Tokyo showdown with unbeatable Verdy

　J2 League Sec. 10 Tokyo Verdy match will be held as an away game at Ajinomoto. Last match ended in a scoreless draw, and the past two matches have ended without scoring. It's not that we haven't been able to create chances. We also have control of the game for a long time, but Coach Okuma reflects, "We're taking too much time and closing down the space. If we don't improve our decision-making, we won't gain certainty."

　Therefore, in practice, we made small adjustments and used Hayu on the side. Following Hirayama and Yonemoto, Roberto CESAR also left, and the team situation can be said to be difficult, but we have been trying in a midfield formation close to a diamond, with Tokunaga playing as a one-man ranch and Kajiyama playing as a top. Roberto CESAR started in the previous match. He will form a two-top with Takamatsu and face the game with Suzuki on the right and Hayu on the left.

　Verdy, who finished 5th in last season's J2, is the opponent. They are a rival who also calls Tokyo their home base and is of course competing for promotion, but this season they have lost 3 games in a row and their form is not quite there. However, their aggressive and speedy attack, led by FW Kawano, has a lot of power. And in this match, speedy FW Hirashige will start. In addition, the technique of defensive midfielder Saeki, MF Kobayashi, and Kikoka is high, and they can calmly connect passes.

　We want to press in the midfield as much as possible and prevent Verdy from bringing the ball to our front line. We also want to maintain a quick transition and take advantage of Verdy's DF's weaknesses by increasing our awareness towards scoring and aiming for victory. The match, which cannot be lost, started at 3:04 pm with Verdy's kickoff at the sunny Ajinomoto Stadium where the heat makes you sweat.

Tokyo Take On Verdy In Capital Clash

FC Tokyo were back at Ajinomoto Stadium for the 10th game of the season but this time as the away team as they faced up to Tokyo Verdy. Tokyo had failed to find the net in their previous two outings despite dominating the games for lengthy spells and creating a reasonable number of chances. Manager Kiyoshi Okuma commented, "We take too long in the build-up and that denies us space. If we can't improve the quality of our decision-making we won't increase the number of clear-cut chances we create". Tokyo worked on fine-tuning the team in training, employing Hanyu on the wing. With Hirayama, Yonemoto and Roberto all injured Tokyo practiced with a diamond midfield featuring Tokunaga as midfield anchor and Kajiyama behind the two strikers. Roberto Cesar made his second consecutive start alongside Takamatsu in attack with Suzuki on the right and Hanyu on the left of midfield.
Opponents Verdy had finished 5th in J2 last season. The side, also based in the capital city, were expected to be promotion rivals but had made a disastrous start to the year, losing all three games so far. However, the aggression of forward Kawano and darting runs of his strike partner Hirashige carried some threat in a pacy attack. Coupled with the ball-playing ability of midfielders Saeki, Kobayashi and Kikuoka, it meant that Tokyo would need to press hard in midfield to deny the front pair any service. Swiftly turning defence into attack would be the key to exploiting space left by Verdy defenders who frequently pushed forward.
A bumper Bank Holiday crowd of nearly 29,000 created a carnival atmosphere as they basked in the sunshine on a warm afternoon. Tokyo Verdy kicked off the "unloseable" game shortly after 3pm.

Missed early chances, gradually dominated by Verdy

　Both teams showed their fighting spirit in the beginning and continued to fiercely compete. In the midst of this, they quickly switched to attacking and in the 3rd minute, Kajiyama and Hanyu connected with a quick pass in front of the opponent's goal, with Kajiyama jumping into the area to receive the ball that was cleared by the defense. Although it became a one-on-one situation with the GK, the opponent's GK made a great play and they were only able to earn a corner kick.

　At 6 minutes, Konno → Abe goes up and crosses. Takamatsu jumps in the center and quickly creates a shape, but the diving header is not finished and goes outside the frame. At 15 minutes, a starting point is created on the right side and Hayashi aims for a middle shot on the loose pass in the center. However, they cannot take it here and gradually the rhythm shifts to Verdy. They quickly connect passes and target the back of Tokyo's DF with FW Hirashige.

　However, Tokyo DF also showed their strength with Morishige at the center. In the 17th minute, a loose ball was shot by FW Kono, but Gonda made a save in front of the goal. In the 28th minute, FW Hirashige dropped back on the pitch and FW Hiramoto made a run inside. Shortly after, Tokyo lost the ball while attacking and Verdy countered. FW Hiramoto dribbled into the area, but Morishige, who had come back to cover, held him off firmly.

