GAME RESULTGame Result
Sec. 23 2011/7/30 (Sat)
Attendance 6,909
Weather: Clear, Light; Temperature: 27.9 degrees; Humidity: 76%
Referee: Tetsuro YOSHIDA Assistant Referees: Shinya IRIBE / Yoji MORIMOTO Fourth Official: Toshiyuki WAZUMI
J2 Sec. 23
Honjo

HOME
Giravanz Kitakyushu
1-0
Match Ended
First Half0-0
Second Half1-0

AWAY
FC Tokyo
Giravanz Kitakyushu | FC Tokyo | |
---|---|---|
59' Tomoki Ikemoto |
Scorer | |
78' Yuji KIMURA → Leonardo 80' Satoshi NAGANO → Yusei HAYASHI |
Player Substitution |
61' Sotan TANABE → Lucas 72' Hideto TAKAHASHI → Yohei OTAKE 80' Takumi ABE → Kazumasa UESATO |
8 | Shoot | 17 |
3 | CK | 15 |
6 | FK | 17 |
21' Satoshi NAGANO 31' Takayuki TADA 57' Jongpil KIM 90'+3 Leonardo |
Warning | |
Ejection |
GK | 31 | Yuya SATO |
DF | 13 | Mitsuhiro Seki |
DF | 26 | Toru Miyamoto |
DF | 16 | Ryoji Fukui |
DF | 6 | Yuki Fuji |
MF | 29 | Kim Jong-bok |
MF | 17 | Yuji KIMURA |
MF | 22 | Takahiro Tada |
MF | 21 | Akihiro Yasuda |
FW | 4 | Satoshi Nagano |
FW | 11 | Tomoki Ikemoto |
GK | 30 | Shogo Tokihisa |
DF | 25 | Ryosuke Kawanabe |
MF | 7 | Shinya Sato |
MF | 27 | Yuta Hashimura |
MF | 23 | Yuki Nagahata |
FW | 20 | Leonardo |
FW | 19 | Yusei Hayashi |
GK | 1 | Hitoshi SHIOTA |
DF | 2 | Yuhei TOKUNAGA |
DF | 3 | Masato MORISHIGE |
DF | 6 | Yasuyuki KONNO |
DF | 26 | Takumi ABE |
MF | 4 | Hideto TAKAHASHI |
MF | 10 | Yohei KAJIYAMA |
MF | 27 | Sotan TANABE |
MF | 39 | Tatsuya YAZAWA |
FW | 22 | Naotake HANYU |
FW | 9 | Roberto CESAR |
GK | 20 | Shuichi GONDA |
DF | 33 | Kenta MUKUHARA |
DF | 34 | Tomokazu NAGIRA |
MF | 19 | Yohei OTAKE |
MF | 32 | Kazumasa UESATO |
FW | 11 | Tatsuya SUZUKI |
FW | 49 | Lucas |
Photo Gallery
-
Goal area filled with fans and supporters
-
Roberto CESAR jumps into the cross
-
Takahashi player connecting the ball in midfield
-
Player Abe charging up the side
-
Player Hanyu actively takes shots
-
Player Otake challenges with dribbling
-
Lucas keeps the ball while being marked by the opponent
-
Player Tanizawa attempts a shot with all his might, stretching out his legs.
-
Player Tokunaga participates in the attack with dribbling
-
Player Kajiwara boldly aims for the goal
[Player and Coach Comments]
A match where we want to accumulate 3 points away, based on stable defense.
In Sec. 23 of the league, we will face Giravanz Kitakyushu away. After finishing two consecutive home matches, we will now have two away games. In the previous match against Kumamoto, we took advantage of the numerical superiority to score 5 goals and achieved a convincing victory. However, there were moments in the first half where we couldn't capitalize on our chances. To consistently convert opportunities into goals, we want to increase our intensity and finishing ability, making this match a crucial step towards consecutive victories.
Against Kitakyushu, they currently have 8 wins, 3 draws, and 6 losses, placing them 5th. Last season, after being promoted to J2, they only managed 1 win and finished at the bottom, but this season they welcomed coach Yasutoshi MIURA, along with new additions such as MF Yasuda (formerly G Osaka), MF Kimura (formerly Kawasaki), and MF Morimura (on loan from Tokyo). So far, their total goals scored are 17 and total goals conceded are 19, which are not outstanding, but they seem to be making progress with a balanced approach. In this match, MF Morimura and anchor MF Kuwahara will be suspended. The absence of these two key players in passing will be a significant blow for Kitakyushu.
