Let's go! It's the opening match!

The J1 League is finally kicking off, with a home match against Niigata at Ajinomoto Stadium. Tokyo has been undefeated in opening matches since 1999 in J2. There is great expectation for victory today as well. In the preseason match against Kawasaki on February 27, they lost without scoring, leaving some concerns, but Coach Hara said about Danilo, "He is still not accustomed to the team and Japanese football," and started Miyazawa. With Baba and Kajiyama out due to injury, the midfield features Konno as defensive midfielder, Kurisawa and Miyazawa as attacking midfielders. Ishikawa is on the right, Toda on the left. The defense line sees the return of Moniwa, fielding the familiar four-back formation. They will deploy a more offensive 4-5-1 formation than last season, but the biggest theme this season is "how to score goals." They have tried many variations so far and increased their options. Whoever plays will demonstrate their abilities toward the same goal, aiming to score and win with attacking football.

On the other hand, this is the opening match against Niigata for the second consecutive year. Yasuharu SORIMACHI, the coach, humbly stated, "FC Tokyo is a team positioned under the Yokozuna. In contrast, we, as a Komusubi, will see how far we can go..." Although Niigata struggled in the 1st stage last season, finishing 14th, they made a remarkable leap to 7th in the 2nd stage. Coach SORIMACHI seems to be strategizing, saying, "Tokyo is a team that brings out their strengths regardless of the opponent. Based on that, we will need to showcase our own abilities." In February, they held a training camp in Brazil, gaining a lot of practical experience leading up to this match.

Before the kickoff, Animal Hamaguchi performed as a guest. Injecting "fighting spirit" energy throughout the stadium, the match kicked off at 7:04 PM amidst the growing anticipation of the fans.

Here We Go!

At long last the 2005 J.League season began with the visit of Albirex Niigata to Ajinomoto Stadium. TOKYO had won every opening day game since the J2 days of 1999 and anticipation ran high for that to continue. Following the 1-0 defeat to Kawasaki Frontale in the pre-season friendly the previous week manager Hara had declared new Brazilian signing Danilo unused to the team and Japanese football and selected Miyazawa in his place. With Baba and Kajiyama injured Konno played as lone defensive midfielder, Miyazawa and Kurisawa played behind striker Lucas while Toda and Ishikawa filled their usual positions on the flanks. Moniwa returned from injury in an unchanged back four. The formation was an offensive 4-5-1 as manager Hara attempted to find the variation in attack that would increase the chance of scoring. TOKYO's commitment to attacking football utilizing the individual skills of the players remained as strong as ever. 
TOKYO were facing Albirex in the opening fixture for the second consecutive year. Before the game Albirex manager Sorimachi downplayed his team's chances using sumo rankings to compare the sides; Albirex finished 17th. in the First Stage in 2004 but produced a creditable Second Stage performance to finish 7th. "It doesn't matter who the opponent is," he commented, "we just concentrate on our own game. That way we can play to the best of our ability". The team had a training camp in Brazil in February and had played several friendlies in preparation for the first game. 
Before kick off popular wrestler Animal Hamaguchi worked the crowd into a frenzy with a spirited motivational performance and the intensity reached a peak as the game began at just after 7pm. 

Attack aggressively with fast offense, Ishikawa and Konno will score.

　From the start of the match, we aggressively went for the ball and created many chances from fast attacks. In the first minute, we stole the ball in our own half, and Toda sprinted down the left side. Lucas headed the cross. In the second minute, Ishikawa dribbled up the right side, and once again Lucas connected with a header from a fast cross. In the eighth minute, Lucas headed a long ball from our own half. In the sixth minute, Ishikawa cut into the right area, and Kaji picked up the loose ball for a grounded cross. Kurizawa jumped in front of the goal but did not make contact. None of these resulted in goals, but we seized the initiative with both sides launching fierce attacks from Miyazawa's distribution.

　In the 11th minute, from a right corner kick, Konno made a header shot. Although it didn't hit the target, Ishikawa intercepted the opponent's goal kick that followed. He charged fiercely from near the center line into the opponent's territory, taking a bold shot from the right area. This shot found the left side net without being touched by anyone amidst the crowded goal area! Ishikawa's proactive challenge led to the opening goal. Niigata, under pressure, saw FW Edmilson take a mid-range shot in the 15th minute, marking their first shot of the day. Ultimately, this was the only shot in the first half. In the 21st minute, a big switch from Miyazawa found Ishikawa perfectly on the right. Ishikawa broke through deep into the side. Although his cross from the end line was blocked by the Niigata defense, Konno, who had run in, struck a low shot from outside the left area into the net for a goal! They secured an additional point from an ideal development.

