<Match Review>
A restart match aiming to rebuild after the winning streak was stopped. The blue and red army challenged an away game against Shimizu S-Pulse just before the international match week.
In the previous match against Yokohama F.Marinos, we conceded 3 goals in just 11 minutes and suffered a defeat. We lost our balance and conceded multiple goals because we couldn't execute our planned attack from the start. Although we fought back by scoring 2 goals in the final stages, it was not enough. Learning from that experience, we want to enter the break period with a positive momentum by staying calm during difficult times, showing a bold attitude, and playing flexible soccer to secure a victory.
Tokyo's starting eleven changed four players from the previous match. The goalkeeper is Kim Seung-gyu, who was selected for the South Korean national team in the October series. The center backs are Masato MORISHIGE and Kanta DOI, forming a partnership in the back four for the first time since the away match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in August last season. The side backs are Yuto NAGATOMO on the right, who has joined the SAMURAI BLUE, and Sei MUROYA on the left, aiming to shut down Shimizu's favored wing attacks. In midfield, Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI line up as defensive midfielders, with attackers Keita ENDO on the right and Marcos Guilherme on the left. Marcelo Jian and Megumu Sato form the two-forward setup. Additionally, Kosuke Shirai, who was substituted due to injury in the Emperor's Cup Round of 16, returned to the bench after about two months. During the pre-match player introductions, applause came from the blue and red supporters behind the goal.
This match will be played wearing the special gray-colored Special Kit. It is the first of three away games from October where this special edition kit will be worn. Facing Shimizu, who are tied with 40 points, we want to secure a solid result and get off to a good start.
1st HALF—Approaching the opponent's goal from the start but lacking finishing power
From the start of the match, Tokyo showed an aggressive approach. Playing positively in both offense and defense, they won the ball high up the field in the 3rd minute of the first half and moved it to the right side through players Sato and Marcos. Although Endo's cross was stopped by the opposing goalkeeper, multiple players crowded near the goal, demonstrating an assertive start.
Tokyo's offensive pressure continued. In the 8th minute of the first half, Lukian took a shot while turning around from a vertical pass by Sato. Then, in the 9th minute, Nagatomo broke away at full speed from a sharp through pass by Endo, carefully assessing the movement inside the area and sent a grounded cross in the minus direction. Lukian, running in from behind, aimed with his right foot, but the goalkeeper blocked it at close range, and the perfect setup could not be converted into a goal.
In the 15th minute of the first half, player Hian pressed from the front line, took the ball at a high position, and carried it forward, but the pass to player Sato, who was running alongside, was slightly off, and they couldn't bring it to a finish. With a series of close chances but no goals, it's a period where they want to shake the net early and take the lead.
When unable to score from breaking through, Endo aimed a mid-range shot. The first attempt was blocked by the opponent, but at the 20th minute of the first half, he delivered a powerful strike with his right foot. Then, at the 23rd minute, from RIAN to Marcos, they broke down the left side, and Takashi took a direct shot from the cross. However, the right foot of number 8, struck at perfect timing, missed to the left of the goal.
Tokyo gradually lost control to Shimizu, unable to score as desired and disrupted in their build-up play under the opponent's press. In the 34th minute of the first half, they allowed the opponent's right side to be free, resulting in Yoshida's sharp left-footed cross being headed in by Takahashi at the far side, conceding a goal. The side attack they had been wary of resulted in a one-chance goal, and the bad momentum directly translated into the score.
Tokyo first wants to equalize. In the 44th minute of the first half, from a high press, RIAN dashed with the ball and advanced, passing to Endo who came in from the right side. He sent it with one touch in front of the goal, but just before reaching Marcos, the goalkeeper caught it, and it did not result in a score.
In the first half, the match remained unchanged even during the one minute of additional time. Despite controlling most of the game from the start, the team lacked finishing power and conceded a lead due to a momentary lapse, leading to a frustrating halftime.
2nd HALF—Withstand the opponent's pressure and convert limited opportunities into goals
In the second half, they want to regain momentum from a focused start and bring the match back to square one. Tokyo holds the ball and presses forward, looking for an opportunity to break through.
However, Tokyo, unable to create attacking opportunities as desired, made substitutions in the 16th minute of the second half, bringing in Kota TAWARATSUMIDA and Leon NOZAWA in place of Marcos and Endo. They adopted a strategy to revitalize the attack by switching the side attackers.
This substitution immediately creates a chance for Tokyo. In the 18th minute of the second half, player Tawara Tsukida dribbles in from the left side, cuts inside, and makes a through pass vertically. Player Taka breaks free, clashes with the goalkeeper, and player Sato shoots the loose ball. Player Nagatomo picks up the rebound and fires a rocket-like long-range shot with his right foot, but the powerful strike narrowly misses to the left of the goal.