In Tokyo, Nakamura injured his right ankle in the last match, and Abe returns to the starting lineup in his place. Currently, the team has maintained a streak of five consecutive matches without conceding a goal, but Coach Okuma stated, "The defensive line, centered around Shiota, has good communication with Morishige and Konno, showing cohesion and stability. Furthermore, we want to keep the back compact and maintain close distances among players, so that we can apply pressure regardless of the opponent we face."
Furthermore, as Coach Okuma mentioned, "We are starting to make adjustments during the matches. Even when bad plays occur, there are moments where we improve in the next scene. The ability to respond flexibly will be the key to victory." Utilizing our judgment based on the situation, we will face tough opponents and seize victory! The match started at 18:03 with a kickoff from Tokyo at Kitakyushu City Honjo Athletic Stadium.
Defensive Stability The Base As Tokyo Aim For The Points In Kyushu
For the 23rd game of the season, FC Tokyo made the long journey south to Kyushu to take on Giravanz Kitakyushu. After taking maximum points from two consecutive home games, Tokyo now faced two away games in succession. The previous outing had been a comprehensive 5-0 drubbing of ten-man Kumamoto, a final result that partially overshadowed Tokyo's struggle to convert their chances until the final minute of the first half. In order to extend the winning streak, Tokyo would need to increase the intensity of their play and improve their finishing.
Opponents Kitakyushu lay in 5th place in the league at kick off with a W8 D3 L6 record. The club had made its J2 debut in 2010 but struggled throughout the season, winning only a single game and finishing bottom of the league. New manager Yasutoshi Miura had sparked a dramatic turnaround however, aided by the signings of midfielders Yasuda from Gamba Osaka, Kimura from Kawasaki Frontale and the arrival of Morimura on loan from Tokyo. With 17 goals scored and 19 conceded the side was neither free-scoring nor parsimonious in defence but was well-balanced and making real progress. Both Morimura and midfield anchor Kuwabara were suspended for the game and the absence of the pivotal pair was expected to have a major impact on the team's chances.
For Tokyo, an ankle injury suffered in the last match sidelined Nakamura, with Abe returning to the starting eleven at right back. The side had kept five straight clean sheets, and as manager Kiyoshi Okuma commented, "With Shiota at the heart of the defence and Konno and Morishige very vocal in front of him we have a settled feeling and a sense of stability. We're compact at the back and the players keep a close distance from each other; whoever we're up against we want to continue to hold off their pressure." Further, "Recently we've been making corrections during the games; if we make a poor move then it's amended in the next such situation. Being able to adapt to the situation like that is the key to winning games."
With the manager's comments on adapting their decision-making to the situation in mind, Tokyo kicked off shortly after 6pm at the Honjo Athletic Stadium.
Kajiyama's missed penalty resulted in a scoreless halftime
From the start, both teams utilized their strengths, leading to a back-and-forth match. Gradually, Tokyo began to evade Kitakyushu's organized pressing and increased their chances of moving the ball forward. In the 6th minute, Tokunaga's cross found Tanabe in the center, who jumped in for a direct shot but missed. In the 8th minute, from a counterattack, Takahashi passed to Roberto CESAR on the left side, who, gaining speed in the center, attempted a one-two with Tanizawa and took a shot, but it went wide.
In the 11th minute, they created rhythm through passing exchanges, connected from a loose ball, and Kajiyama took a shot from distance as he advanced, but it only resulted in a corner kick due to a great save by the GK. In the 20th minute, Kajiyama's shot from distance was deflected for a corner kick, but during this corner kick, Morishige was fouled in the area, resulting in a penalty kick. However, Kajiyama's kick was blocked by the GK, and they could not capitalize on the chance to take the lead.
Still, the control of the match was with Tokyo. In the 31st minute, from Morishige's interception, Tanabe dribbled past the defenders on the left side and took a shot. In the 43rd minute, Roberto CESAR, from the combination with Tanabe, had Takahashi take a shot, but both went off target. Kitakyushu's defensive awareness was high, and they could not break through, ending the first half scoreless.
Kajiyama Misses Penalty In Scoreless First Half
The game began in an open, attacking manner with both sides playing to their strengths but Tokyo slowly began to sidestep the Kitakyushu pressure and move the ball forward. In the 6th minute Tokunaga raced forward and crossed, the ball narrowly escaping Tanabe's lunge. In the 8th minute Tokyo counter-attacked, Takahashi finding Roberto Cesar on the left wing. Cesar played a one-two with the on-rushing Yazawa and fired in a shot that drifted wide of the home goal.
