＜Previous Match: Vissel Kobe Review＞
Tokyo faced their final away game of the season. After suffering a painful defeat in the Emperor's Cup Semifinal Round, they were required to recover and move forward with a new stride.
Right from the start, they create chances with smooth passing, then challenge Kobe's high press with ground play, while mixing in simple attacks aiming for the space behind, striving to score.
As a team, they also showed intensity in battles for the ball and in switching between offense and defense. Although the time spent being pushed back by Kobe gradually became noticeable, they maintained a compact formation without dropping their line and displayed focused soccer.
It was a match where the defensive efforts particularly stood out. In the 44th minute of the first half, despite a critical chance being created, goalkeeper Go HATANO stretched out his right hand and slightly changed the ball's course with his fingertips to avoid danger. Then, just 4 minutes into the second half, HATANO blocked a powerful shot. In the 23rd minute of the second half, player Megumi Sato showed a full-speed press back to his own half, and in the 28th minute, during a counterattack from Kobe, Sei MUROYA prevented a goal with a sliding block after a fierce dash.
The attacking line, eager to score a goal, simultaneously brought on three players at the 26th minute of the second half: Teruhito NAKAGAWA, Marcos Guilherme, and Soma ANZAI. This added an accent to the front line, not only speeding up the transition between offense and defense but also increasing the number of scenes aiming for the space behind.
However, they were unable to break through Vissel Kobe's defense until the very end. In the final moments, Vissel Kobe's player Osako's shot hit the post, giving everyone a scare, but the entire team maintained focused play until the final whistle. The result was bringing back 1 point from the away game.
This Round's Preview
The final match of the 2025 season is 'Big Thank You Day.' It will be the last home game against Albirex Niigata, where the team will showcase the culmination of the year and must respond with a solid victory.
Since the team started training this January, head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI has conducted a total of 242 training sessions on the pitch. While carefully valuing ball control, the team has pursued a style of play that quickly and flexibly exploits the space behind the defense. They have also focused on intense battles for the ball as a foundation, and through the “birthing pains” experienced in the first half of the season, they have refined what they have built up by switching to a four-back system and through the contributions of mid-season signings, laying the groundwork for a team that can compete and win.
On Thursday this week, the contract renewal of Coach Matsuhashi was announced, confirming that he will continue to lead the top team in the 2026 season of the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Vision League, which marks the transition period of the season. In response, the coach said, "I am very honored and truly grateful for this decision. I believe many people made this decision with understanding, courage, and determination, so I want to fully embrace those feelings and move forward steadily," looking to the future with a strong gaze.
The team is currently 11th with a record of 13 wins, 10 draws, and 14 losses in 37 league matches. If they win this round, they will finish with an even record. This game is an opportunity to solidify the progress made so far, finish the season with confidence and a sense of achievement for the next season and beyond. Additionally, the team's strong defense has shone through recently, remaining unbeaten in the last 5 league matches and conceding only 2 goals. It can be said that they are steadily gaining the strength to avoid defeat while maintaining stable gameplay.
Sei MUROYA, who has continued to play in a way that symbolizes the intense blue and red style, spoke about the challenges, saying, "Ideally, I want to raise the quality of our attack much more." At the same time, he expressed confidence, saying, "We have the ability to win games by a one-goal margin, and we have the feeling and confidence that if we score one goal, we can win. As a team, we have also developed the mentality to fight without running away." He also emphasized that this match is a new start, saying, "Coach Muriqui (Coach Matsuhashi)'s contract extension has been announced, and I want to play soccer that gives hope to the team and to all the fans and supporters for the next season."
The 2025 season finale 'Big Thank You Day.' Coach Matsuhashi, who says, "We are always fighting with gratitude to many people," also expressed his appreciation to the fans and supporters who have fought alongside him.
"Their passionate support is truly one of the biggest factors driving us forward. They give us the energy to share the joy together, and we receive overwhelming cheers, so I have always felt the need to be a coach worthy of that. I believe this season has been one filled with endless gratitude, and (for the Niigata match) while winning is the top priority, we want to take the initiative as we have been doing, play attractive and entertaining football, and show that we can finish with a solid victory."
On the day of the match, an original FC Tokyo 'Fleece Poncho' will be given to the first 30,000 attendees, and truss banners featuring the new uniform visuals for the Meiji Yasuda J1 Century Concept League will be displayed on the pedestrian deck of Ajinomoto Stadium. Furthermore, the stadium street from Tobitakyu Station North Exit to Koshu Kaido will become a pedestrian-only road, hosting the popular AO-AKA STREET with kitchen car vendors, stage events, and booths related to Chofu City, creating a lively atmosphere. Alongside the team battling on the pitch, various events around the match are also worth paying close attention to.