　Against Verdy's speedy attack, we were focused on defending, but we made mistakes when trying to move forward after taking the ball, leading to a counterattack. There were also scenes where Roberto CESAR was targeted and lost the ball, putting us under pressure. Our defensive line started to drop and we struggled to create chances, resulting in the end of the first half.

Tokyo Miss Early Chances Before Verdy Slowly Dominate

The opening exchanges were as fierce and frenetic as expected, with possession frequently changing hands. In the 3rd minute Hanyu and Kajiyama exchanged rapid-fire passes on the edge of the Verdy area before a loose clearance fell to Kajiyama who bore down on Doi in the Verdy goal. Kajiyama shot but Doi produced a fine save to turn the ball around the post for a corner.
In the 6th minute Konno found Abe and the young Tokyo side back back curled an early cross into the Verdy area that narrowly evaded Takamatsu's diving lunge. In the 15th minute Tokyo crafted a move down the right and when an infield pass was deflected into his path Hanyu let fly from middle range. With Tokyo unable to make their early chances count, Verdy slowly began to find their rhythm through some brisk pass-work while Hirashige attempted to run in behind the visitors' defence.
However, with Morishige leading the line the Tokyo defence showed its strength. In the 17th minute Gonda comfortably held Kawano's blast from outside the area. In the 28th minute Verdy replaced Hirashige with forward Hiramoto. Moments later Verdy stole the ball as Tokyo pushed forward and launched a counter attack, Hiramoto dribbling into the Tokyo area. Morishige was on hand to provide defensive cover and clear the danger.
The Tokyo defence was coping well with Verdy's pacy attack but possession was soon lost again in midfield, allowing the home side to counter attack. Verdy were clearly focused on preventing the ball from reaching Roberto Cesar and intercepted several passes to the striker, increasing the pressure as the first half drew to a close. The Tokyo line began to sink deeper, unable to create much in attack. The first period finished 0-0.

Roberto CESAR was sent off, but even with 10 players, they tried to grasp the rhythm and aim for victory...

　It was a second half where we wanted to calm down and regroup, but in the 54th minute, Tokyo launched a counter attack and Roberto CESAR dribbled. He tried to get past the Verdy DF and fell, resulting in a foul. He received his second warning and was sent off... We were forced to play with 10 men and in the 59th minute, Tanizawa was substituted for Takamatsu on the side. Suzuki led the attack and we aimed for a chance. However, despite being at a numerical disadvantage, we started to press from the front and the rhythm shifted to Tokyo.

　Substituting Hayu for Pedro JUNIOR in the front line in the 68th minute. In the 71st minute, Kajiyama → Pedro JUNIOR skillfully kept the ball and Suzuki took a middle shot from behind. In the 72nd minute, Tanizawa received an early cross from the right side and shot from the left area, shaking the net, but there was a hand foul in the trapping stage, and it was not counted as a goal.

　They launched a fierce attack, riding on the momentum of the stand, but Pedro JUNIOR's header from Murahara's cross in the 78th minute went wide. In the 81st minute, they connected passes from the DF line, with Suzuki → Abe floating a ball into the area. Pedro JUNIOR skillfully controlled it and tried to take a shot, but it was cleared just before he could do so, resulting in a left corner kick. From this corner kick, Imakano from the right area took a shot, but it was saved by the GK... In the 90th minute, Kajiyama hit a header from Morishige's cross, but it was called a foul in front of the goal.

　In the 4th minute of stoppage time, Verdy GK Doi was injured. As all substitution slots had been used, FW Hiramoto took on the role of GK. However, they were unable to capitalize on the subsequent corner kick opportunity. Despite being behind in numbers, they showed a strong attitude towards victory and did not give up, but once again ended up with no goals and a second consecutive draw. They were only able to earn 1 point with a tie.

　[Player Comments]《Hanyu》"In the first half, Verdy had possession of the ball, but I didn't feel like we were being dominated. Especially in the beginning, we had chances as well, and if we had scored there, I think the game would have taken a different turn. We played with the mindset of doing what we needed to do, but we couldn't bring the ball to the attacking third or finish well. After we became 10 players, our mentality changed and we were able to pass the ball and have more time on the ball. We can see that as a positive. Of course, we need to reflect on the result, but the fact that we were able to maintain a winning attitude even with 10 players and show more determination than last game, isn't that a positive?"