In the 11th minute Tokyo found some rhythm with a neat passing move and when the ball fell loose to Kajiyama he let fly with a scorching drive that deflected off a defender and drew a fine save from Sato, who turned the ball around the post for a corner. Kajiyama essayed another attempt on goal from middle range in the 20th minute, earning a corner. As the ball came into the penalty area a foul was called on Morishige, giving Tokyo the opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot; Sato blocked Kajiyama's spot kick and a golden chance to break the deadlock was wasted.
Despite the miss Tokyo continued to enjoy the upper hand. In the 31st minute Morishige cut out a pass and sent Tanabe away down the left, where the young midfielder slid past a defender and fired an attempt on goal. As the first half drew to a close in the 43rd minute Cesar and Tanabe combined neatly to set up Takahashi but his shot sailed wide. The first period ended scoreless.
Allowed the opening goal and fought back until the end but could not score and lost the match
At the start of the second half, they crowded the area in front of the Kitakyushu goal, and Takahashi tried to break free from a pass by Roberto CESAR. From this rebound, Tanabe got into a shooting position. In the 53rd minute, Tokunaga dribbled up the right side and Yanizawa jumped in for a low cross. However, the Kitakyushu defenders blocked both attempts with their bodies, and the situation continued without a shot being taken. They also failed to capitalize on consecutive corner kick opportunities, and instead faced a counterattack from Kitakyushu.
In the 59th minute, from the attack of Kitakyushu's left back Seki, the ball was passed to forward Ikemoto, who made a run inside. A powerful shot was taken from near the right corner of the area, and the ball went over Shiota's outstretched hand into the top left corner... Despite pushing the game forward, they conceded a goal from a counterattack, marking their first goal conceded in six matches. In response, Tokyo brought in Lucas for Tanabe in the 61st minute.
In the 72nd minute, Otake was brought on to replace Takahashi. In the 74th minute, Lucas intercepted a ball from the opposing goalkeeper and immediately aimed for a shot, but it went wide. After the 78th minute, chances were created through the passing work of Hanyu, Lucas, and Otake, but they lacked precision in the final play... In the 80th minute, Uesato was brought on as a left back. They aimed for a goal with a total effort, but could not overcome the solid defense of Kitakyushu, who maintained their concentration, resulting in their third defeat of the season since the match against Kusatsu on May 14.
[Player Comments] {Abe} "Results are everything... While it's important to focus on the content, to stay at the top from here, it's more important to win even if the performance is not good. Although we had been in a good flow lately, the fact that I played and we got this result in an away game means I need to calmly reflect and learn from it. Personally, the increase in opportunities to bring in crosses is a plus. However, it's also true that there is a lack of precision just a few centimeters away from assisting a goal. I want to work on that in practice so I can improve. Above all, I think the way we play away games is very important. I want to think about that."
"Konno" said, "When we lose, it's often in this manner... it turned into a typical match. If we had taken even one chance in the first half, it would have been a match without any problems. But the opponent also worked hard, and as the score remained 0-0 for a long time, I think it made us feel like 'we might be able to do this.' Kitakyushu's concentration increased, and after they scored, they thoroughly focused on defending and counter-attacking. We need to reflect on the moments we conceded, but they scored an incredible shot from a counter. Personally, I want to pursue scoring a goal from the first half to the beginning of the second half. Of course, we were also trying to be creative to score, with side attacks and the full-backs pushing forward. I think we're close. There may be many more games like this in the future. We need to turn today's defeat into a positive, but there's no need to look down here."
[Coach Okuma's Press Conference Summary] "I think it's the fear of soccer. With the inability to finish, we faced their counterattacks and their concentration. We couldn't break through and we couldn't finish. Missing the penalty was painful, but I believe such things can happen, so it is necessary to finish within the flow of the game. We need to be a bit more aggressive in the attacking third and create more threats to the opponent; they were very focused, and that's something we need to reflect on. As a team, we will switch gears and continue to push forward."
[Summary of Coach Miura's Press Conference in Kitakyushu] "I believe the players worked very hard to achieve victory in this match against FC Tokyo, which has J1-class environment, individual skills, stadium, training facilities, supporters, and media. From the beginning, I thought about the tough and difficult match, as well as the challenging moments when we wouldn't have the ball, and the negative things that could happen. I communicated to them that we would definitely find something within ourselves that would surpass FC Tokyo during the 90 minutes. I feel the team's growth in firmly converting the few chances we had and maintaining an attacking mindset even after scoring one goal."
