while also being careful not to allow the opponent's counterattacks.
In the 10th minute of the first half, there was a danger from a set piece, but Elisson's header was sharply saved by Sungyu, who stretched out his right hand for a fine save. After that, Kawasaki gradually held the ball for longer periods, but the defense firmly closed the center to respond.
Kawasaki's lifeline is distribution from the defensive midfielders. The players' comments the day before the match notably reflected their awareness of shutting down the opponent's strengths, and true to those words, they positioned themselves to firmly intercept passes from the back line to the defensive midfielders and from the defensive midfielders to the front line, not allowing the opponent any freedom.
Then, in the 23rd minute of the first half, the long-awaited opening goal was created starting from the combination of Nagatomo and Marcos, who had both shifted to the left side in a vertical relationship since the previous match. Tokyo, having won the ball in midfield, spread the ball to the left side, connected from Nagatomo to Marcos, and broke through vertically. When the grounded cross from a deep position flowed to the opposite side, Nagakura, who overlapped, made a direct return with his right foot, and the one who met it in the center was Endo. He struck a header at the perfect timing, and Tokyo succeeded in scoring the long-awaited opening goal.
Then, in the 29th minute, while under pressure from the opponent, SCHOLZ connected with Takahashi and carried the ball forward. Takahashi delivered a perfect floating pass to Anzai, who sprinted full speed up the right side. From there, Anzai sent a grounded cross back, and Marcos, arriving from behind where Nakagawa had made a through pass, skillfully scored a brilliant goal. However, VAR support intervened on this goal, ruling it offside due to Anzai's position, and the goal was disallowed. It was a close call, but it was a wonderful attack that embodied the style of football we want to show in this match.
Tokyo's offensive pressure continues. In the 37th minute of the first half, Endo, positioned near the right sideline, received a vertical pass and flowed it forward. Kanzai, making an underlapping run, used his speed to evade the opponent and entered the penalty area to take a shot. The goalkeeper saved it, but the rebound fell to the free Nakagawa, who aimed with his right foot; however, he couldn't connect properly, and they failed to score an additional goal.
Using a combination of high press and mid-zone blocks to nullify Kawasaki's strengths, they executed the theme of transitioning from good defense to good offense. They also showcased flexible attacks blending sharp attacks and possession play, with Tokyo heading into the second half with a 1-goal lead.
2nd HALF—A second half of enduring and persevering. Focused defense leads to the first away game victory since the 2018 season
At halftime, Kawasaki brought in player Wakisaka as an attacking midfielder. With the addition of a distributor alongside the two defensive midfielders, Tokyo needs to be mindful of not allowing the three midfielders to freely control the ball.
In the early stages of the second half, Kawasaki continued to hold the ball, but Tokyo, as in the first half, tried to avoid giving the ball to the opponent's central midfielders as much as possible, blocked passing lanes, and thoroughly suppressed the destinations of passes. Including pressing back from the front line, they first focused firmly on defense while looking for attacking opportunities.
Tokyo showed speedy attacks but could not create clear scoring chances. In the 17th minute of the second half, Keito Sato came on for Nakagawa. Entrusting the activation of the pitch to number 16, who can grasp the rhythm based on hard defense from the front line.
Immediately after, at the 18th minute, player Nagakura skillfully turned near the goal line and struck with his right foot, fiercely attacking the near post. At the 20th minute, from Marcos's dribble, player Nagatomo made a fierce dash aiming to break through behind, and Tokyo began to regain control of the game by building up from the back line, gradually calming the match.
The defense also showed excellent concentration. In the 23rd minute of the second half, Yamamoto made a decisive through pass on the right side, allowing MARCINHO to break through, but Scholz, who sprinted back at full speed, blocked the shot with a powerful sliding tackle. Tokyo entered the final stages of the match maintaining a one-goal lead.
Against Kawasaki, who made a mass substitution of three players: Ienaga, Tachibana, and Miyagi, Tokyo also switched from Marcos and Takashi to Kota TAWARATSUMIDA and Kei KOIZUMI. They made player changes to tighten the midfield while aiming for a single counterattack. Furthermore, in the 39th minute of the second half, they brought in Muroya as right side back, replacing Endo. The formation shifted with Anzai moving one line forward.
The second half additional time was 6 minutes. Tokyo used up time while maintaining possession of the ball in an advanced position, but by becoming somewhat passive, they gave Kawasaki an opening. They allowed a left cross without applying pressure, Urmovic dived in the center, and the rebound was pushed in by Wakisaka, shaking the goal net. However, with VAR support, after an on-field review, the goal was ruled offside and disallowed. It seemed they were caught up at the last moment, but they maintained a one-goal lead thanks to VAR.
