<Match Review>
This week's 2025 Meiji Yasuda J1 League Sec. 36, followed by next weekend's Emperor's Cup Semifinal Round, features consecutive matches against FC Machida Zelvia. Although Tokyo has lost all three previous encounters against this opponent, the coach and players are focusing on the immediate match and aim to secure a victory in this league game to change the momentum and connect it to the future.
Tokyo's lineup features goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu, with the back four from right to left consisting of Yuto NAGATOMO, Alexander Scholz, Masato MORISHIGE, and Naruki Muroya. The central midfield duo is Takahiro KO and Kei KOIZUMI, while the attackers are Marcos Guilherme on the right and Kota TAWARATSUMIDA on the left. Up front, the two strikers are Keiya Sato, who scored 2 goals and made 1 assist in the previous match against Fagiano Okayama, and Teruhito NAKAGAWA, facing his former club.
Also, the right wing-back for Machida was Nakamura, who was with Tokyo until last season. He missed the previous match at Ajinomoto Stadium, so this is his first match against Tokyo.
This round is an away game held at Japan National Stadium, and the last match of a special project where we fight wearing the Special Kit. With a determination to win at all costs, we faced the match together with the blue-red family who filled the away stands at "Our National".
1st HALF—The early stage was a test of patience. Searching for a breakthrough heading into the second half
From the start of the match, Machida kept pressing with long balls. Losing the second balls led to more play in their own half, and they struggled to connect passes after regaining possession, making it difficult to launch attacks. In the 10th minute of the first half, they lost the ball in midfield under Machida's high press. The left side was broken down from the center, leading to a dangerous situation in front of the goal, but goalkeeper Sungyu made a fine save from close range. While surviving these risky moments, they searched for attacking opportunities.
After that, Machida continued to try to nullify Tokyo's strengths with man-to-man defense. Tokyo, on the other hand, wanted to create attacking patterns by effectively using the central space that arises in the 4-4-2 system, as seen in the previous match against Okayama. However, Machida closed down the space and time, preventing Tokyo from adjusting their positioning, and they were unable to build the attack as intended.
Still, at the 25th minute of the first half, Takahashi made a sharp vertical pass from the left side, connecting with players Tawara and Marcos. The ball deflected off an opponent, and Sato aimed with his left foot, but unfortunately missed and went wide to the right of the goal.
Tokyo gradually started creating chances through drawn-in counterattacks. After that, they aimed to break through with sharp quick attacks, but due to the opponent's solid defense, they were unable to fully break through. On the contrary, they struggled under high pressing, unable to face forward, and the first half continued with a period where they could not leave their own half.
The score remained unchanged even during the 2 minutes of additional time in the first half. The team faced challenges in how to break away from the opponent's press and where to create gaps, and they headed into halftime with these issues unresolved.
2nd HALF—Endured and seized the victory. First win against Machida with a strike from player Anzai
There were no player substitutions for either team during halftime. The second half kicked off with the same members as the first half.
Even after entering the second half, the flow of the game hardly changes. Against Machida, who tries to nullify their strengths with man-to-man defense and high pressing, Tokyo attempts to find opportunities through deep-lying long counters.
Tokyo showed a strong awareness of picking up second balls from the first half, and their defense was able to prevent the opponent from creating clear chances until the very end. However, because they focused too much on covering after the ball was kicked, they were unable to apply pressure from the front line, allowing Machida to hold onto the ball too much. How to address this will likely be the key point in the second half.
The first big chance in the second half came to Machida. In the 22nd minute of the second half, player Shoji perfectly timed a header to a cross from the left side, but it just went slightly to the right of the goal. It was a tense moment for Tokyo.
Here, the Tokyo bench makes a move. At the 24th minute of the second half, Leon NOZAWA and Soma ANZAI are brought on, replacing Nakagawa and Marcos. NOZAWA takes one of the two forward positions, while ANZAI assumes the right attacker role.
In the 32nd minute of the second half, after Machida's passing work faltered while on the attack, Nozawa, who stole the ball in an advanced position, aimed a right-footed lob shot at the wide-open goal while watching the opposing goalkeeper coming forward. However, the shot, which drew the eyes of the large crowd with its soft trajectory, was deflected by the left post, missing a golden scoring opportunity.
In the 37th minute of the second half, Machida broke through and created a major crisis, but player Scholz slid in to block the shot inside the penalty area. Furthermore, when the rebound was targeted, player Koizumi threw his body to block the shot, and the entire team worked hard to protect the goal.
This fighting spirit spreads to the attacking line. It was late in the match, the 42nd minute of the second half. A counterattack launched from their own half broke through the left side, and Takashi in the center passed directly to Sato ahead. Anzai struck the grounded pass on the far side, and Tokyo scored the decisive opening goal at the last moment. A powerful shot that knocked the goalkeeper away. Defending the goal with fierce determination, Tokyo finally took the lead with a determined strike from the counterattack they had been aiming for.
