Match against Urawa in away Saitama

As the fourth match of the five consecutive games, we will face Urawa Reds at the away Saitama Stadium 2002 for the unplayed 1st Stage Sec. 13. This time, only the match between Tokyo and Urawa, which has advanced to the ACL Round of 16, will take place.

Tokyo has been unbeaten in the last six matches, but the last three have all ended in draws, and the players express that the feeling of "not being able to win" is stronger. This match is against a top team, and it is a game in Saitama, where they haven't won since 2003, but they are aiming to secure a victory.

This match features Muriqui and Nathan BURNS in the starting lineup, forming a two-top. Hanyu and Takahashi also return to the starting lineup. Hashimoto will be used as a right side half, with Takahashi and Yonemoto as a double pivot, and Hanyu on the left side, approaching with a 4-4-2 formation.

Urawa has FW Koroki at the forefront, with MF Lee and Muto as shadows, and MF Sekine and Ugajin on both sides, forming the usual 3-6-1. Urawa, boasting a diverse attack, aims to fight tenaciously, control the game even away from home, and seize victory this season.

Under high humidity and gloomy weather throughout the day, the match started at 19:34 with a kickoff in Tokyo.

Muriqui scores his first goal in J1! Hashimoto extends the lead with an additional goal.

From the beginning, we allowed Urawa to dominate possession and were pressured in our own half.
4 minutes: Urawa's long ball from the midfield to the right forward line is met by right MF Sekine, who passes to MF Lee in the area. He prepares for a shot, but Tokyo clears just in time.

11 minutes: From an early cross by right defender Moriwaki of Urawa, forward Koroki had a perfect header, but Akimoto made the save. With Akimoto at the center, they defended solidly and aimed for counterattacks utilizing Muriqui and Nathan BURNS up front.

13 minutes: After a pass from Urawa's defender, Yonehito in midfield applied pressure and intercepted. This led to Nathan BURNS on the right front, initiating a quick counterattack. Nathan BURNS took a step forward and passed to Muriqui, who broke into the center. Despite being closed down by two opposing defenders at the penalty arc, Muriqui executed a precise shot that found the bottom right corner of the goal! Muriqui marked his first goal in J1, taking the lead. 1-0.

After that, Urawa maintained possession of the ball, but Tokyo defended tenaciously, launched counterattacks, and created set-piece opportunities. 23rd minute: Urawa's left cross was dropped by FW Koroki in the center, followed by MF Lee shifting to the right side, and MF Sekine in the right area took a shot. It was directed wide, but the shot was saved by Akimoto.

24 minutes: Just after escaping a pinch, Nathan BURNS and Muriqui launched a powerful counterattack, but Muriqui's last pass was blocked by the opponent in front of the goal, resulting in a left corner kick. Furthermore, from the spilled ball of Ogawa's corner kick, Hashimoto, just inside the right area, controlled it with one touch and shot, but this was also blocked by the Urawa defense.

31 minutes: After a pass exchange between Ogawa and Muriqui on the left side, Muriqui switches to the right. Tokunaga, who overlapped, → Nathan BURNS in front of the right area is surrounded by the opposing DF and falls down, but Hashimoto reacts to the ball that spills forward. He breaks free a step ahead of the opposing DF in the right area and confidently slots it into the net to score a goal. This makes it 2-0.

After 40 minutes: Urawa's attack continued, but they did not allow any goals. With the development going as planned, they skillfully exploited the opponent's gaps to score an additional goal, ending the first half with a two-goal lead.

Conceded 3 goals in the second half, suffering a difficult comeback loss...

In the second half, we aimed to keep the line compact and push the whole team forward. Urawa repeatedly targeted behind the DF, but Tokyo was quick to switch and did not allow the opponent any freedom.

50 minutes: Urawa's right MF Sekine was marked by Ogawa during his dribble, ultimately resulting in a corner kick. When this right corner kick was spilled, the ball went to the left area, where MF Muto took a shot, but Akimoto made the save.

52 minutes: The battle for the ball continues in midfield, Nathan BURNS' pass to Hashimoto was intercepted once, but Nathan BURNS regained possession, and Hashimoto dribbled forward through the center. On the right was Nathan BURNS, and on the left, Hanyu advanced, creating a 3-on-2 situation.

56 minutes: From a smooth series of passes, Nathan BURNS made a through pass to the right area. Muriqui broke free from the left to meet it and took a shot aimed at the goal, but the ball that slipped past the opposing goalkeeper struck the left post...
59 minutes: Muriqui's shot-like cross from the left flies just over the bar. It was blocked by the opposing GK's save, but a left corner kick was earned. However, they could not bring it to a finish from here.

