It was tough. FC Tokyo's memorable J1 debut match was truly a struggle. However, it can be said that today's battle showcased the Tokyo spirit of never giving up until the very end. The opening of the 2000 season should become an unforgettable day, marking the first step into a new chapter in Tokyo's history.

Glorious J1 Opening Match.

The opening ceremony at Yokohama International Stadium, featuring fireworks and lasers, is filled with excitement and a hint of anxiety. Ahead of the opening, supporters welcomed the players by singing 'You’ll Never Walk Alone' from behind the goal. Although they appeared to be a minority in this massive stadium, their volume and resonant voices overwhelmed the surroundings. On the pitch, despite the differences in expressions—some stern, others trying to relax—the familiar faces of the Tokyo players are present.

Yokohama F.Marinos, featuring Japan national team goalkeeper Kawaguchi, midfielder Nakamura, and defender Matsuda, is a strong contender often mentioned as a candidate for the championship. With the arrival of coach Ardiles this season, it will be interesting to see what kind of football they will display, and how far the J1 "rookie" Tokyo can compete. This is a highly anticipated match.

The formation in Tokyo is a 4-4-2 set up with a reverse trapezoid in the midfield.

Yokohama is set up in a 3-5-2 formation, with Ueno as a single defensive midfielder, Nakamura and Nagai as attacking midfielders, and utilizing the attacking power of wing-backs Miura and Endo.

Three hard-earned points. A victory of concentration!

　The match started with a precise long ball from Yokohama's defender Omura to Yanagi in the front line just one minute in. The dropped ball went to the newly joined Maldonado. Although it did not lead to a shot, Yokohama created a chance early on. In the third minute, Yanagi's header and shortly after, Miura's shot from a dribble, both did not result in a goal, but Yokohama's fast attack gradually...

Tokyo is being pushed back. Every feed aimed at the top from the back line was cut off by Yokohama DF Matsuda, leading to noticeable counterattacks. However, taking advantage of the gaps left by Yokohama's advancing defense, Tokyo also created some opportunities. In the 7th minute, a ball stolen by Asari in the midfield was passed from TUTO to the right to Yukihiko for a dribble shot! Tokyo's first shot was firmly caught by GK Kawaguchi, but the quick transition between offense and defense was impressive.

There is. After that, they developed a quick attack starting from Amaral and TUTO through cuts from Fujiyama and Naito, but they couldn't bring it to a shot. Conversely, against Yokohama, who started to quickly pass and connect, Koike, the defensive midfielder marking Nakamura, and Asari were often pushed back to the final line due to defensive pressure. In the 23rd minute, Nakamura was allowed to dribble freely in the midfield and took a skillful looping shot. It just barely missed above the goal, but his outstanding individual skill was alarming. After that, Yokohama showed variations in their attack with DF Matsuda's aggressive forward runs, Yanagi's powerful header from a free kick, and Ueno's long-range shot, but none resulted in a goal against Tokyo's determined defense.

On the other hand, Tokyo's Kobayashi, who was not prominent in the early stages, became actively involved with the ball, countering but often getting caught offside, ending the first half without any decisive moments.

Beautiful Counter Attack!!

The instructions from Coach Ardiles at halftime were, "Tokyo is quite tired, so let's take the ball with an early press. Be very careful of the counter."

Coach Okuma said, "It's not enough to say 'it was a good match.' We must maintain our focus and absolutely win!!" These words from both sides ultimately became the factors that determined the outcome.

Even in the second half, the exchanges continued. Against Yokohama, who quickly sent the ball forward, Tokyo intercepted at the final line and launched counterattacks, but the accuracy of the final pass was poor, preventing them from taking a shot. In the 55th minute, a big chance came for Yokohama. A ball dropped from a post play at the defensive line came in front of the goal. Nagai boldly attempted a shot, but it went far off target, avoiding the crisis. However, by the 60th minute, Tokyo's players began to tire and were on the defensive. From behind the goal, the call of 'COME ON Tokyo!' could be heard.

However, at the 61st minute, when Yokohama's Yanagi was replaced by Yoshida, Tokyo began launching sharp counterattacks. At the 65th minute, a perfect pass from Kobayashi was sent to Yukihiko on the right, creating a decisive chance, but he couldn't take a shot and instead crossed it back inside, where the defender intercepted it. Then, at the 66th minute, Amaral flicked a feed from Koike with a back header, seemingly passing to TUTO who had broken behind the defense, but goalkeeper Kawaguchi rushed out a moment earlier. Tokyo often allowed Yokohama's midfield to operate freely and lost control of the game, but they managed to concentrate and defend at the back line. Amid this intense and exhausting battle, at the 79th minute, Asano was brought on to replace the hard-working Koike, aiming to reorganize both offense and defense. Then, just after Yokohama's continued corner kicks, at the 85th minute, TUTO won a loose ball and sent it forward. Amaral carried it with long strides into the penalty area, and Yokohama's Ueno, who was contesting, committed a foul, resulting in a penalty kick for Tokyo.

TUTO scored a magnificent GOAL! Even though it was a penalty kick, it was a moment when Tokyo's counterattack fit perfectly, and it couldn't be stopped even knowing it.

After that, the remaining 10 minutes, including 4 minutes of stoppage time, were truly a fierce onslaught from Yokohama. In a situation where a goal could have been scored at any moment, Sandro, who boasted height, and Komine, who fiercely defended, along with everyone else, maintained their concentration without a moment's lapse to protect this one-point lead until the time was up! This showcased Tokyo's presence.

With the severity and sense of achievement of J1 in our hearts

However, after the match, each player expressed their challenges. "We couldn't develop from the defensive midfield," "There were no attacking options, so I thought we had to do something," "The pressure was on...

By the way, there were many mistakes. Both the trapping and kicking accuracy were poor. "We have to forget today's victory and start over from scratch"... Perhaps leaving behind many points for reflection, in the locker room after the match, no one...

There was no one to celebrate. The three points are a significant gain, but there is no time to be elated. Everyone echoes, "It's only one match that has ended," and the players themselves, who have felt both the harshness and the response, know best what they should do next. Let's look forward to the future of J1 Tokyo.

[Manager Aldir's Comment]

"We have significantly changed our approach compared to last year, but our way of applying pressure and connecting the ball was poor, and we couldn't move the ball at a sufficient speed. Tokyo was defensive, which I had anticipated. In situations like this, we should utilize the sides, but we were too focused on the center. I want to play fast, modern football, but today it was slow and boring. We were read by the opponent."

Our team has talented players, but it will take a little more time to meet my demands properly. The opposing team was well-organized. How long will that take? I can only say 'until it can be done.' There are no shortcuts in soccer.

[Coach Okuma's Comment]

The players focused and fought until the end. Although only one match has been completed, I want to maintain this level of concentration. In the first half, we were pressured by quick passing, and our ball-side push was slow. We had to fall back because the defense in the front line loosened up, which is unavoidable (not due to strategy). An unexpected event was that the marking in the midfield became misaligned in the second half.

I thought about whether to substitute in experienced players or stick with the current lineup. In the end, I brought in the inexperienced rookie Toda, even though it wasn't his usual position. While it did help buy some time, I believe gaining experience in this atmosphere is significant. Moving forward, I want to navigate the tough J1 battles with all 33 players, not just the 11 on the field, including Toda and the substitutes.