Nabisco Cup Opening, Expectations for Fresh Members

After three league matches, the "2014 J League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup" kicks off. In the qualifying league 1st Round, we will face Kashima Antlers. This qualifying league will be held with 14 teams excluding the 4 teams participating in the ACL, and Tokyo is in Group A. By June 1, we will compete in a round-robin format against Kashima, Sendai, Kobe, Shimizu, G Osaka, and Tosu, with the top 2 teams advancing to the knockout stage. Tokyo won its first title in 2004. Although it achieved its second victory in 2009, it has been distant from titles since then. This season, under Coach Massimo, a new battle begins step by step to reclaim the cup.

Today's members, considering the consecutive matches, will have Tokunaga, Takahashi, Edu, and Higashi absent. Eight players have been replaced from the league match, with GK Shiota, right side back Riki MATSUDA, center back Yoshimoto, MF Nozawa, Yonemoto, Hanyu, and FW Hirayama, Kono making their first starts of the season. Hirayama and Watanabe will form a two-top, with Kono playing just behind. In midfield, Nozawa will play as an anchor, with Yonemoto on the right inside half and Hanyu on the left. Coach Massimo explained his intention, saying, "To enhance the overall strength of the team while maintaining competitiveness, I have chosen to utilize the players who are best prepared."

Kashima has achieved three consecutive victories in the league and currently stands at the top. This season, forwards Osako, JUNINHO, and defender Iwasaki have left the team, but they are actively utilizing younger members. They are maintaining good form by combining with experienced players. This match, they only replaced the goalkeeper with Sato, while the field players are the same as in the previous league match. In contrast, Tokyo will fight organizationally on both offense and defense, maintaining their attitude of trying to control the game themselves, and it will be crucial to see if they can exploit Kashima's weaknesses. We also want to look forward to the dynamic play of fresh players.

Although the first spring wind blew yesterday, it is still cold at Ajinomoto. The match started at 19:00 with Kashima's kickoff.

Dynamic in both offense and defense, Kono and Ota seize their chances!

The match started moving quickly. In the 8th minute, a kick from GK Shiota was contested between Hirayama and the opposing DF, and the ball spilled to the right where Yonemoto made a one-touch trap. From there, he sent a lobbed pass that pierced behind the opposing DF directly. Kono, who timed his run perfectly, trapped the ball and brought it into the area, breaking free from the approaching opposing DF to shoot with his right foot. He scored confidently to take the lead! In the following 10th minute, after exchanging passes with Hanyu near the left sideline, Kono passed to Watanabe in front and received a return pass, sprinting forward. He delivered a negative last pass from the left area to the center. Ota, who ran into the area from the inside, connected with a direct shot aimed at the near post, scoring a goal! Utilizing speed and coordination, they quickly took a 2-goal lead against Kashima, who had not conceded a goal in their last three league matches.

After that, Hayu, Yonemoto, Nozawa, and others in the front line and midfield were active. Not only did they maintain a quick transition between offense and defense, but their defensive awareness was also high, applying pressure from the front and preventing Kashima's forwards from connecting with the ball. In the 28th minute, they lost a second ball in midfield, and Kashima's right midfielder Endo took a shot from distance. In the 36th minute, from a left corner kick by Kashima, FW Davi headed the ball, but both attempts went wide. Conversely, in the 42nd minute, Watanabe on the right delivered a soft cross into the area. The ball went over the heads of the Kashima defenders to Hirayama, who skillfully evaded the opposing defender with his body and took a decisive shot from the right area, but... it went over the bar...

Although they couldn't score the third goal, they pressed Kashima with dynamic play and ended the first half.

Matsuda's cross leads to Mita's first goal at Ajinomoto, fending off Kashima's counterattack.

In the second half, Kashima brought in midfielder Motoyama. They made substitutions and aimed for a counterattack. However, Tokyo maintained their intensity in ball contests and kept their defensive focus and balance, resulting in a back-and-forth match. In the 54th minute, Tokyo substituted Mita for Kono. Following that, Kashima also brought in forward Kaio. In the 58th minute, from a left corner kick, Ota connected with Hanyu for a short pass, and Ota delivered a cross again. Hirayama, positioned in front of the goal, executed a high header that deflected off the hands of the Kashima goalkeeper, but... they were unable to score.

In the 59th minute, Muto came on for Watanabe. In the 66th minute, Muto received a pass from the left side in the Kashima area and immediately turned. He advanced forward and easily entered the left area. He sent a short last pass to Hirayama in front of the goal. This was cleared by the Kashima defender just in time, but in the 71st minute, Muto, who had drifted to the right side, was overlapped by Matsuda, who made a cross from a high position. Mita ran in and scored a powerful header at the near post! Mita marked his first goal at Ajinomoto and secured the third point.

However, just after that, in the 72nd minute, Kashima MF Ogasawara demonstrated his ability to hold the ball in front of the right area. Unable to apply pressure here, he sent a pinpoint pass to MF Motoyama, who broke free behind the Tokyo DF. From there, MF Motoyama scored with a direct shot... resulting in a goal conceded. Tokyo gradually decreased their work rate, and as space began to open up, they faced a fierce counterattack from Kashima. However, in the 79th minute, they brought in Ishikawa and changed to a 4-4-2 formation with Yonemoto and Nozawa as double holding midfielders, countering with sharp counters. In the closing stages, Kashima FW Kaio, MF Endo, and MF Shibasaki continuously aimed for the goal, and in the second half, Kashima took a total of 12 shots, but the only decisive moment was the goal conceded. They showed no defensive cracks and finished the match with a score of 3 to 1.

Tokyo ended the second half with three shots but tightened their defense and offense, capitalizing on their chances for a resounding victory! Fresh members were active until the end, starting the Nabisco Cup with a win and securing their first victory of the season.

【Player Comments】
《Kawano》
"We approached this match with a different lineup than usual, but we were able to achieve solid results. In the scoring moment, I always tell Yonemoto to 'pass behind,' and he sent a great pass just as I asked. My trap was a bit long, but it was within reach of my right foot. After that, it was just a matter of finishing. What I focused on today was our defense and effectively supporting the two forwards during attacks, as well as aiming for the back. The team hadn't been winning for a while, and today, players who usually don't get to play wanted to change the flow. This victory will likely intensify the competition for positions, and I believe that will lead to the team's improvement. I want to stay focused on results and continue to score goals."

《Ota》
"Winning with today's members will be a good motivation for the other players, and it makes me feel like I can't be complacent. Moreover, winning against league leaders Kashima has a significance beyond just one victory. We must continue to compete, energize the team, and become stronger."

【Summary of Massimo FICCADENTI's Press Conference】
"I told the players to be aggressive from the first half. They did what they wanted to do well. Even after taking the lead, they showed a willingness to score additional goals, and they were able to actually score. In the second half, they were able to do what needed to be done. The important thing is that we were able to play the kind of football we want to play against a strong opponent like Kashima. I think that was the biggest achievement of all."

【Kashima - Toninho CEREZO's Press Conference Summary】
"The opponent surpassed us in terms of fighting spirit, aggressiveness, compactness, speed, and defense. Above all, their desire to win was stronger. I felt that they were being coached by an excellent manager, and their movements in breaking down the finish were thorough. They expressed the results of their usual practice. In the second half, we were able to play a bit of our football, but... I want to commend the opponent for doing what they needed to do, rather than saying we did nothing."