<Match Review>
The 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League is in its last 5 matches. The away game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima held on Friday night saw the Blue-Red Eleven wear the gray-colored Special Kit again, continuing from the previous match.
Hiroshima has built solid results so far, using their strong defense that has conceded only 23 goals in 33 league matches. Not only are they 7 points behind the top spot in the league, but they have also reached the Final Round of the J.League YBC Levain Cup and advanced to the Semifinal Round of the Emperor's Cup, keeping the possibility of winning the domestic treble alive.
Based on a stable defense that fully demonstrates individual strength, the team advances the game aggressively. For Tokyo, it will be a match where they want to firmly control one-on-one confrontations with opposing players both offensively and defensively, while breaking down the opponent's defensive network as a team to bring in goals and secure victory.
The starting eleven for the Hiroshima night game of the “Kin J” features goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, who has returned from the South Korean national team. The center backs are Alexander SCHOLZ and Masato MORISHIGE forming a partnership, with Yuto NAGATOMO, returning from SAMURAI BLUE, at right back and Sei MUROYA at left back. In the defensive midfield, the game-controlling players are Taiyo YAMAGUCHI and Keigo Higashi. The wide attackers are Keita ENDO on the right and Marcos Guilherme on the left. The two forwards aiming for goals are Keita YAMASHITA, starting for the first time since round 28, and Keito Sato, who scored a spectacular equalizer in the previous match against Shimizu S-Pulse. Additionally, Taiyo YAMAGUCHI, who made his second bench appearance, is aiming for a milestone professional debut.
In the 2024 season, after struggling greatly due to the impact of the typhoon during the Hiroshima away game, the match at EDION PEACE WING HIROSHIMA was blessed with good weather. Supported by many blue and red family members who rushed to the stadium, the match kicked off at 19:03.
1st HALF—Lost control, forced to endure the situation
The team that took control from the start was Hiroshima. Tokyo wanted to draw back well and aim for a counterattack, but they were unable to regain possession in a good position and could not launch a counterattack. On the contrary, they lost the ball in a high position and were pressed, leading to a difficult period.
In the 8th minute of the first half, player Muroya received the ball again from his own throw-in on the left side and advanced to the goal line. He skillfully targeted the pocket near the goal and crossed the ball back, but the forwards who had crowded inside the penalty area could not take a shot, failing to create a scoring opportunity.
After that, Hiroshima continued to focus on high pressing to quickly regain possession, making use of their high-positioned wing-backs to spread the play to the sides and launch attacks. Tokyo also wants to approach the opponent's territory with quick attacks, but with the opponent retreating quickly, time passes without being able to find effective attacking options as desired.
Tokyo displayed a defense that somehow prevented the opponent from creating clear scoring chances, even while the opponent controlled the pace. They gradually extended their playtime in the opponent's territory, but Hiroshima responded firmly by forming a block with five defenders and four midfielders, preventing Tokyo from breaking through completely.
In the first half, the score remained unchanged even during the one minute of additional time. Although the defense fought hard in the crucial one-on-one situations, the challenge was how to connect that to the attack. The team faced issues in the depth of their offense and breaking down the defense as they headed into halftime.
2nd HALF—Fought tenaciously and earned 1 point on enemy ground
Hiroshima took the initiative. From the start of the second half, they brought on player Torgai as an inside half and player Nakamura as the left wing-back to energize the pitch. Then, in the 4th minute of the second half, player Shiotani and, in the 7th minute, the recently substituted Torgai took shots from advancing positions, but in both cases, player Kim Seung-gyu showed sharp reactions with fine saves, not allowing any goals.
In the 11th minute of the second half, after being caught out by a through pass, a series of attacks were launched, but goalkeeper Sungyu powerfully rushed out and punched the ball away. Although the defense was pushed back from there, the defenders threw their bodies to make consecutive blocks. With spirited defense, the match continued with the score remaining goalless.
Here, the Tokyo bench makes a move. At the 17th minute of the second half, they substituted Koizumi into the defensive midfield position for Higashi, and sent Leon NOZAWA onto the pitch as the right attacker in place of Marcos, while shifting Hikaru ENDO to the left attacker position. Amidst the shining defensive efforts, the question was how to create gaps in Hiroshima's defensive network. The focus turned to changes in the attacking strategy.
It was finally in the 25th minute of the second half that the Tokyo style emerged. They launched a coordinated press on the right side and immediately regained possession, then player Takahashi sent a long through pass to the left front. Player Muroya, who overlapped here, ran in and aimed with the instep of his right foot, but this was saved by Japan national team goalkeeper player Osako.