　At the 24th minute, Lucas picked up a loose ball from a left cross and took a shot. Tokyo completely controlled the ball and gained the advantage. After passing the 30th minute, they slowed the pace a bit but did not lose their rhythm. At the 32nd minute, Niigata executed a one-two between DF Aono and FW Suzuki Shin on the left side, sending a final pass in front of the goal, but Doi caught it easily. At the 34th minute, Jean intercepted Niigata's attack at the defensive line, and Kurisawa ran up the space and sent a final pass in front of the goal. Lucas jumped in but just missed connecting. At the 38th minute, Niigata attacked. MF Fabinho broke through the left side. Right DF Umino ran in for a side change to the right and crossed inside, but Doi caught it. At the 42nd minute, Kaji’s early cross was dropped by Toda, and Lucas, with his back to the goal, turned and shot, but it went over the bar. At the 44th minute, Niigata’s floating pass in front of the goal allowed Suzuki Shin to break free, but Moiniwa calmly dealt with it. They stole the ball and quickly switched to attack, overwhelming Niigata. They went into the second half with a 2-goal lead.

TOKYO Rampant As Ishikawa, Konno Strike Early

TOKYO began the game aggressively, winning the ball and launching high speed attacks. In the first minute Toda outpaced a defender down the left and crossed towards Lucas who headed narrowly wide. In the 2nd. minute Ishikawa dribbled down the right and centred to Lucas with a similar result. Ishikawa dribbled into the area in the 6th. minute but was blocked out; Kaji pounced on the loose ball and drilled a low cross into the six yard box that Kurisawa, at full stretch, missed by a whisker. TOKYO had seized the initiative with Miyazawa distributing the ball impressively from midfield out to the flanks. 
In the 11th. minute Konno headed a corner over the bar and when Nozawa, the Albirex keeper, scuffed the goal kick out towards the right touchline Ishikawa latched onto the ball and set off for goal at full speed. With teammates and opponents racing into the area ahead of him Ishikawa shot early and low and somehow the ball evaded the mass of players in the goalmouth to nestle just inside the far post. The goal was a direct result of Ishikawa's positive approach and ample reward for his efforts. Edmilson mustered the first shot for Albirex in the 15th. minute, a long range effort that Doi held easily. It would be their only chance of the first period. In the 21st. minute Miyazawa unleashed a sublime pass out to Ishikawa on the right; Ishikawa hared to the byline and centred. The panicky Albirex defence cleared the ball only as far as Konno, just outside the area, and he lashed an unstoppable low drive past the keeper for the second goal. It was a perfect start for F.C.TOKYO. 
Lucas nearly made it three in the 24th. minute but fired a loose ball just wide of the post. TOKYO were in total command. The blistering pace began to slacken a little around the half hour mark, allowing Albirex to enjoy more posession. In the 32nd. minute defender Aono and forward Suzuki played a one two through the centre but Doi reacted sharply to smother the danger. In the 34th. minute Jean stole the ball from an Albirex forward and fed Kurisawa; Kurisawa raced into space but Lucas failed to make contact with the final ball. Albirex countered in the 38th. minute through Fabinho on the left but Doi cleanly held Kaimoto's header into the danger area. In the 42nd. minute Toda knocked Kaji's early cross down to Lucas who swiveled and volleyed just over the bar. In the 44th. minute Moniwa coolly dealt with a threatening ball lofted over the TOKYO backline into the path of Suzuki. An excellent all-round performance saw TOKYO maintain the two goal lead at half time. 

Lucas delivers the final blow, 6 consecutive wins in the J1 opening match!

　The second half started in the cold rain that began to fall towards the end of the first half. Kanazawa cut the ball from Niigata's kickoff. They advanced to the center, and Toda received the last pass and took a shot. Kurizawa rushed in after the goalkeeper deflected it, but it did not result in a goal. Then, in the 48th minute, they were caught off guard for a moment, allowing MF Honma to advance into the penalty area. In the 58th minute, FW Ueno jumped in from a right free kick in front of the goal. There were also moments where Niigata allowed attacks after throwing in long balls and picking up loose balls, but the defense responded without panicking.

