Aiming for victory after three league matches

The league Sec. 12, coming just two days after the Nabisco Cup. We will face Shimizu S-Pulse at home. We achieved a brilliant victory against Niigata in the Nabisco Cup, but we could not advance past the group stage. The players' expressions reveal a hint of frustration. However, we want to leverage the confidence gained from this battle in the league matches. Especially since we have not won in the last two league matches, and we lost the previous match against Shonan due to our own mistakes, it is essential to secure all three points at home in this match.

However, as Hasegawa injured his foot in the Niigata match, Ishikawa also experienced ankle pain and will miss this round. On the other hand, Lucas, Watanabe, Yonemoto, and Morishige, who did not have playing opportunities in the previous Nabisco match, return to the starting lineup. Therefore, Watanabe and Lee will be positioned in the front line, with Lucas and Higashi on the sides.

Shimizu currently sits in 10th place with 15 points. At the beginning of the season, there were matches where their defense showed weaknesses and resulted in heavy defeats, but they have managed to regroup and steadily accumulate points by winning close matches. Additionally, their attack centered around FW Valery has scored in seven consecutive league matches. At the same time, they have also scored many goals from their defense and set-piece situations, demonstrating their strength in crucial moments.

In contrast, Tokyo aims not only to increase ball possession but also to convert chances into goals, which is the key to victory. Without losing aggression and resilience, they want to seize victory through proactive play on both offense and defense. The last home game before the break started at 19:04 with Shimizu's kickoff at Ajinomoto on a clear May day.

Unable to break through Shimizu's organized defense, leading to a cautious development.

From the beginning, Tokyo controlled the ball. While evading Shimizu's intense press, they mainly tried to exploit the gaps behind the opponent's DF. In the 4th minute, Takahashi intercepted the ball in his own half. He advanced with a dribble and sent a long pass behind the opponent's DF. Watanabe broke free on the left flank to meet it, but the cross did not connect in the center. In the 20th minute, Lee seized a loose ball in the front line and passed it to Lucas on the right. Lucas sent a grounded cross in front of the goal, but the goalkeeper caught it before Watanabe could touch it.

In the 28th minute, Hyun Soo JANG made a floating pass to the right area. Higashi, who ran diagonally deep from the left side, dropped it, and Watanabe shot from the right area. In the 33rd minute, Lee, who received the ball in the center, turned towards the goal and made a through pass to the right area. However, Lucas's reaction was a step late, and he couldn't connect.

Although they pushed the game forward, there were prolonged moments when the connections in the front line did not mesh. In the 42nd minute, Lucas intercepted the ball in his own half and initiated a counterattack. However, the ground pass from Watanabe to Tokunaga sent from the side into the area was cleared by the Shimizu defense. Takahashi followed up on the loose ball and aimed for a mid-range shot, but it was blocked by the Shimizu defense.

On the contrary, in the 43rd minute, Shimizu's right throw-in was dropped by FW Valey at the post, leading to a right cross. This was passed to Shimizu FW Ito in the left area, who took a decisive shot, but... Gonda made the save! After escaping the crisis, in the 45th minute, Lee sent a pass to the left area where Yonemoto forcefully evaded the opponent, and Watanabe, who followed, turned at the left corner and took a shot. However, it just missed the target... They could not break through Shimizu's organized defense, and the first half ended scoreless.

Takahashi scores his first goal of the season! Lucas nets the second, shutting down the counterattack.

In the second half, Tokyo continued to circulate the ball and look for chances. In the 53rd minute, on the right side, Lucas and Isao TAKAHASHI connected well, and Lucas broke free on the right flank to receive a vertical pass from Higashi, delivering a backward pass into the area. Higashi, who entered the area with a pass-and-go, let it go, and Isao TAKAHASHI, running in from behind, took a shot! Although the ball lacked power, it slipped through the legs of the opposing defender and goalkeeper into the net!! With this being Isao TAKAHASHI's first goal of the season, they finally succeeded in scoring the opening goal.