　"Abe" "In the first half, we were caught up in the flow, but there will definitely be times when the opponent takes control of the game. It was longer than usual, but we were able to keep a clean sheet. Next, we need to focus on how quickly we can regain control of the game. We have to work towards that. With Cesar being sent off, I thought I would have to run for two people, and I think everyone's energy level also increased."

　[Coach Oikuma's press conference summary] "In the first half, we couldn't find our rhythm because the opponent had possession of the ball, but we were able to endure well during that time. However, we couldn't get the ball to our two top players in the attack, and we tried to use Hayabusa as a starting point and send the ball to the top or behind, but it didn't work out well for Takamatsu. We couldn't establish a high starting position."

　Kajiyama may have rushed too much. It should have been conscious to use Takamatsu and Hanyu while connecting. In the second half, due to the player's expulsion, the situation where player substitutions as a game plan could not be made, but even in that situation, the feeling of heading towards the goal could be expressed. However, it is necessary to have the feeling of "forward" like the second half from the first half, including passing the ball.

　(About Kajiyama) He has been working hard since the beginning of spring, but after injuring his calf once, he doesn't feel his best. In fact, in the first half, there was a lack of simplicity, and due to Yonemoto's injury, the trust and positioning in passing with Tokunaga was not smooth. Still, in the drawn-out game, the fact that he was able to play like that in the second half is proof of his potential. It's not just Kajiyama, but we also need to examine his relationship with others.

　(About Cesar) He is saying to consciously keep Cesar in mind, but we also need to verify whether he is moving in situations where he can pass. This is not just about him, but we also need to consider the positioning of nearby people in the future.

　[Verdy Kawakatsu Press Conference Summary] "In the last two games, we had possession but lacked awareness in terms of breaking through and penetrating. We saw that Tokyo's final line was easy to break, so we tried to put the ball in quickly from the midfield today. In the first half, we were able to make good runs and the opponent's left side was our target. The cover was also thin, so we wanted to attack there. We were able to do that, but we wanted to score in the first half."

　(Specifically, what is the target on the left side?) It seemed that the relationship between the final line of four in Tokyo was not going well. Konno is concerned about the left side, but there is a gap between Morishige and Konno. When the ball is put on the left, the center opens up. FW Hiraishi often attacked there, and usually instructs FW Hiramoto to come out a little wider. MF Inoue is strong on the side and can also win aerial battles. By putting it there, Konno is pulled out. I wanted to use the center while showing the side because there didn't seem to be much awareness of the back of the volante today. We were able to do that in the first half. We wanted to continue in the second half and pace down a little later, but we were too careful and entered the center too much, and the opponent had a player sent off, so the movement became smaller in reverse.

　FW Kono was free a few times and wanted to start from there, but the center was thin and simply went straight up, unable to break through the small number of opponents. If the team had a little more room, they could have pulled out the opponent while using the outside more and added numbers to the attack to create variations, but they couldn't take advantage of the one extra player. In the second half, it felt like we were helping the opponent. The team is in a situation where they have no points and no room for error. It was a game where we gradually remembered things like speeding up and simply heading towards the goal."

Ten-man Tokyo Find Rhythm

Tokyo needed to calmly regroup as the second half opened but were soon reduced to ten men as Roberto Cesar was shown a second yellow card for fouling a Verdy defender as Tokyo broke forward on a counter attack in the 54th minute. Yazawa replaced Takamatsu in the 59th minute and played on the flank, with Suzuki pushed forward into attack. Despite being at a numerical disadvantage Tokyo began to press hard from the front and soon found a rhythm.
In the 68th minute Pedro Junior replaced Hanyu and moved into the front line. In the 71st minute Kajiyama picked out Pedro Junior, who held the ball up skillfully, before laying it off to Suzuki who shot from middle distance. Tokyo managed to put the ball in the net in the 72nd minute as Yazawa fired an early cross past Doi but the goal was disallowed for handball.
Roared forward by the crowd Tokyo attacked in waves, Pedro Junior heading Mukuhara's cross narrowly wide in the 78th minute. In the 81st minute Tokyo passed the ball across the backline before Suzuki found Abe, who floated a pass forward to the edge of the Verdy area where Pedro Junior neatly controlled the ball and shaped to shoot. Before he could pull the trigger though a Verdy defender whipped the ball off his toe and out for a corner. From the resulting corner Konno cracked a shot on target from the right side of the area but Doi made the save. Kajiyama made contact with Morishige's cross in the 90th minute but again a foul was called.
Verdy keeper Doi suffered an injury in additional time and was forced to leave the field. Having used all three substitutes forward Hiramoto went in goal for the final couple of minutes. Tokyo won a corner after the change but were unable to put the substitute keeper under pressure and the match finished in a 0-0 draw. Tokyo had shown admirable tenacity to play with ten men for 40 minutes and still come close to snatching a win, yet the result was a second consecutive scoreless game and a single point earned.