Meanwhile, Tokyo's representative players also showed excellent defense. At the 30th minute of the second half, when Hiroshima launched a rapid counterattack, Nagatomo responded. While marking Nakamura, who was trying to break through, he also covered the space behind and the players making runs, and when they were about to enter the penalty area, he quickly closed the distance and blocked the shot. Furthermore, from this corner kick, Araki connected with a perfect header on the far side, but this time Sungyu made a sharp reaction with a flying super save. The blue-red representatives from Japan and Korea impressed with their defense.
Tokyo, wanting to respond to the hard work of the defense that had endured so far, made a change in the 40th minute of the second half by substituting Endo with Yamaguchi, who made his professional debut. They shifted Sato to the left attacker position and placed the rookie striker at the forefront. Furthermore, in the 44th minute of the second half, they switched Sato and Yamashita for Soma ANZAI and Teruhito NAKAGAWA. Using their final substitution, they entrusted the players on the pitch with the outcome of the match.
In the 5 minutes of added time displayed in the second half, Tokyo attacked Hiroshima's territory by mixing counterattacks and possession. The substituted players actively pressed, controlling the origin and destination of the opponent's passes while taking the initiative. They brought the game into the open style they aimed for, and a heated back-and-forth battle unfolded until the very end.
The match ended with the time up as it was. The players fought through without losing focus until the very end, resulting in bringing back 1 point from a tough away game against a formidable opponent.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING XI
GK Kim Seung-gyu
DF Sei MUROYA/Masato MORISHIGE/Yuto NAGATOMO/Alexander Scholz
MF Takahiro KO/Keigo Higashi (17th minute 2nd half: Kei Koizumi)/Keita ENDO (40th minute 2nd half: Taiyo YAMAGUCHI)/Marcos Guilherme (17th minute 2nd half: Leon NOZAWA)
FW Keita YAMASHITA (44th minute 2nd half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA)/Kei Sato (44th minute 2nd half: Soma ANZAI)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Teppei OKA/Kanta DOI/Kosuke SHIRAI
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
―
<Sanfrecce Hiroshima>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Keisuke OSAKO
DF Sho SASAKI/Hayato ARAKI/Kim Ju-sung
MF Shuto NAKANO (30th minute 2nd half: Naoki MAEDA)/Tsukasa SHIOTANI/Shun KAWANABE (35th minute 2nd half: Kosuke KINOSHITA)/Naoto ARAI (0 minute 2nd half: Sota NAKAMURA)
FW Mutsuki KATO (25th minute 2nd half: Daiki SUGA)/Jermaine Ryo/Valere GERMAIN (0 minute 2nd half: Turgay ARSLAN)
SUBS
GK Cheong Minggi
DF Taichi YAMASAKI
MF Yusuke CHAJIMA/Sota KOSHIMICHI
MANAGER
Michael SKIBBE
GOAL
―
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, please review the game.
A, I think it was a game where defense stood out, but considering the challenges we've had in recent games, I believe the results we built up through thorough rehearsals showed. We must continue this, and today's game demonstrated some excellent aspects in that regard. As for the attack, there were parts where we acted with clear intent, but ultimately, we couldn't reach the point of breaking the opponent's momentum. There were very few shots, and if we could bring it to that stage, even with a small number of attempts, scoring just one would change the flow of the game. That remains an area with many challenges.
Q. Regarding the defensive details, I think there was precision in the back line. Was it as intended?
A, as planned, regarding how to defend against a 5-back opponent, it is a basic approach, but in recent games, there have been some slight mismatches, and there were issues with defending the flanks. First, focusing on that point, although there are situations where crosses are delivered, when the center backs are pulled out, who will fill that position? To firmly block on the sides, the fullbacks step up one more step to prevent easy crosses, and when the ball is returned, they push back. After repeating this practice, I think today's result was very good.
Q. There was talk about allowing the opponent to push forward before the match, but did it actually happen that way, or did we let the opponent do too much? What was the reality?
A, I think we actually got a bit overwhelmed. However, the players firmly kept the intentions of the parts we practiced in rehearsal, and there were some good attacks where the balls that came in led to the next play. That said, I think there was an issue with finishing off those chances. The first half ended with monotonous crosses, and despite pushing forward with good attacks, we attacked without much variety. Of course, I believe the crosses were made with the intention of creating chances, but if it’s monotonous, it just means more time defending for us. We needed to move the ball a bit more ourselves to figure out how to position ourselves, or use rotations on the sides effectively to create gaps in the opponent’s defense. I think there was a lack of such play.
Q. Please give your evaluation of Yuto NAGATOMO and Kim Seung-gyu, who have returned from the national team.
A, truly, it is simply wonderful. Although there are parts played under various conditions, without showing any signs of fatigue or such behavior, they contributed to the team by earning points through their performance. In recent games, they have really been performing excellently.