The match ended with Tokyo winning 1-0. Despite struggling to fully demonstrate their attacking strengths, they showed strong determination and secured their first victory against Machida on their fourth attempt. This win gave them momentum heading into the Emperor's Cup Semifinal Round scheduled for the following weekend.
Immediately after the final whistle, loud cheers of "Take the cup!" from the fans and supporters behind the goal continued to echo throughout the National Stadium.
MATCH DETAILS
<FC Tokyo>
STARTING XI
GK Kim Seung-gyu
DF Sei MUROYA/Masato MORISHIGE/Yuto NAGATOMO/Alexander Scholz
MF Takahiro KO/Kota TAWARATSUMIDA (40th minute second half: Keita YAMASHITA)/Kei Koizumi/Marcos Guilherme (24th minute second half: Soma ANZAI)
FW Megumu Sato (45+5th minute second half: Taiyo YAMAGUCHI)/Teruhito NAKAGAWA (24th minute second half: Leon NOZAWA)
SUBS
GK Go HATANO
DF Kanta DOI/Henrique TREVISAN/Kosuke SHIRAI
MF Keigo HIGASHI
MANAGER
Rikizo MATSUHASHI
GOAL
42nd minute of the second half: Soma ANZAI
<FC Machida Zelvia>
STARTING Ⅺ
GK Kosei TANI
DF Dreshevich/Gen SHOJI/Yuta NAKAYAMA
MF Henry Mochizuki/Hiroyuki MAE (38th minute 2nd half: Hokuto SHIMODA)/Keiya SENTO (18th minute 2nd half: Na Sanho)/Hotaka NAKAMURA
FW Asahi MASUYAMA (45+2 minute 2nd half: Shota FUJIO)/Yuki SOMA/Se Hun OH (38th minute 2nd half: Kanji KUWAYAMA)
SUBS
GK Yoshiaki ARAI
DF Kotaro HAYASHI
MF Ryohei SHIRASAKI/Neta Ravi
FW Takaya NUMATA
MANAGER
Go KURODA
GOAL
―
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q: Please summarize the match.
A, I think it was a very tough game for both sides throughout the full 90 minutes. I am very pleased that we were able to seize the chance at the end and secure the win.
Q: It was a match where we faced considerable pressure from the opponent, but I think the two center backs did well to repel it. What is the coach's evaluation of that aspect?
A, in previous games, we had repeatedly conceded goals from that point, but under Coach Yu TOKISAKI's leadership, we have conducted numerous defensive sessions repeatedly during this period. The fact that we were able to clearly show the results of that effort is undoubtedly linked to the victory in this game. How well we can continue that going forward will be a key point in future games.
Q. Soma ANZAI scored the final goal. What are your thoughts on the timing of his deployment, your expectations for him, and your evaluation?
A, originally a player who has been mainly deployed as a right side back, also possesses very high attacking ability and defensive skills from the front line. Considering the possibility that pressing the opponent might not go well and the team could be drawn back into their own half, using him in a slightly more advanced position plays a very important role in stabilizing the defense. Additionally, as I mentioned earlier, in terms of attack, he shows truly bold runs and calmness, so I am very pleased and believe it is significant that his abilities were fully demonstrated even in this short period. Regarding the timing of the substitution, we discussed it extensively with the coaches and hesitated, so it ended up being a bit late, but we also took into account how the opponent was playing.
Q. I think it is challenging to have the next Emperor's Cup match scheduled with the same teams at the same venue, but please tell us how you position this match and how you want to build on this result moving forward.
A, this has been understood for quite some time, so I feel quite neutral about it. If you think normally, winning makes things difficult, and losing means you get another chance to challenge, but we are firmly focused on today's issues and will prepare for the next step. We consider each other's strengths, the opponent's movements today, and probably their countermeasures against our analysis, and we just prepare as we do for regular games. However, there is truly a great opportunity right in front of us, and by winning the next game, we believe we will see a new perspective. That is why we will approach the next match neutrally and prepare just as usual.
[Player Interview]
<Soma ANZAI>
Q, please first review the goal scene.
When player Kei Sato broke away, I saw the space open up in front of me, and moving into that space was something I had been doing since last season and it was my role. I’m glad I was able to contribute to the team’s victory with my goal.
Q, Before that, it was a chance after the defense line stacked blocks. How did you feel when the ball came to you from there?
A, it wasn't an easy shot, but it was a goal that carried not only my own feelings but also the feelings from when everyone defended against the previous danger.
Q, You ran straight towards the goal behind the net first, didn't you?
A, my body moved instinctively toward behind the goal. With many emotions, it was the best moment.