Unable to capitalize on the chance for an additional goal, we gradually allowed Urawa to seize the rhythm of their counterattack. As the match progressed at a high pace from the beginning, our energy levels began to drop, and we found ourselves pushed back into our own half.
63 minutes: Maeda was brought in to replace Nathan BURNS. He tried to create time in the opponent's territory.
65 minutes: Urawa's large side change from the right to the left, with MF Ugajin breaking through vertically. Tokunaga was on him, clearing the ball and escaping to a corner kick.
66 minutes: From this left corner kick by Urawa, DF Moriwaki at the front of the right area spread to the right flank. A cross was sent from the sideline, allowing DF Makino in the center to head the ball... resulting in a goal. 2-1.

67 minutes: Kono was brought in as right MF to replace Tokunaga. Hashimoto moved to right side back. However, they could not break the flow.
72 minutes: From the right front line of Urawa, the ball was passed intricately to the center, and from a short drop, DF Makino scored into the bottom left corner... The score was equalized. 2-2.
78 minutes: Urawa brought in FW Zlatan to aim for a comeback. Immediately after, from a free kick on the right side, MF Kashiwagi sent a ball forward, which was cleared by Tokyo. However, they quickly followed up with a shot from the rebound. In the end, it hit the right post, and it seemed they had escaped the danger, but the rebound was pounced on by MF Lee in the right area... The ball floated gently into the goal... Allowing a turnaround to 2-3.

In the second half, we were pushed back, spending a long time playing in front of our own area, resulting in three goals conceded. We couldn't capitalize on our two-goal lead and suffered a bitter comeback loss... This was our first defeat since April 29.

[Player Comments]
《Muriqui》
"It's really disappointing that we couldn't achieve results as a team. I knew it would be a tough game, but we managed to take a 2-goal lead. After that, losing in a comeback leaves me with nothing but frustration."
(Regarding my first goal in J1)
Scoring from a quick transition attack was something we aimed for as a team. Nathan BURNS provided a great pass, and I was able to finish in a good way. I think it was a good goal, but…

《Nathan BURNS》
"The first half was a good game. We were able to take the lead by scoring two goals from two chances. However, a football match consists of both a first half and a second half. The second half turned into a different game. Ideally, we wanted to secure three points, but in the end, we finished with zero, which is very disappointing. I was able to create a good combination with Muriqui, and I believe we can improve even more in the future. However, that alone won't lead to victories. It's also necessary to build connections with other players and for each of us to grow. What we can do is prepare to win the next match. I want to shift our focus towards that."

【Summary of Coach Hiroshi JOFUKU's Press Conference】
We shared the goal of targeting counterattacks and approached the match with that in mind. In the first half, we effectively transitioned to our ball possession and quickly launched counterattacks, following our plan. We wanted a third goal early in the second half. However, we must accept that not being able to score an additional goal and conceding three goals reflects our current capabilities.
(Regarding the factors that led to not being able to hold on in the second half)
There is not just one reason, but there was little time to have the ball. It was good in the fresh first half, but in the second half, we were pushed back in both midfield and on the sides. One reason for that was not being able to push the line up. I want to correct that.
(Regarding the use of Muriqui and BURNS)
They can not only use their speed but also utilize their teammates. Their combination has led to the team's speedy attacks, showing more than just counterattacks. However, there are players who work in the background to maximize their strengths. Considering the situation as a whole, I made the decision to substitute Nathan BURNS. Despite it being a weekday, many fans and supporters came all the way to the away game, and I wanted to share the joy with them, but I ended up disappointing them. However, there is another match in just three days. I want to prepare to clear today's frustration in the next game."

【Urawa - Zoran PETROVIC's press conference summary】
"We made the match difficult for ourselves, but throughout the game, we showed play that deserved victory. It was a wonderful game. We created many chances from the first half, but we couldn't convert them. The opponent took advantage of their few chances and led by two goals. In the second half, we also created many chances and were able to score effectively. Tokyo had few chances in both halves, but they couldn't capitalize on them. While it's said that taking three points is important, what truly matters is fighting without wavering and showing a spectacular battle. I believe that this mindset will lead us to victory. Soccer is a competitive sport, so there are times we lose, but having a match like today, which was filled with content, tension, and spectacle, is important for our soccer. What kind of battle we uphold is crucial."