　It was a play right after. In the 59th minute, starting from Dohi, a quick attack was launched, and a long pass was delivered to Ishikawa. Receiving the ball in the right area, Ishikawa made a move to slip between three opposing defenders, and although he momentarily lost the ball while falling down, Lucas, who followed up on the loose ball, scored a goal! With the persistence of Ishikawa and the follow-up by Lucas, they secured the third goal. Ignoring the dejected Niigata, in the 62nd minute, Lucas picked up an easy clearance in the opponent's half and advanced into the left area. Dodging the opposing defenders, his shot from a tight angle powerfully pierced the top right of the net, securing the fourth goal.

　After that, Niigata, who had no choice but to go on the attack, brought in new signing MF Lima in the 65th minute. In the 73rd minute, Lima broke free on a floating pass into the area and got into a shooting position unmarked, but Jean closed in and the ball went over the bar. In the 70th minute, DF Yamamoto Kei took a shot from a right corner kick. Suzuki Shin tried to follow up on the rebound in front of the goal but couldn't make clean contact. In the 78th minute, DF Yamamoto Kō received his second caution and was sent off. With 11 men against 10, in the 82nd minute Danilo was brought on to replace the fully active Ishikawa, and in the 87th minute Miura came on for Miyazawa. Both sides continued to attack, resulting in a fast-paced game with many shooting opportunities, but neither side conceded a goal. Throughout the 90 minutes, Tokyo created chances through aggressive ball recovery and quick attacks, showing a variety of scoring patterns such as side attacks and Lucas's individual skills. Defensively, Moniwa and Jean put their bodies on the line to suppress Niigata's attacks, resulting in a dominant victory. In the J1 League, which switched to a single-stage system this season, they got off to the best possible start.

　【Player Comments】《Miyazawa》"It's difficult to rate, but I would say I performed at about 70-75 points. It was good that I was able to create chances from the side changes, but scoring goals and getting more involved in the second half are challenges. I want to pick up more loose balls and calm the game down." 《Ishikawa》"I wanted to be aggressive from the start in the home opener. There were many side changes from Miyazawa, so I paid attention to my movement. The shot that opened the scoring lacked power and wasn't as I had hoped, but I believe it's important to take that shot in that situation." 《Lucas》"Of course, I aimed for the goal with my second goal, but it might not go in even if I try to aim for it (laughs). Today's match was honestly a good match, but it's a long season. I want to keep improving my level."

　[Summary of Coach Hara's Press Conference] "We have been winning consecutively in opening matches, so I’m glad we could continue that. Until last week's preseason match, we assessed Danilo, but decided he needs a bit more time. Miyazawa has been in great form, so that was the only change. Our strength is simply our speed. Many say the key point this season is 'Konno as the lone defensive midfielder?', but we are thinking about how to utilize players like Ishikawa, Toda, Norio SUZUKI, and Kobayashi, who can compete on the wings. Today, we went forward to win the ball without fear, used passes from Miyazawa and Kurisawa to Ishikawa and Toda, and I think that helped us find our rhythm. We aimed to score 2 goals per game, so scoring 4 was a pleasant surprise (laughs). However, winning the opener is important, but what comes after is crucial. We got off to the best start, and we want to thoroughly implement our simple yet speedy attacks, as well as attacks breaking down from the sides. (Did the rhythm drop in the second half because we pushed too hard in the first half?) Maintaining such a fast pace continuously is impossible. In the second half, Niigata responded to our press by playing direct balls early and trying to collect the loose balls. We couldn’t avoid the long balls, but we competed firmly for the second balls and aimed to maintain fast attacks. How to respond when the opponent kicks long balls—that tactical battle is a challenge. We want to adapt flexibly, incorporating a slightly more defensive approach as needed. Our away record last season was not good, so we want to prepare well for the Hiroshima match."

　[Summary of Niigata Coach Sorimachi's Press Conference] "Many supporters came from Niigata, but I feel responsible for the disappointing result. I told the players positively after the game, 'Whether we lose 0-1 or 0-2, the points are zero,' and to prepare for the next game. The next match will come even if we sleep, so the question is what we do from now on. We must set our goals. The content of the match ended up enhancing Tokyo's strengths. It was quite predictable, but Tokyo took the lead early and held on, and Coach Hara jumped ahead (laughs), so we had no good moments at all. However, since the game also showed our intentions, we will pick those up and correct the bad parts. We got caught in Tokyo's continuous pressing, going for the ball and the man. But Tokyo must have been motivated after receiving boos in their preseason match a week ago. We also want to take today's boos positively and lead the team to be able to fight as aggressively as Tokyo did today."