After that, there were periods when Shimizu held possession of the ball, but in the 28th minute of the second half, a big chance was created through quick coordination. Player Nagatomo made a long grounded vertical pass, which Player Sato dropped, and Player Tak, who received it facing forward, made a through pass into the space behind. Lucas RIAN sharply broke through, but his ball touch was too long, and he couldn't get a shot off.
Then, in the 31st minute of the second half, Tokyo, who had been creating good chances, finally scored the long-awaited equalizer. Player Morishige's long feed was received by Tawara Tsukida, who broke through the center, and then player Sato took the pass, made a quick feint, and powerfully struck with his right foot, shooting through the near side. The number 16, who had been hungry for a goal, marked his first league goal in about three months, successfully bringing the match back to even.
In the 42nd minute of the second half, Teppei OKA, making his first appearance in about a month and a half, was brought on as a center back, replacing Taira SHIGE. Keita YAMASHITA was sent onto the pitch, replacing the player Sato, who had contributed with an equalizing goal as well as hard defense from the front line and participation in build-up play.
Tokyo, aiming to take the lead without easing their attack, pressed forward with defense from the front line and sharp counterattacks into the opponent's territory. During the 6 minutes of additional time displayed, they consecutively earned corner kicks, trying to decide the match. However, they still couldn't shake the net. In the 90+4 minute, Matsuzaki's shot hit the right post, and in the 90+5 minute, from a corner kick play, Sumiyoshi's header grazed the right post, with a back-and-forth battle continuing until the very end.
In the end, the match ended with time up as it was. After missing a clear chance in the first half and conceding the opening goal, the team revitalized the flow with player substitutions and managed to equalize, but the away game ended in a 1-1 draw, a result that fell short of a win.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING XI
GK Kim Seung-gyu
DF Muroya Nari/Masato MORISHIGE (42nd minute 2nd half: Teppei OKA)/Yuto NAGATOMO/Kanta DOI
MF Takahiro KO/Keita ENDO (16th minute 2nd half: Leon NOZAWA)/Koizumi Kei/Marcos Guilherme (16th minute 2nd half: Kota TAWARATSUMIDA)
FW Sato Yoshimitsu (42nd minute 2nd half: Keita YAMASHITA)/Marcelo Jian
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Henrique TREVISAN/Kosuke SHIRAI
MF Keigo HIGASHI
FW Teruhito NAKAGAWA
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
31st minute of the second half: Kei Sato
<Shimizu S-Pulse>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Togo UMEDA
DF Jelani Reshaun SUMIYOSHI/Kim Minte/Sodai HASUKAWA
MF Yutaka Yoshida (38th minute second half: Ken TAKAGI)/Masaki YUMIBA (22nd minute second half: Zento UNO)/Mateus Bueno/Reon YAMAHARA
FW Kazuki KOZUKA (22nd minute second half: Kai MATSUSAKI)/Toshiki TAKAHASHI (28th minute second half: Koya KITAGAWA)/Takashi INUI (38th minute second half: Shinya YAJIMA)
SUBS
GK Yuya OKI
DF Kento HANEDA
MF CAPIXABA
FW Alfredo Stefans
MANAGER
Tadahiro AKIBA
GOAL
34th minute of the first half: Toshiki TAKAHASHI
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q. Please give a summary of the match.
A, I believe we were able to decide the outcome in the first half. There was a possibility to determine the match result in the first half, and the missed chances significantly changed the flow afterward. However, despite aiming to make a comeback in the second half, the game proceeded at the opponent's pace. Ultimately, including moments when we were saved by the post, we managed to withstand several critical situations, and the players worked hard to create scoring opportunities and subsequent chances. We want to build on this valuable 1 point and connect it to future matches.
Q. How do you evaluate player Kei Sato's decisive shot that scored the equalizing goal and his contribution to the team?
A, the moment I struck it, from the angle I was watching, I thought it went in. I believe it's important to strike without hesitation. I think his spirit took over and shook the net. He is truly a dedicated player and has the spirit to play in many positions. However, where he can be most effective requires constantly observing the opponent and his performance to make tactical decisions and selections.
Q. In the play just before the goal, Kota TAWARATSUMIDA took position behind the opponent instead of at his feet, which led to the goal.
A, I told him to make good use of his strengths and firmly aim for the space behind. He is a speedy player and took very good positions in the space. His ability to take on opponents after receiving the ball at his feet is a major weapon, and I believe not only we but all the opponents are aware of this. In that situation, he was able to catch them off guard. I think being able to judge which was more effective—his strengths or what lies behind them—led to that play. Although it was during the tiring final moments, I am glad that his precise play led to a goal.