Q. What did you say to Taiyo YAMAGUCHI before his J.League debut, and what are your expectations for him going forward?
A, I think there was some nervousness since it was your first appearance, but I believe you showed an extremely wonderful performance. The fact that the situation can change when the ball settles with him is a very good sign. However, to be able to demonstrate this over a longer period, you still lack experience. I think you are a player who will grow if you can perform such plays properly when given the chance. I am very satisfied with today's performance and believe it was excellent.
Q. What were the factors that caused the timing of making attacking substitutions to be late in the game?
A, there are several reasons, but rather than us switching to offense, it was more that we spent a longer time on defense. Instead of changing the defenders, it was necessary to decide how to substitute the forwards and, while observing the situation, choose the timing so that the formation would not collapse by watching the players on the pitch. Of course, fresh players probably had no physical stamina issues, but it was a difficult situation to come into. In that regard, the opponent was very aggressive and there was space behind them, so if asked whether it was too early or too late, it might have been late, but I think they acted with intent even during that time frame.
[Player Interview]
<Taiyo YAMAGUCHI>
Q. When did you find out you made the team?
It was only during the practice the day before the match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima that I found out I would be included in the squad. I had a slight feeling that I might make the team, but I always made sure to prepare well and kept myself ready to play at any time. I was hungry to participate in the match and had been training hard to secure a spot in the squad.
Q. How did you watch the first and second halves from the bench?
A, Hiroshima is a very strong team, and since we had to spend a lot of time defending, I imagined that we had to finish off the few chances we got while watching the match. I wanted to do my job properly once I was on the pitch, but I am frustrated that we couldn't score, and I want to use this experience for the next time.
Q. What kind of instructions did Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI give?
A, I was told to be the starting point of the attack up front and to aim for the goal. As a forward player, I understand that I am expected to score goals, and I entered the pitch with that awareness.
Q. You were promoted to the top team, and your debut match was against Hiroshima, known for their strong defensive intensity. What kind of impression did you have after the game?
A, I believe that no matter the situation, the most important job is to score goals. In today's match, I couldn't even take a shot or score, which is truly frustrating. However, there were some successful plays where I served as a starting point and used my body effectively. I once again realized that I want to grow more and become a forward who leads the team to victory.
<Yuto NAGATOMO>
Q: Please summarize the match.
A, it was a very tough match. However, the team was able to defend solidly during dangerous moments, and since the team had been repeatedly conceding goals from crosses, which highlighted a defensive weakness, I believe this match gave us confidence and a sense of achievement in our defense.
Q. I think the team was also clear about how to handle cross balls.
A, I was away from the team due to national team duties, but I have been informed that during these two weeks, the team has been thoroughly working on dealing with crosses. Regarding defense, marking handovers, and specifically against Sanfrecce Hiroshima, considering situations like the opponent's wing-backs appearing in front of the goal, through continuous communication and meetings within the team, we were able to approach the match without hesitation.
Q. I think it was a match where, while we were able to defend firmly, there were still challenges in switching effectively to good attacks.
A, Hiroshima also had a team full of highly skilled players, and I think the opponent recovered more second balls by utilizing their physical strength. I believe we were overwhelmed by that pressure. We need to further refine how we launch our attacks.
Q. In the second half, there were also scenes where you prevented the opponent's counterattacks.
A, there have been many situations like that before. In that scene, although we were at a numerical disadvantage, there was no panic at all. The series of movements—from skillfully negotiating with the ball holder, closing down space, to putting out a foot against the shot—were all according to the theory. I think it was a scene that embodied the basics of defense.
<Masato MORISHIGE>
Q: We didn't let the ball cross the goal line until the very end.
Regarding the issue of dealing with cross balls, the team was very conscious of it, including during practice. I realized that just that awareness can make a difference, and I believe we were able to show the results of our practice.
Q. There was good defense, but what do you think was the reason you couldn't transition to offense smoothly from there?
A, I think there were parts where defense was too much on our minds, and I felt difficulty in balancing that. Today, the defensive contribution of the side half players was outstanding, but on the other hand, I feel they were not much of a starting point for counterattacks. I think the issue of balancing offense and defense came up today, and I want to adjust that balance well.
Q. How do you think earning 1 point by everyone putting their bodies on the line will impact the next match?
A, I think it was not a bad match when considering the full 90 minutes. Although we spent a long time defending, in the last 15 minutes, including the players who came on as substitutes, we were able to penetrate near the goal, so I feel we needed the quality to finish there. The next game is at home, so while maintaining our defensive base, we want to focus on the final finishing touch.
