Aiming for victory in the challenging away match against Kashima

In Sec. 2 of the Nabisco Cup qualifying league, we will face Kashima Antlers away. The previous match against Tosu ended without any goals, but we did not show any weaknesses in defense and earned 1 point. This match will focus on how we can convert chances into goals and secure a win. Tokyo will be without Yonemoto due to injury, so the double pivot will consist of rookie Nozawa and Masaru HASEGAWA. Lucas and Lee will play as left and right midfielders, with Kono in the attacking midfield and Watanabe at the top.

Kashima, on the other hand, currently has 1 win and 2 draws in the league. The Nabisco Cup starts this week as there was no game in the previous round. Kashima, the reigning Nabisco Cup champions, sees the return of coach Toninho CEREZO this season. New additions include FW Davi, MF Nakamura, and DF Ueda. In addition to the return of MF Nozawa, the team boasts a strong depth with experienced players and the emergence of young talent. Although they have made significant changes to their lineup for this match compared to the league, FW Davi and Osako have the ability to decide the game in an instant, so they require careful attention.

Coach Popovic expressed his respect, stating, "Every year they win titles, have top-notch experience in the league, and possess a wonderful balance of veterans and young players." He continued, "In contrast, this is a great opportunity for us to prove our strength. No matter where the opponent is, we want to prioritize our own style of football first." He aims to secure victory in a match that dispels the past struggles in away league games and to seize three points. The match will kick off at 16:00 at Kashima Soccer Stadium.

After conceding the first goal and facing a difficult situation, we equalized with Watanabe's goal.

From the start of the first half, the game was dominated by Kashima's aggressive attacks. In particular, the ball flowed smoothly from FW Davi and Osako's ability to hold the ball, launching side attacks. In the 9th minute, Kashima's right MF Endo's shot from distance was caught by Shiota. Furthermore, in the 10th minute, from a long pass by Kashima DF Masu, SB Maeno, who surged up the left side, took a powerful shot. Shiota saved it, resulting in a corner kick. From this left corner kick, FW Davi headed the ball but it went wide to the right.

Still, centered around Morishige, they focused on defending the final line and gradually began to find their rhythm. In the 21st minute, after Watanabe's post, Maruyama joined the attack. He charged into the left area but couldn't take a shot here. Connecting with the ball that spilled to the far side, Nozawa aimed for the goal, but lost his balance and couldn't hit it either. However, in the 28th minute, Maruyama lost the ball in his own half, and FW Davi passed to FW Osako on the right front line, whose quick shot from outside the right area pierced the top of the far goal, allowing a goal against.

After that, the coordination was not working in front of Kashima's intense press, and they could not settle the ball and connect it forward. In the 39th minute, a shot by Lucas, who received a pass from Maruyama inside the area, hit the left post. Lee, who reacted to the rebound, was also unable to push it in. Then, in the 45th minute, a ball sent by Hasegawa from a free kick on the left side was cleared by an opposing defender who competed with Morishige. From this loose ball, Tokunaga outside the right area took a shot, which was redirected by Watanabe in the middle, and the ball went into the left side netting. They somehow managed to equalize and headed into the second half.

Starting with Lucas's comeback goal, we steadily capitalized on opportunities to score 4 goals and secure victory

In the second half, Tokyo substituted Kono for Higashi on the right side. Lee played at the top, while Watanabe was positioned slightly behind. In the 50th minute, Watanabe created a decisive moment with a through pass, but Lee's shot was saved by the opposing goalkeeper. Then, in the 57th minute, Higashi advanced from the right to the center and passed to Lucas, who had circled around from the left into the area. He trapped the ball, evaded the marker, and took a shot. This struck the net, successfully turning the game around. However, after that, Kashima intensified their offensive with speedy attacks, creating chances through FW Davi's individual skills, but Shiota made a series of excellent saves to maintain the defense.

Tokyo, wanting to change the flow, substituted Mita for Nozawa in the 62nd minute. In the 68th minute, Ota was brought on for Maruyama. Then, in the 77th minute, Watanabe intercepted a pass mistake from the opposing DF and, after a one-two with Lee, spread the play to the left. Ota, who overlapped, sent an early cross between the GK and DF, and Lee dove in with a header to score. Finally, he scored his first goal. However, just one minute later, Kashima's left-sided MF Nozawa passed to the central FW Davi. FW Davi skillfully turned while being marked by Tokyo's DF and shot. This went in, bringing the score back to a one-point difference.