However, Shimizu countered. In the 56th minute, from a free kick on the right side, FW Bare's back header was on target, but it was saved by Gonda, resulting in a corner kick. Tokyo, connecting their persistent defense to attack, in the 61st minute, Lucas passed to Lee, and Lucas again spread the play to the left. Watanabe, who had drifted to the left flank, sent a sharp cross between the opposing DF and GK. The Shimizu GK rushed out and punched it, but it hit Lucas in the chest and was absorbed into the net... They succeeded in securing an additional goal.

After leading by 2 goals, they maintained a high line, and in the 64th minute, Shimizu's forward Valey broke through and hit the bar with a shot, causing a scare, but he was offside in the previous phase. After that, there were moments when Shimizu had possession as they attempted to counterattack, but Tokyo defended calmly and aimed for a third goal.

In the 75th minute, Tanabe was brought in on the side. Higashi moved to the center. They circulated the ball to create their own time against Shimizu, who was trying to regain possession, and worked to suppress the counterattack. In the final stages, Mita and Hayashi were brought in. In the 90th minute, Mita in midfield sent a long pass behind the opponent's defense, and Hayashi broke free, but the goalkeeper caught it just a step ahead. In stoppage time, Hayashi dashed into the area in response to Ota's left cross and tried to connect with a direct shot, but... he couldn't finish and it went wide.

Although they couldn't score the third goal, fresh players showcased their strengths to secure the match, leading to the final whistle. They maintained a clean sheet in defense, achieving two consecutive wins in official matches. This marks their first three points in the league after three matches.


[Player Comments]
《Takahashi》
"Recently, we have been conceding many goals, so I have been considering balance and holding back on advancing. However, I also have the desire to contribute in a clear way, such as through goals and assists. My shots have been lacking, but I feel it is necessary to enter that area again. Against a team that solidifies its defense, I believe that the 10 players, excluding the goalkeeper, can play fluidly and collectively to surpass the opponent's defense. I want to be part of a team where heroes come and go."

《Lucas》
"Today, we talked before the match about how it would be a 'tight and difficult game,' and it turned out to be just that. Especially in the first half, it felt very tight, and I think there were no chances for either side. However, we all discussed that 'if we continue to play our usual game, chances will come in the second half, and it's important to take them when they do.' I think we were able to do that well. The goal came from a momentary reaction."

【Summary of the Coach's Press Conference】
《Ranko POPOVIC》
"We were able to show a high level of completion in the match. We firmly took control throughout the 90 minutes and managed the game well. Shimizu also kept their lines compact and played an unpleasant style of football, trying to provoke our mistakes to launch their attacks. However, against their compact and aggressive press, we connected our passes, evaded the opponent, created chances, and capitalized on our opportunities. We were able to express what we have been aiming for."

The movement of the ball was smooth, and the side changes were used effectively, demonstrating what we have been working on. Although it was a match with only two days in between, the players' work rate was excellent. Of course, there are areas for improvement. There have been moments where we conceded goals due to minor details, so I want to focus on that. Still, today, I want to commend the players for playing high-quality and attractive football.

Today, many fans and supporters came out, but in my mind, I still remember the sad faces of everyone after we lost to Shimizu in last season's Nabisco Cup Semifinal Round. I have been thinking that I want to turn that into smiles and repay that debt. I believe we were able to achieve a good result today, and I think everyone was pleased.

《Shimizu Coach Gotoh》
"We played good football, but the way we conceded goals was poor. The ball went through the legs of two players, but I think we were able to control the game until we lost that goal. Especially in the first half, we were able to create a solid organization and break through the opponent from there. Regarding MF Takeuchi, he was able to create attacks well while receiving and distributing the ball. However, when playing away, we must make sure to convert the chances we had in the first half."

After the first goal conceded, the players may have lost a bit of confidence. There was still plenty of time to catch up, but the ball deflected off Lucas after a punch and was pushed in, resulting in a strange goal conceded. After it became 2-0, the task became difficult. This is also due to the congested schedule we've had so far. Even while working hard and controlling the game, it's tough to overcome conceding a goal like that.