In the open final stages, at 90+10 minutes, player Sungyu made a super save by barely deflecting the opponent's header. The team stayed focused until the very end, with everyone defending against Kawasaki's fierce attacks until time was up. Following the previous match, they won another intense rivalry, achieving consecutive league victories for the first time since June, and the call of "We Are Tokyo!" echoed from the away goal section.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING XI
GK Kim Seung-gyu
DF Yuto NAGATOMO/Soma ANZAI/Alexander Scholz/Kanta DOI
MF Takahiro KO (34th minute 2nd half: Keisuke Koizumi)/Kento HASHIMOTO/Keita ENDO (39th minute 2nd half: Sei MUROYA)/Marcos Guilherme (34th minute 2nd half: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
FW Motoki NAGAKURA/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (18th minute 2nd half: Megumu Sato)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Masato MORISHIGE
MF Keigo HIGASHI
FW Leon NOZAWA/Ewerton Gaudino
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
23rd minute of the first half: Keita ENDO
<Kawasaki Frontale>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Louis YAMAGUCHI
DF Fan Welmeskelken Sai / Philip Uremovic / Asahi SASAKI / Sota MIURA
MF Hajime Kawahara (2nd half 34 min: Kento TACHIBANADA) / Yuki YAMAMOTO / Lazar Romanic (2nd half 0 min: Yasuto WAKIZAKA)
FW Tatsuya Ito (2nd half 34 min: Akihiro IENAGA) / MARCINHO (2nd half 34 min: Ten MIYAGI) / Elison (2nd half 39 min: Yu KOBAYASHI)
SUBS
GK Sung Ryong JUNG
DF Shuto TANABE/Ryota KAMIHASHI/Kaito TSUCHIYA
MANAGER
Shigetoshi HASEBE
GOAL
―
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, Please give us a review of today's match.
A, I am grateful to the players who truly never gave up and aimed for victory until the very end, as well as to the fans and supporters who cheered us on. Regarding the game, there were several chances to score in the first half, and there was also an offside decision. If we had thoroughly addressed those details and moved the game in a better direction, I don't think the match would have unfolded like this. In the second half, the problems in attack also appeared in defense. While such dangerous moments were bound to occur, in the end, we were saved by the offside call. By firmly controlling the ball, especially during transitions and in contests for second balls or loose balls, we could have maintained our formation properly. The defensive balance behind that would not have been disrupted, but during periods when we were pushed back, we couldn’t advance on the sides, which led to those kinds of situations from being pressed. Because the opponent had that level of quality, we must improve both our playing skills and decision-making in those areas.
Q. What was the intention behind using Kanta DOI as a center back today?
A, expectations regarding the way we build from the back, and although he is still young and slight, he is a player with very strong physical contact. Recently, he hasn't been able to be used as a starting member often, so I believe he himself had strong determination, and I wanted him to show that energy in this game. That was the intention behind his selection.
Q. I think the attack in the first half went as planned, but how do you analyze the part where you couldn't score an additional goal?
A, I think the first offside was a matter of timing. I believe it was a good attempt, and aiming behind the defense was very good. In the first half, we were able to deliver the ball properly in front of the goal, and rather than focusing solely on that, it was about maintaining a good balance with players moving in, as well as incorporating a bit more variety, such as middle-range shots or more approximate plays. By mixing these up, it becomes harder for the opponent to focus their defense. Changing tactics like this is one of the important aspects to create more and more goals.
Q. Please tell us the intention behind using Yuto NAGATOMO as a left side back and your evaluation throughout the match. Also, was the fact that Ito was facing him related to this decision?
A, that's exactly it. Looking at his current form, of course, we understand that MARCINHO is also a very dangerous player, but (Nagatomo) has the ability to play on both the left and right sides, and given that task, I think he defended almost perfectly.
Q. Please evaluate the defense in terms of not allowing the opponent's defensive midfielder to receive passes or move freely, and also evaluate the transition to offense from there.
A, before evaluating the defense, it was precisely because there was an offensive plan behind it that we were able to slightly reduce the opponent's strength in the first half. By drawing out players to certain positions we created and involving specific players, we prevented them from securing dangerous play areas. However, looking at recent matches, there are quite a few players staying forward. It's not that they are neglecting defense, but rather that their confidence in defense is reflected in this; by holding their positions, they connect well with the three players remaining upfront. Considering where we build the game, I believe this positively influenced our defense in the first half. In the second half, we couldn't maintain this, which led to the situation we saw.
Q. What are your thoughts on the consecutive wins against Verdy and Kawasaki Frontale?
A, we haven't won in a long time, so we want to use this to build momentum again. However, there is no time to relax here, so I think we just have to keep pushing forward.
[Player Interview]
<Keita ENDO>
Q, declared to decide, and followed through on the promise.