Players' comments
Hanyu
"We allowed Verdy to have a lot of the ball in the first half but I didn't feel that they really put us under much pressure. Particularly in the early stages we made a few chances and if we could have put one away then the game might have been very different. We were thinking hard about what we should be doing but couldn't really bring the ball forward well or end moves with an attempt on goal. Going down to ten men forced us to change our approach completely and after that we were able to move the ball around and enjoy a lot of possession. We have to think of that as a plus to take from the game. Of course, we have to look at the result, but even after we were a man down, we showed a positive commitment to win the game and greater desire than in the last match, which is another bonus for the team".

Abe
"We took control in the first half but in all games there's going to be some time where the opposition are on top. Even though that was longer than usual today we were still able to keep a clean sheet. There isn't much time before the next game now so it's question of us recovering quickly. After Cesar was sent off I felt that I had to run twice as hard and the team raised its workrate to cope with his absence".

FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"Although we allowed them to have a lot of the ball in the first half and couldn't find a rhythm we stood firm when we needed to. We couldn't get the ball up to our FWs and when we used Hanyu to try to play Takamatsu in behind their DFs we couldn't get the ball through to him. We couldn't start from a position high up the field. One cause of that was Kajiyama being in too much of a hurry. He should have been aware that we were trying to move the ball around and bring Hanyu and Takamatsu into play. With the sending off our game plan and substitute planning went out of the window but we showed great desire in the way we went for a goal. I think we needed to have shown more of that desire in the first half.
What about Kajiyama? He's been working very hard since the beginning of spring to shake off a calf injury and still isn't at his best yet. In the first half perhaps he needed to keep it simpler and the injury to Yonemoto means that his new partnership with Tokunaga isn't as smooth as it could be yet, in terms of reliability in movement and positioning. Even so, his performance in the second half was proof of his potential.
As for the sending off Cesar is saying that the defender deliberately put himself in his field of vision but I'll have to look at it again to see if he was moving when the pass was hit. Again, it's not only him but the other players around whose positioning we will have to look at".

Tokyo Verdy manager Kawakatsu
"In our last two games we've enjoyed a lot of possession but we've had trouble getting through and behind the opposition defence. Tokyo's defensive line seemed brittle so we decided to try and move the ball forward quickly from midfield today. We managed to get forward in the first half, particularly along their left side where the cover was thin. We really wanted to score in the first half.
Why did we target their left side? It seemed that their back four weren't working together smoothly. Konno was being drawn over to the left and that was leaving some space between him and Morishige that we felt we could exploit. Hirashige was able to make some use of it and Hiramoto was also playing wider than usual. Midfielder Inoue was pushed out wide and was winning the aerial battle. The idea was to lure Konno out to the left. It looked as though we weren't focusing on the space behind the defensive midfielder today and instead were concentrating on the left flank but in fact we wanted to come through the middle. We were able to achieve that in the first half. We continued in the second half but were a little too cautious, slowed the pace too early and came inside too much. Then they had a man sent off and our movement slowed right down.
Forward Kawano found himself in space a few times and we wanted to build from there but the support in the middle was lacking so we ended up hitting the ball straight which played into Tokyo's hands, making it easier for them to defend. If we'd had a little more composure we could have drawn them out by using the wings, added more bodies to the attack and shown some variation in our approach. As it was, we didn't make the best use of the man advantage. I felt we let them off the hook in the second half. We haven't won yet and have no room for manoeuvre. We have to remember how to speed up the play and attack with simplicity".