I believe that the support and encouragement from the supporters who build this home together is important, and even more so, I think the players' focus and daily efforts in training will surely be rewarded. There are still some areas that are not fully organized, so we must conduct a thorough self-analysis and ensure that we do not misjudge our self-evaluation, keeping our feet firmly on the ground as we prepare for the next match. We have not become a big team, but I want to approach the next match against Tokushima with the confidence that we have fought well against such big teams.
Tokyo Frustrated By Kitakyushu Defence In 1-0 Loss
Tokyo pushed men forward from the second half kick off and Roberto Cesar nearly succeeded in putting Takahashi clear on goal. The ball deflected to Tanabe who wound up to make an attempt on goal. In the 53rd minute Tokunaga swept down the right flank and rolled a low cross into the box, aimed for Yazawa as the midfielder burst forward. Once again the Kitakyushu defence interceded and prevented Yazawa from making contact with the ball. Tokyo won consecutive corners which came to nothing, and then Kitakyushu suddenly struck back.
In the 59th minute left back Seki made a sharp burst upfield, then moved the ball on to forward Ikemoto in the inside right channel. From the corner of the Tokyo penalty area Ikemoto unleashed a thunderous drive that flashed beyond Shiota's outstretched hands and found the far corner of the net to give the home side the lead. After applying pressure for most of the game Tokyo had been caught out on a counter attack and conceded their first goal in six games. The visitors made their first change in the 61st minute, replacing Tanabe with Lucas.
Otake replaced Takahashi in the 72nd minute. In the 74th minute Lucas intercepted a clearance by the Kitakyushu goalkeeper and shot immediately but failed to hit the target. In the 78th minute Hanyu, Lucas and Otake combined to fashion a fine move although the accuracy of the final ball was missing. Uesato made an appearance at left back in the 80th minute. Tokyo fought to the bitter end but were unable to breach the solid Kitakyushu defence and the final whistle blew on a 1-0 defeat, the first since the loss to Kusatsu on May 14th and the third of the season.
Players' comments
Abe
"The result is everything. Of course the performance is important but to stay at the top it's important to win even if we play badly. Things have been going well for us recently so for me to make an appearance in a game that ends with this kind of result means that I have to take a calm look and reflect on my performance. On a personal level I was able to increase the number of crosses I put into the danger area; on the other hand they were a few centimeters from being accurate enough to result in a goal, and that's the fact of the matter. I want to put these things together in training. More than anything though I feel that our approach to away games is the most important thing and I want to consider that as much as possible."
Konno
"When we lose this is the way we lose and it became a stereotypical game, unfortunately. If we could have taken just one of the chances we created in the first half the match would have been no problem. But our opponents were playing tenaciously and the longer it stayed at 0-0 the more confidence they had that they could actually get a result. They increased their concentration and after they scored they did a complete job of defending in depth and attempting to hit us on the counter attack. Although we have to hold our hands up after conceding it was an astonishing shot from a counter attack. Personally I think we have to score within the first half and the beginning of the second. Of course we're trying various tactics to score, using the wings and having the sidebacks push forward, but we need a little more. I think there are going to be many more games like today's from now on. Still, there's no need to be downhearted; we have to take what we've learned from today's match and move on".
FC Tokyo manager Kiyoshi Okuma
"That's the scary thing about football I think. The concentration needed for counter attacks when you can't put your chances away. We couldn't break that and we couldn't take our chances. Missing a penalty hurt us but that happens sometimes and we need to be able to score from open play. We should have been a little bolder and more determined and taken the ball deeper along the wings in the attacking third to carry more of a threat as our opponents were looking confident. I’m sure the team will bounce back, though".
Kitakyushu manager Miura
"Everything about FC Tokyo is J1 class - the players, the stadium, the training facilities, the supporters and the media so for us to win a game such as this means the players have performed extremely well. We expected an intense and difficult game where we would be suffering for stretches and I envisaged the worst possibilities that could occur in various situations such as when we didn't have the ball. I told the players that they would have to find something inside themselves that would allow them to surpass Tokyo for the 90 minutes. We decisively finished one of the few chances we made and I felt very strongly the development of the teams as one that has real penetration in attack. That comes from the support of our fans here at Honjo Stadium and is a just reward for the hard work the players put into training day after day. There are a few issues we need to sort out and we have to assess ourselves in a realistic way to keep our feet on the ground in preparation for the next game. It isn't that we've become a big team, but beating a big team in the way we did today will give us confidence as we look forward to the game against Tokushima next week".