A, it was a tough match, but there was something that fired me up. We had been losing continuously in the Tamagawa Clasico, so I wanted to show some pride, and with Ito being talked about so much, I thought, "I'll steal the show here." In that sense, I'm happy to have helped the team win with my goal.
Q, it was a goal scored with a header, not with the foot.
A, regardless of the manner, what matters is that I scored a goal and the team won. Also, the opponent was a tough team with quality, and we didn't know how it would end until the very last moment, but it is significant that as a team we stayed focused and won without conceding any goals.
Q. You play an attacking position, but I think you also had many tasks involving tracking back to defend. What were you conscious of while playing?
A, since the opponent has quality, we anticipated that the game would develop like this, so the team was able to respond without rushing. That said, I think we showed sharp attacks such as counterattacks after regaining possession. It was a wonderful game.
Q. Before tactics, we felt a fighting spirit from the entire team. What is the reason for that?
A, before the match, we all talked about how we usually only realize when we're being threatened or in danger, and that's when we start to get going. So, we decided to go full throttle from the start. I think everyone embodied that in our aggressive attitude at the beginning.
Q. Isn't the consecutive wins against Verdy in the Tamagawa Clasico significant for the team?
A, personally, my performance in the Tokyo V match was not very good, and I was unnoticed in a game that caused a lot of commotion. I had the determination to score a decisive goal here, and it was good that I was able to achieve that as a result.
Q, It is a home game against Avispa Fukuoka with only two days in between.
A, I think it's an all-out battle. The other side is under the same conditions, so what is required of us is how many consecutive wins we can achieve from here. Since we can play at home, we want to extend our winning streak without showing any weaknesses.
<Soma ANZAI>
Q: We were able to take the lead in the first half.
A, we understood the importance of scoring first, so from the locker room after warming up, everyone encouraged each other to focus on the start of the game, and I believe we were actually able to concentrate and get into the match, so I think that was one of the major factors in our victory.
Q. You were able to get involved in many attacks in good form, but what were you conscious of?
A, Keita ENDO skillfully moved inside to take up position, and since we somewhat expected the space behind the side to open up, we were able to create good opportunities in the first half. I think the issue was that we lost control of the ball in the second half, so I want to further improve the quality of maintaining our ups and downs throughout the full 90 minutes.
Q. You contributed defensively even after being pushed back in the second half. What were you focusing on during the second half?
A, I think the same applies to myself, but I was always focused on ensuring that none of the four defenders left gaps. The forwards were also running hard, and the entire team concentrated solely on playing without leaving any holes.
Q: After changing positions in the second half and moving one line forward, maintaining the intensity of the press led to keeping a clean sheet.
A, there were also scenes where we were saved by offside calls. I wanted to ride the momentum created by the players who participated in the previous match, and since I was watching Sei MUROYA and Yuto NAGATOMO closely, I played with the determination not to lose to those two. I believe the real challenge starts from here, and since those two are showing amazing performances, I want to work hard without losing to them.
Q, Were you able to play today without losing to those two?
A, I still believe we haven't reached that level yet, so from here on, I want to work harder with a more aggressive and determined spirit.
Q, Please tell us your enthusiasm for the upcoming Avispa Fukuoka match, which will be held with only two days in between.
A, I think everyone is focused right now and creating a good flow, so since we haven't had three consecutive wins this season yet, we all want to prove that we can do even better together.
＜Alexander SCHOLZ＞
Q: Please reflect on the match.
A, Kawasaki Frontale is a very wonderful team, and we knew that the defensive periods would be long. Today, I think it was a very good match where we fought firmly without giving the opponent any freedom in the defensive phase.
Q. Your play stood out for neutralizing the opponent's strengths. What mindset did you have going into the game?
In the first half, players Ellison and Romanic positioned themselves like a two-top, and Kanta DOI was marking them man-to-man. DOI was defending very tightly, and there was good communication between marking and covering, so I think it was a rewarding first half for him. From the start of the second half, Wakisaka came in, and there were times when we struggled to manage the space and passes into it, but I'm glad we were able to win without conceding a goal.
Q, There was also a brilliant sliding tackle that blocked MARCINHO's breakthrough.
A, I was able to tackle at a good timing in that scene. While patiently maintaining my distance, there was a large space behind me, so I thought this was the only moment and carefully aimed to block. Even when blocking in such scenes, it can sometimes still lead to a goal, so I think there was also an element of luck involved.
Q, This marks consecutive wins in the league matches.
A, both matches turned out to be good games. The atmosphere in the stadium felt even more wonderful than usual. It became an important winning streak for us. Especially this round, considering the results of other venues, it was a match we absolutely had to win. Looking ahead to the next game, we want to firmly face forward, treat today's victory as a thing of the past, and focus on what we need to do to win.