Q. The opposing coach Kuroda was your mentor during high school, weren't you able to show him how much you've grown?
A, having suffered three consecutive defeats against FC Machida Zelvia, I felt more frustrated than anyone else, so I was able to get one back today, but I truly believe this is not the place to settle the score. I think next week will bring an even tougher match than today, and my mind is already focused on that. I want to prepare over the next week so that we can see a scene like today’s again.
Q. Recently, you have often participated in practice matches. Would you say this was a good opportunity to showcase your skills?
A, I believe I have been consistently delivering results in both league matches and practice games. If I get the chance to step onto the pitch again, I want to do my best to contribute to the team's victory within the time given to me, just like today.
Q. How do you think today's win will affect the next match?
A, Yuto NAGATOMO said in the locker room that this victory will help Machida stay focused, so we all have already switched our mindset in the locker room, thinking that we need to exert even more power than that. I think it will become difficult, but we want to prepare ourselves to respond to various situations.
<Player Kei Sato>
Q. How was the match overall?
A, recently the Tokyo spirit has started to show, and personally, I felt that this was a match where you could feel it throughout the full 90 minutes. Everyone defended with their bodies throughout the 90 minutes, and in attack, they kept overtaking one another. Although we are still in our first year and I think it’s too soon to lightly say this is the Tokyo style, I felt it. There was something that made my soul tremble.
Q, I believe it was precisely your own play and attitude that embodied and led that.
A, I always tried to play in a way that would energize the team even a little, and that includes pressing. I aimed to make plays that would benefit the team, and if that connects to what makes Tokyo unique, I’m happy. Also, the defensive players really blocked many times, and seeing all the players diligently fall back and defend with their bodies fired me up as well. I felt that each individual was involving those around them, and it made me realize once again that Tokyo is a great team.
Q. I felt a strong determination in the basic aspect of football to never lose to the opponent in front of you. How did you feel about that yourself?
A, today the opponent was almost playing man-to-man defense across the entire court, so it was easy to understand that it was a battle of individual matchups. We knew on the pitch that if we didn't lose in one-on-one situations, we could win the game. We kept communicating throughout the 90 minutes without letting it drop, and I believe that ultimately led to the late goal. I think this victory came from our determination and fighting spirit that we fully showed.
Regarding how to create and utilize space against an opponent playing full-court man-to-man defense, we were not able to execute well in the first half what we had practiced over the past week. However, by discussing on the pitch what would be better to do and making improvements, I believe this became a key factor in evading the opponent's high press. Although there were moments when we became somewhat forceful, that was also one method. We were able to simply get behind the one-on-one defenders and recover second balls, and I think being flexible in the match was a positive aspect.
Q, please review the goal scene of Soma ANZAI, which was a splendid assist.
At halftime, Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI told us to show more determination in chasing second balls and loose balls from long passes, and we kept that in mind going into the second half. Against an opponent who plays many long balls, the key is whether we can win the second balls, so while staying focused on that, the opponent made more mistakes and started to get flustered, which we were able to take advantage of effectively. We won the ball by switching quickly, and I thought Anzai would be there. I couldn’t see him, but I felt he would be there, and since he had told me in the first half that Kota TAWARATSUMIDA had come on, I believe it was the trust within the team that he would come in from the opposite side that led to the goal. I’m glad we were able to deliver a good ball.
Q: Next, you will face the same opponent at the same venue, and it is a match you absolutely want to win. How will you approach it?
A, today we won, and I think the opponent will come at us with even stronger determination next time, so instead of being passive, we want to take on the challenger’s mindset and firmly pursue what we need to do as a team. There are also issues that came up today, and the opponent might change their approach from today, so as a team, without changing our fundamentals, we want to build on them, raise our standards one more level during this week, and absolutely aim to win.
<Masato MORISHIGE>
Q: Please reflect on the match.
A, In a tightly contested match, there was an atmosphere where the team that scored first would win. I think in today's game, we were able to firmly convert that opportunity into a goal.
Q. The opponent applied man-to-man defense pressure from the first half. How did you feel on the pitch during the match?
A, the opponent applied good defense, and if we only focused on connecting passes, we anticipated that it might not lead to good results as before. I think the team has been able to express a game strategy in recent matches that is calculated from the perspective of winning the match and making clear decisions. Today's game also required patience and seizing a single chance, but I believe that managing to win stubbornly will lead to the next step.
Q. Was it somewhat expected that the opponent's long balls and the time we had to endure would become longer?
A, it was unexpected that we would have to endure for such a long time until now, but I believe the team has grown to be able to choose how to play by observing the opponent's approach, no matter how the match unfolds. In today's game as well, from the perspective of "how we will fight because the opponent comes at us like this," I think we were able to adapt and fight flexibly.
Q, In one week, we will face the same opponent in the Emperor's Cup Semifinal Round.
A, everyone understands that the next match is also important. I think another challenging game awaits, so I want to recover well and prepare thoroughly.
