Sei MUROYA

(The result was 0-3. Reflecting on the match)
"In the first half, we need to reflect on the part where we conceded goals in quick succession.
I believe that in order to become a strong team, we need to be a team that can quickly switch gears and regain goals after conceding. That's something we all want to improve together.

(I was trying to break through Sendai's organized defense with my individual skills)
"Since we were in a losing situation, I was more conscious of playing aggressively. I tried to create opportunities by breaking through on my own, but I couldn't convert it into a goal, and losing 0-3 is personally very frustrating."

(I think that Muroya himself was able to organize what he needed to do and play well after being away from official matches for a while)
"Honestly, my feeling is that I wanted to connect more in the attacking part and score. I want to increase plays where I can break away from the opponent."

(What were the feelings and challenges in the attack?)
"Since we were in a behind situation, I played thinking about breaking down the opponent from my position on the right side. However, the fact that we couldn't score means I need to reflect on that, and I personally felt the need to improve the quality of my play.
In any match, it is possible to concede goals. Within that context, the entire team must have a mentality to turn the game around, and we need to fight with more determination; otherwise, we cannot achieve victory in matches like today.
The match is still ongoing, so I want to reflect carefully and prepare for the next match.

Takuya UCHIDA

(Reflecting on today's match)
"I think it was good that I was able to participate in the attack several times in the first half. However, not being able to finish those opportunities is my challenge. I believe I need to be more aggressive with my dribbling, which is my strength, and increase the number of times I can take a shot in order to be able to play in matches."
Instead of looking down after conceding a goal, we need to switch gears and work together to make a comeback; otherwise, we won't see results. I want to improve that aspect and train for the next match.

(Today I played on the side. Points I focused on in the attack)
"The coach instructed me to be aware of my positioning. I made an effort to receive the ball on the side and create situations that would allow Ota to advance easily.
I feel that we need to increase our physical activity and quality because we haven't been able to produce results like goals and assists. There are parts that went well, so I want to continue with those.

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

"Today was a complete defeat. In terms of how we started the first half and our fighting spirit, we were very passive. Our pressure was weak, and our reaction to the second ball after long balls was slow. After conceding the first goal, we lost our momentum. I believe we still lack the mental strength to endure after conceding a goal. Regarding our performance in the second half, I think we showed a lot of courage, stepped up, and demonstrated a fighting spirit. In that sense, I believe Sendai was more focused and aggressive from the start, which directly led to the result. In the Levain Cup, we have played two away matches and one home match in the first three games, winning the home match. Conversely, in the remaining three matches, we have two home games, and I want to make sure we earn points at home to advance to the Final Round and playoffs, so I will continue to prepare thoroughly."

《Q&A》
Q=In the first half, I think there were many scenes where Kubo was stopped while trying to dribble, but in the second half, he also made some passes, which was good. What is your evaluation of Kubo's performance today?
I think it was very good. Although the score difference widened, they showed a fighting spirit until the end. They challenged the ball properly and maintained an attitude towards the goal until the very end. Of course, they couldn't produce results like assists or goals, but I believe they showed their determination in today's match.

Summary of the press conference by Sendai's Susumu WATANABE

Thank you for your hard work. We truly appreciate the more than 7,000 supporters who gathered for the weekday night game today.
The atmosphere is a bit different from the league matches, and it tends to be a bit light, but we talked about how we should "first sweep away that atmosphere with our strength" before sending them out. Also, even though we won against Nagasaki in the last league match, the content was far from our ideal, so today, even though the members are different, we sent the players out with the thought of "let's erase the content of the last game as the same Vegalta Sendai team."
I think they played with a lot of passion and showcased some wonderful tactics. However, since there is another game coming up soon, I want to make sure we don't let our guard down, don't become complacent, and prepare thoroughly and diligently for the next match against Urawa.

Q&A

Q=You had multiple systems prepared in advance, but please explain why you adopted a 3-5-2 formation from the start and maintained it even after the incident.
"First of all, we prepared with the assumption that FC Tokyo would set up similarly to the last time they played at Ajinomoto. Within that, we aimed to be more effective by using two forwards and placing an anchor."
However, after various preparations and simulations, last night I had a thought in my mind, "No, wouldn't it be better to go with a 3-5-2 formation even if the opponent has double defensive midfielders?" So, in today's meeting, I discussed that we would go with two forwards even against a team with double defensive midfielders. In practice on the pitch, we hadn't trained specifically for that, but just explaining it on the board and being able to execute it like that shows that it's not just about adapting to the opponent; it's because we have organized how we can take the initiative in both attack and defense.
Even after the accident, I had a rough idea of what we could do, so I thought it would be better to stick with the current system without changing it. In the end, since we went up to 3-0, we returned to the original 3-4-3 to reduce the burden on the three midfielders and closed out the game.

I thought that Kubo from the opposing team would be the key player, but in the first half, he matched up with Nakano a lot, and I thought they were somewhat similar in style. As a result, we were able to take the ball quite effectively. In the second half, it felt like he was trying to avoid Nakano a lot, but I think our strategy against Kubo worked well, didn't it?
"I'm not specifically countering him. We're playing against FC Tokyo, not just against Kubo. Of course, I think he's a key player. When he gets the ball, he has momentum and can create various ideas; he has a way of holding the ball that makes him very troublesome as an opponent. Purely as a footballer, it's surprising to see someone at 16 years old capable of such things, and that was evident today.
However, there were parts that the whole team could have prevented, and there are also parts where we probably got caught out, so I think it would be good to review the footage again and organize our thoughts on that.
However, I wish that if we could have contained him a bit more during the second half, as a team we could have played a little more in the opponent's half, and I hope we can reflect on that as a whole.