The long-awaited start of the 2004 season

　The 2004 J1 League has kicked off. The first match is against Albirex Niigata. This season, we welcome a fresh team that has been promoted and is competing in the J1 League for the first time at our home, Ajinomoto Stadium. However, this season's J League is being held concurrently with the activities of the Japan national team, so Tokyo will be missing Moniwa, Konno, and Ishikawa due to their participation in the U-23 Japan national team activities. Additionally, Kelly is unable to join the bench due to injury.

　Regarding this situation, Niigata's coach Hoshimachi said before the match, "I think both teams feel lucky." He believes that Niigata sees it as lucky to face Tokyo, who is missing their U-23 representatives, while Tokyo sees it as fortunate to play against a team that is experiencing J1 for the first time. However, on the other hand, Coach Hoshimachi mentioned, "If Kelly is absent, the marking will be dispersed." Additionally, Coach Hara stated, "Niigata has many experienced players. If we take a defensive stance, we might be caught off guard," as both sides heightened their caution.

　A crowd of 35,880 spectators packed the stands, and with the expectations and passion of many fans from both teams gathered, the match started with Niigata's kickoff.

Overwhelmed Niigata with dynamic attacking football

　Tokyo's formation is a 4-4-2 base with Abe and new signing Lucas as the two forwards, Toda on the right midfield, and Suzuki on the left. The substitutes include Asari, along with four rookies: Shiota, Masushima, Wu, and Kajiyama. However, as indicated by the lineup, Suzuki pushed forward aggressively from a high position, launching a fierce attack from the start. In the first minute, Suzuki received a throw-in, sprinted up the left side, and crossed the ball. Lucas connected with a header at the near post, and the ball struck the crossbar. This was Tokyo's first shot of the season, creating an immediate decisive opportunity.

　In the 6th minute, Lucas shifted to the left side, and Toda headed the cross from Kanazawa. In the 9th minute, Suzuki shot in front of the goal from a free kick by Miyazawa from the left side. In the 11th minute, Suzuki brought a feed from the defensive line into the goal area and shot. In the 15th minute, Lucas contested a long ball, and Abe ran in at the drop but was just offside.

　In the 18th and 19th minutes, Lucas made a breakthrough from the right area, evading the defender and creating a chance with a low cross, but the timing was off in the center. Although they couldn't score a goal, they quickly transitioned to attack from intense pressing, utilizing fast passing to spread the field and advance the game with an advantage.

Abe scores with a header from the side connection!

　In the 25th minute, Tokyo aggressively attacked with both full-backs pushing forward. Kaji's cross was followed up by Kanazawa on the left side. After Miyazawa connected the play, Kanazawa surged forward again and sent in a cross. Abe ran in on the ball sent to the near post and headed it in for a goal! The first goal of the season was created as planned from attacks from both flanks.

　Niigata had a shot in the 30th minute when MF Terakawa's cross was cleared and MF Yamaguchi took a shot. This was their first shot. Niigata had no choice but to counterattack, but they could not surpass Tokyo's momentum. In the 35th minute, Kaji's cross was headed by Toda towards the goal. In the 36th minute, Miyazawa entered the area, connecting passes with Lucas and Abe through the center, but Abe's shot was caught by the opposing goalkeeper. In the 44th minute, Toda aimed for the goal with a header from a free kick on the right side, but could not hit the target. They had a total of 12 shots in the first half but went into halftime with a one-goal lead.

Despite facing a late-game counterattack from Niigata, we held our ground and achieved victory in the opening match for the fifth consecutive year.

　In the second half, Niigata attempts to fight back to score a goal, but in the 48th minute, Terakawa's shot, which he took after cutting in from the left side, is blocked by Jean. Following that, from a corner kick, defender Anderson heads the ball freely but it goes over the goal. In the 51st minute, Tokyo's Lucas receives a pass from Abe and connects with a pass from Miyazawa, but Toda's shot, taken at speed, also goes over the goal. In the 55th minute, from a counterattack, the ball is passed from Miyazawa to Abe to Lucas, and finally, Kaji takes a powerful shot from the right area, but it goes straight to the goalkeeper.

　However, in the 60th minute, Niigata substituted MF Fabinho for MF Suzuki. Immediately after, in the 61st minute, Abe headed a shot from a free kick on the right side towards the far post. It seemed to have slipped past the goalkeeper's hands and into the goal, but was blocked by a desperate clearance from the Niigata defense. After losing this decisive chance, their energy gradually began to decline, allowing Niigata to counterattack. In the 73rd minute, Suzuki launched an attack from a quick counter, allowing a shot, but Doi saved it with one foot. In the 75th minute, Suzuki broke through from Yamaguchi's through pass, but Doi's brave advance prevented the danger. In the 81st minute, Suzuki's shot from a counterattack was saved by Doi.

　Tokyo began to show signs of mistakes against Niigata's relentless play. There was an unpleasant atmosphere as it was a pattern that had caused problems many times last season, but by continuously bringing in Kure, Asari, and Masushima, they maintained their focus and defended until the time was up. They secured a solid 3 points. With this, they have achieved five consecutive wins in the J1 opening match since 2000. Including the J2 from 1999, they have extended their record to six consecutive wins. Although they have not yet reached an explosive attacking style of football, they showed glimpses of it and are gaining momentum towards winning a title!

[Player Comments]

Abe: "I was able to score in a good way, and since we were aiming for a consecutive win record in the opening match, I felt great. In front of many spectators, I was able to maintain a good level of tension. I became number 11 this season, and I want to express my own style. I think this will help us gain momentum, but I want to switch my focus to the next match right away." Lucas: "This was my first official match in Japan, and the best part is that the team won and we earned 3 points. We needed to score more while we had the rhythm in the first half, but... Personally, I feel I need to be more solid in defense and make sure to convert chances when they arise. I want to make adjustments and prepare for the next match, but I feel good physically."

[Niigata - Coach Sorimachi's Press Conference Summary]

"In the first half, the game felt like a match between adults and children, as we were overwhelmed by their judgment and the speed of their passes. However, while we played a more formal style of football in the first half, in the second half we reflected on our own style and aimed to showcase the culmination of what we have been working on. Unfortunately, we couldn't score, but we did create a flow. It would have been great if we could have scored at that moment. Tokyo is accustomed to J1 and can play organized football. There is a difference in experience between teams that can directly apply their preparation to the game and those that, despite being prepared, struggle to execute. However, it is important for us to get accustomed to the J1 stage for the first time. I believe we got used to it during the first 45 minutes today, and it was quite good as preparation for the next match. Next, we want to perform well at home and achieve a good result."

Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference

"We should have scored at least one more goal in the first half. We created so many chances, but our lack of decisiveness and finishing showed. If we were in the opposite position and conceded only one goal after being attacked that much, we would have gained confidence in the second half. In the second half, Niigata's Fabinho came in quite a bit, and players like Terakawa and Suzuki, who came on as substitutes, were able to get the ball to the front line, which shifted the momentum. If Abe and Lucas had more time to keep possession, we could have launched a counterattack. However, our substitutes, Kyo and Asari, were in good form and held their ground well. Niigata also brought many supporters, and in front of a large crowd, they fought well. I told the players that although it was Niigata's first match in J1, they have players with more experience than us, like Yamaguchi, Kuwahara, and Ueno, so we needed to approach the game with a mindset of borrowing their strength. That allowed us to enter the match with a strong mentality. Regardless of the content, I think it was good to secure three points and keep a clean sheet. We want to correct the areas that need improvement and prepare for the next match against Oita."