Lucas Strikes To Seal Victory

The heavy rain that began falling at the end of the first half continued into the second but the miserable weather failed to cool TOKYO's ardor. Kanazawa intercepted a loose pass straight from the kick off and found Toda; the Albirex keeper failed to hold his powerful strike and Kurisawa nearly bundled the ball over the line. The visitors threatened more than in the first half with long balls out of defence aimed towards the strikers but the TOKYO defence maintained concentration and smothered the danger.
Doi cleanly held a free kick in the 58th minute and found Ishikawa with a sharp kick out to the wing. Ishikawa dribbled between three defenders and into the area; as he fell under pressure he managed to prod the ball into the path of Lucas who dispatched it past Nozawa for the third goal. Ishikawa's persistence and Lucas' sweet strike had earned the vital third goal. Albirex visibly wilted and Lucas hammered the final nail into their coffin barely three minutes later, pouncing on a poor clearance to burst past a defender and crash a shot into the roof of the net from a seemingly impossible angle.
Albirex sent on Anderson Lima in the 65th minute and their best chance of the half fell to the new signing in the 73rd minute as he ran onto a pass floated over the TOKYO defence. Jean flung himself forward and succeeded in forcing Anderson to shoot over the bar. Albirex briefly threatened from a corner in the 70th minute but a thoroughly miserable evening for the visitors was completed when Kojiro Kaimoto was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for a pointless foul on Ishikawa.
Ishikawa made way for Danilo in the 82nd minute and Miura replaced Miyazawa in the 87th. Both sides attacked until the final whistle blew on a comprehensive 4-0 win for F.C.TOKYO. It had been a deeply satisfying performance: aggressively winning the ball right across the field, decisively attacking at high speed and using the flanks to deliver top quality crosses, coupled with Lucas' individual skill. Moniwa and Jean gave towering performances, totally dominating central defence. All in all, the best possible start to the season.


Players' comments: 
Miyazawa 
"It's difficult to grade your own performance but I'd give myself 70-75 today. We used the wings well but my shooting and contribution in the second half weren't as good. I need to win more loose balls and be a little more composed". 

Ishikawa
"It was the first game and we were at home so we wanted to be as positive as possible from the start. Miyazawa played a lot of balls out to the wing so I had to pay attention to my speed and timing in making runs. The shot for the first goal was weak and not what I had intended but the most important thing is to shoot when there is a chance, I think".

Lucas 
"For the second goal of course I was aiming to score but I didn't think it would go in. Today was a good performance but it's a long season; I want to improve my game as much as possible".


F.C.TOKYO manager Hara 
"TOKYO have won the first game of the season for many years now and we really wanted to continue that run. I watched Danilo closely in the friendly last week and decided it was better to give him a little more time. Miyazawa has been in very good form recently and that was the only change I made. Our strengths lie in our speed and straightforward play. Many people have questioned the formation with Konno as sole defensive midfielder but with Toda, Ishikawa, Norio Suzuki and Kobayashi all able to play in wide positions we have been considering it. The players pushed forward without fear today and the quality of passes from Miyazawa and Kurisawa to Toda and Ishikawa allowed them to use their speed and we found our rhythm. I said I expected the team to score two goals a game so four today is a real bonus. Just winning the first game is the most important thing. That was the best possible start for us today: we aim to perfect our style of direct, fast football using the wings to pull opponents apart. The pace fell in the second half but it's impossible to maintain that intensity for the full 90 minutes. Also, Albirex began playing the long ball more, bypassing the midfield, looking to pick up knock downs and loose balls. We have to learn to deal with that tactic and adapt our play accordingly. The next game is away to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, where we don't have a particularly good record, so we'll be looking to prepare thoroughly for that".

Albirex manager Sorimachi
"Many fans came down from Niigata and I feel a strong responsibility for the poor result. After the game I told the players that even if we lose 1-0 or 2-0 we still get no points. We really allowed TOKYO to play to their strengths today and although we had anticipated that we couldn't do anything about it. There wasn't anything positive to take from this performance. Still, TOKYO were booed after last week's pre-season match so hopefully the booing we received today will serve to inspire the team the way it obviously did for TOKYO. We have to work hard on our weak points and play as aggressively as our opponents did in the next match."