Kashima, gaining momentum, took consecutive long-range shots, but Shiota caught them. Although there were periods of pressure, in the 81st minute, Higashi in the center of the Kashima area drew the defense while Lee on the right area made a direct pass back to the center. Higashi, who ran in, calmly finished with his left foot to score an additional goal. Although Tokyo could not maintain control throughout the 90 minutes, they displayed focused defense until the end and showed resilience at crucial moments. They secured a victory at Kashima Soccer Stadium for the first time since 2004 in the Nabisco Cup.

[Player Comments]
《Lucas》"Keigo just joined this season, but he has brought good competitive play to both me and the team. The match against C Osaka ended in a phantom, but I shook the net with him in coordination. And in that moment today, Watanabe ran to receive the pass, creating two options for me: my dribble and the pass to him. I believe that led to the goal."

We have a high-quality team, and even if our positioning is slightly off, it contributes to our fluidity as a team. Scoring four goals against a big team like Kashima gives us confidence, and we want to continue achieving results like this. I believe that by scoring, I can increase the team's chances of winning, so I will work hard to score more goals. The season has just begun, but I truly believe that winning against Marinos is crucial for us to aim for the title and stay in the top ranks.

"Li" said, "Scoring my first goal is huge for me (laughs). Jumping into the box is my characteristic, and if I lose that, I won't be myself. Even when I can't score, I believe in myself and my teammates, and I think it's important to keep going. It took longer than I expected to get here, but aiming for one goal per match, what's important is the 'next.' I believe that if I score in the next match, I can finally ride the wave. I have to seize that wave myself."

(Was he appealing with his jersey number?) When thinking of the number 11 for Tokyo, Amaral definitely comes to mind. It's the ace number, and I didn't want to do anything that would overshadow its greatness. (Did he run to the goal area and celebrate a lot?) Scoring a goal and winning is something to be very happy about. I think it's okay to express joy when you're happy, and that's part of the fun of soccer. But I really believe the next match against Marinos is important. I want to win against a strong opponent and stay at the top, and I think everyone will have good motivation for the league matches. I definitely want to win.

【Summary of the Coach's Press Conference】
"I think it was an interesting match," said Coach Ranko POPOVIC. "Throughout the game, both teams showcased their strengths. However, in the first half, we were inferior to our opponents. It felt like we were playing with two fewer players. Competing against a team like Kashima, which wins titles every year, in such a situation is tough, and we couldn't show our best. In the second half, I believe we were able to demonstrate what we aim for and what we have been working on. However, regarding our performance in the first half, I want everyone to reflect on it. We should not play like that."

Among them, Tokunaga scored a goal to bring us back to one point, but without that, the outcome might have been different. Today, a new player named Nozawa made his debut, and I believe he played as I expected. I think he will grow to become a player who will carry the future of Tokyo. I don't like to single out and praise one player in such situations, but I believe he showed something solid in his first official match.

"(Regarding the young players used, what was the outcome?) Currently, there are only 18 players who can fight together. Among them, we had this opportunity, so I was able to give playing time to the goalkeeper, center-back, left-back, and both defensive midfielders. The players' abilities can only be understood in official matches. Practice is merely a guideline. It is in real battles that we can assess their current strength. I wanted to see that. From there, I hope to make corrections and develop them properly. However, in the first half, we were able to score with wonderful content. On the downside, we were unable to properly close out the match at the end of the first half. I believe we need to improve the team's awareness regarding the end of matches and the start of games in the future."

It is the second half, but unfortunately, FW Osako has been injured. FW Davi is on the field, but he is more of a goal-scoring striker. We can no longer hold the ball. As a result, we have gradually started to pull back as a team. Especially when the opponent began to take control, our younger players seemed either surprised or scared, and they ended up retreating. It is unfortunate that we gave the opponent space to attack. However, this is due to their youth, and as they gain more experience in matches, they will learn that they should not do this, should not be afraid, and must continue to fight bravely. I believe today's match was a good experience for the young players.