Q. Dealing with crosses has been a challenge, and this week it again led to conceding a goal.
A, I think both the response after the cross ball was delivered and allowing the cross ball to be delivered are problems, and we just have to keep working on them. We have no choice but to continue, and I believe we can fully overcome these challenges with the players we currently have. It is true that conceding a goal from a cross ball resulted in this game ending in a draw, but there were also moments where the team demonstrated their abilities well in other plays. We just have to accept this firmly and keep moving forward.
[Player Interview]
<Player Kei Sato>
Q, please review the scoring scene.
A, in my mind, since the opponent was facing me directly from player Tawara Tsukida, I was thinking of shifting and aiming for the far side. However, since the opponent was following my movement, I changed my aim to boldly shoot near. I'm glad it was well executed.
Q. It seemed like you scored while staying very calm and seeing various things clearly.
A, I think I was able to play with a relaxed and easygoing mindset in a good way. I was able to finish it off just as Naosan (Naohiro ISHIKAWA Community Generator) advised.
Q. What kind of advice do you specifically receive from Ishikawa CG?
A, since I often missed the target when shooting, I was told, "You have the momentum to move forward, so if you swing your foot without putting in too much force with that momentum, you can naturally make a powerful shot." The feeling was good even in recent practice, so I want to work on increasing my goals from here.
Q. How did you feel the moment you scored the goal?
A, I had not been able to score until now. Even so, I believe I was able to give back at least a little to the fans and supporters who kept cheering for us.However, the match ended in a draw, and I am not satisfied with that.In the next game, I want to firmly show my presence by scoring goals and contribute to the team's victory, which we need the most right now.
Q. It seems that Sato's strengths were evident not only in scoring but in various other aspects as well.
A, my role does not change, and I intend to fulfill it at all times.Even if it is defense, I am also conscious of supporting my partner Marcelo RYAN to play comfortably, and I think that contributed to today's goal, so I believe it was good.
Q. How do you want to build up during the break from here?
A, it is very frustrating that we couldn't win playing that kind of soccer in the first half, but we have to take the draw as a positive. While there are good points and issues, we will face them properly during the break and approach the next match with a sense of unity.In the last 5 league matches, we want to work together as a team to achieve the highest possible ranking.
<Yuto NAGATOMO>
Q, it was a match against Shimizu S-Pulse, who are tied with 40 points.
A, the team's performance in the first half was very good, and we had solid chances. The reason for this result is that we couldn't finish those opportunities. During that good flow in the first half, we were caught off guard by a single shot from the opponent's cross ball. We have practiced dealing with crosses, but I painfully realized that one week is not enough to fully address the weaknesses.
Q. I think there were some difficult parts with Alexander SCHOLZ absent, how do you feel about that?
A, I think Kanta DOI also responded firmly. Regarding the conceded goal from the cross ball, it is not only him but also myself who needs to close down properly.
Q. There were some close shots in the second half, weren't there?
A, once it went in, it was a complete golazo. It also happened in the first half, but when in good condition, you can aim for interceptions like in that scene, and from there, you can join the attack and show decisiveness. It’s meaningless if it doesn’t score, but today as well, in the first half, there was a scene where Marcelo RYAN connected, and when able to push forward, he was able to participate in the attack in good form, so I want to increase those occasions a bit more.
Q. Has your performance improved again since the Japan national team's expedition to the United States?
A, you need to raise it more. If you can't deliver a performance that dominates in the J.League, you won't be able to become a regular on the Japan national team. I want to keep pushing myself strictly without being satisfied.
<Kei KOIZUMI>
Q. As the captain who played the full match, please share your reflections on the game.
A, the fact that we couldn't win is everything. Of course, it is the minimum acceptable result, but personally, it was my first full match in a while, and although I am not frequently in the starting lineup, we managed to get 1 point, but I think it was a frustrating game.
Q, I believe you have been training to address the issues from the previous match and approached today's game with that in mind.
A. Since we conceded many goals from crosses, this week the team worked on dealing with crosses and defense, and held meetings. However, I don't think everything can be improved so easily in just one week of practice. As Coach Matsuhashi also said, it's not about the location, space, or positioning; in the end, it's the people who decide. We need to mark the opponents more closely, prevent them from delivering crosses, and ultimately focus on these fundamental aspects. This is not about who does what, but something the team must thoroughly address once again.
Regarding today's soccer content, Shimizu S-Pulse shows a clear contrast between being bold when they need to be and holding the ball up front when they want to, and we must learn from that sense of balance. I believe we can definitely create such moments ourselves as well.
Q: There will be a short break, but how are you preparing for the matches in the final stages of the season?
A, since there will be a gap until the next match, it's important to properly rest both body and mind. There are only 5 league matches and at most 2 Emperor's Cup matches left, so there are less than 10 matches remaining this season. I believe each player started this season with various resolutions, and I want everyone to recall those feelings once more. Not only the players but also the staff, coaches, fans, and supporters, we want to fight together to fully complete this year.
