《Keigo HIGASHI》

"No matter the tournament or the opponent, winning is truly delightful."
Although it was a frustrating situation where we couldn't capitalize on our chances, it was enjoyable to play.

There may be games like today again.
I think it's important to stay calm and continue doing what needs to be done, even if the match develops in that way.

In that situation, Take (Takefusa KUBO) really scored well.
However, while Take may be in the spotlight, for example, Diego OLIVEIRA worked hard, running and chasing the ball to contribute.
I believe that players like Togashi and Nagai also demonstrated their dedication, and it is a result of fighting as a team.
We want to prepare well together so that we can connect to the next step.

《Hyun Soo JANG》

I really felt the weight of one point and the weight of one victory.
There have been matches where we couldn't capitalize on our chances until now.
There were many chances today. I think we were able to capitalize on them, and it became a match that will lead to future success.

(Both full-backs were young members?)
Both Ogawa and Okazaki are good players, so I was focused on just communicating.

(About Kubo. After the goal, Hyun Soo JANG lifted him up (laughs)?)
I think he is a bold player.
As a senior in football, he is also a player you want to support.
After the goal, he came towards me, so I lifted him up, but it wasn't just me; all the other players must have felt the same way.
It was really great that the team fought together as one.

Not only the starting 11, but also the players on the bench and those watching from the stands were all hungry for victory. We expressed our desire to win and remained focused on achieving victory, but today we were able to fight calmly. I think that was a good thing.

(First victory as captain. Are you feeling relieved?)
No... there are still many goals to aim for (bitter smile)

Summary of the press conference by Kenta HASEGAWA, Tokyo's coach

"I really feel that winning even one match is difficult. I think the players felt pressure in the situation where we haven't been able to win, but they fought aggressively until the end."
We only scored one goal, but I think there was a lot of pressure on the players leading up to that goal and various factors at play. Today, not just the starting members but also those on the bench were discussing how to score, and I believe Kubo did well to finish in that situation.
Using this victory as a turning point, we want to prepare thoroughly over the next three days so that we can achieve another win in the next league match.

《Q&A》
Q=What is your evaluation of player Kubo?
"I thought a bit about where to use him, but today I deployed him as a side half. I believed that position would be key in today's development. He added a good accent and scored as intended. I feel he is quite a player to come on in that situation and score. However, there are still many areas where he needs to improve, so I hope he can acquire those skills through training and become an even bigger player."

Summary of the press conference by Niigata's Masakazu SUZUKI

As you can see, a well-regulated first defense. There were almost crises in areas where marking was not done properly. I want the players to understand this once again so that we can improve our defense, even just a little.
In terms of offense, I talked about moving the ball more calmly in a triangular relationship, but there were still many instances of passing mistakes by the players. In the second half, there were some moments where the ball was moved at a better timing, but this time the triangular relationships in the attacking zone did not work well.
Since clear challenges have emerged, I want to prepare thoroughly for the next match.

《Q&A》
Q=It was the first loss of the 2018 season, but do you think today's defeat will serve as a power for the team to move forward?
I think that fundamentally, winning is the best. However, soccer is a sport where losing is a given. It is especially during those times that we need to share something more solid with the players.
"We are firmly going for the ball," and "the marking position is correct," during those times we are not being beaten at all.
You have to concentrate on doing that for 90 minutes. I believe that if you don't do that, you won't be able to win.

Q=What is your evaluation of the two center-backs?
In the first half, Ohtake was often unable to go for the ball and was not marking well. I spoke to him at halftime, and he improved at the start of the second half.
I think it would be great if he continues that image and plays with focus for 90 minutes. His heading ability is excellent, so by solidifying his defensive skills, I believe he can become an asset to the team. I think Haru made a mistake by approaching from the wrong position when he let his guard down for just a moment, which led to an easy situation for the opponent to get past him.