[Interview with Coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI]
Q, The final practice of the 2025 season has ended. Please tell us how you feel now.
A, the team experienced ups and downs, but the players trained with a truly high level of awareness. In the end, I told the players, "Let's make sure to show that tomorrow."
Q. What kind of match do you want to show to the fans and supporters tomorrow?
A, not just for tomorrow, we must always aim higher and keep winning. With winning as the top priority, we aim to take the initiative ourselves and create an exciting game that the spectators will find interesting. We train with that kind of game development in mind, and in the end, we want to show that we can firmly secure victory. Tomorrow is not a special day, but there is a special feeling in being able to hold the final match at home. I believe the players feel that too. However, the most important thing is to fight for the 3 points as usual.
Q. What is your impression of Albirex Niigata?
A, recently we have had the impression of very good starts in matches. However, we must enter the game with enough power to firmly turn things around. Niigata has players who can create chances if given even a slight opening, and players with high scoring ability. We must be very cautious about that. It is dangerous to enter the match considering only their ranking or current situation. In the end, it is most important to focus on ourselves, run more than the opponent, switch play faster than them, and fight harder for the ball—outperforming the opponent in these fundamental aspects.
Q. Please give a message to the fans and supporters for the final match of this season.
A, their passionate support is a major driving force pushing us forward. When things aren't going well, their boos motivate us to say, "We'll show you." They always cheer with such enthusiasm that makes us want to share the joy together. I personally receive calls that are more than I deserve, so I always feel that I must become a Tokyo coach worthy of that. Although we still have tomorrow's match, I truly believe this has been a season full of gratitude.
[Player Interview]
＜Sei MUROYA＞
Q, Tomorrow's match will be the culmination of the team's 2025 season.
A, the continuation of head coach Rikizo MATSUHASHI has also been announced, and I believe this match will be one looking ahead to the 2026 season. We want to play soccer that gives hope for the next season, both for the team and for the fans and supporters.
Q. How do you feel about the progress made this season?
A, the entire team has become more flexible in their positioning against opponents. Even during the half-season I have been with the team, I have been able to feel this. I believe the increase in matches where we can secure a one-goal lead is influenced by this aspect.
Q. The team's defense has become more stable, and I think we can now fight based on that. How do you feel about this progress?
A, Since I am a defender, when I focus on defense, there are many games with no goals conceded. In that regard, I believe we have the ability to secure one-goal difference matches. We have the confidence that if we can score one goal, we can win. Ideally, I want to improve the quality of our attack, but since everyone is working hard on defense, I think that is a challenge the team should work on for next season.
Q. Tomorrow's final home game is designated as 'Big Thank You Day,' a match to express gratitude to those who have supported us. As a player, what would you like to express on the pitch to convey your thanks?
A, My approach will not change. I want to play in a way that excites the fans and supporters who come to Ajinomoto Stadium, both as a team and as an individual. I want to show the same fighting spirit as before.
<Keita ENDO>
Q. In the match against Vissel Kobe, there were moments when the team was not fully coordinated.
A, the balance between defense and attack was poor, and the attacking players were also focusing too much on defense. I think we lacked the power and intensity to connect good defense to good attack. It’s not possible for only the players at the back to defend, and I believe the forwards alone cannot score goals. The defenders must also be involved in the attack, and the forwards must also participate in defense. We have reaffirmed this communication over the past week.
Q. Although there were scoring opportunities in the match against Kobe, we were unable to finish them. To win, scoring goals is necessary.
A, there were such scenes, but fundamentally, the number of times and chances to head towards the goal were few. In this week's practice, we also conducted training to properly resolve that issue. To firmly move towards the goal and apply pressure forward, everyone will work together.
Q. Please share your impression of Albirex Niigata.
A, I think they will approach the final match of this season with a strong mindset. After relegation is decided, I believe they can play more boldly. Even if that is not the case, I think every team has a very strong determination for the last match of the season, so I want to face the game with a strong will to not be defeated in that regard.
Q, Tomorrow's match will be the last game of the 2025 season.
A, we want to make this a match that connects even a little to the 2026 season and allows us to enter the next season with a positive image. As a result, we ended up in the middle of the standings, but as long as there are fans and supporters who come to watch with expectations, we believe we must meet those expectations. This season has been full of ups and downs, but it is precisely because of the fans and supporters who never gave up on us, cheering passionately at home and even coming to support us away, that we were able to fight through the difficult times this season. Finally, we will give our all in the match to finish the season on a good note.
