《Takefusa KUBO》
(Up to this point, there have been two consecutive scoreless draws in official matches)
"Before the match, we all talked about how 'we can't win if we don't score.' I'm very happy that I was able to score and win as a result."

(There were some difficult moments in the early stages of the match)
"Compared to last week, the temperature rose a bit, and both teams had moments where their legs stopped. In that situation, we were conscious of sprinting from the start and chasing the ball from the front line."

(Looking back at the goal scene)
"Yajima kept the loose ball from the corner kick with his body. When it came to me, I had no choice but to shoot, my body reacted, and it felt like it went in as soon as I shot."

(He was quite far back when the corner kick was taken, but he smoothly moved forward just before the goal scene. What kind of image did he have?)
"Basically, when I'm not the kicker, I position myself where I can anticipate loose balls for both offense and defense. Today, I was naturally in that position as I was thinking about where the ball might spill."

(The ball that came loose was bouncing high, making it difficult)
"I was trying to shoot as compactly as possible. The ball flew on a better trajectory than I expected."

(Today's goal was the first goal in the league match in Tokyo)
"It took longer than I expected, but a goal is a goal, so I want to be genuinely happy about it."

(This makes it 11 matches unbeaten)
"Compared to last season, our mindset has become more focused in daily training. Having experienced the bitterness of last season, everyone strongly feels that they do not want to go through the same thing again. I believe there is something invisible like that."

(How has your awareness changed?)
"I have started to think about being aware of dangerous situations and where to receive the ball when I don't have it."

(Towards the next Sapporo match)
"I just saw that Sapporo's result was a draw, so I want to keep Tokyo's momentum and do my best to win next week."

《Kosuke OTA》
"I didn't feel like we were being outplayed by the opponent, and as a result of our perseverance and fighting spirit, we were able to win. I believe that having Kubo score in such a match holds significant meaning for the team."

(The opposing team's goalkeeper had an outstanding performance)
"When Kaminski plays at Ajinomoto, he is like a god. He stopped the wonderful shot taken by Na SANGHO at the end, and I felt once again that he is one of the great goalkeepers in the J-League. In that context, I am really glad that we were able to score as a team."

(The stability of the defense is reflected in the results so far)
"I still think it's too early to be satisfied here. I want to continue working so that at the end of the season, people can say that the defense was stable this season."

《Tokyo - Summary of the Press Conference with Director Kenta HASEGAWA》
Many fans and supporters came to the home Ajinomoto, and we were able to achieve victory in the first match of the Reiwa era.
I believe that Takefusa's goal has led to a very significant result for the team.
Although there are some injuries, the bench has become younger, but the sense of unity in the team, or rather, the captain has brought the team together.
Last week, the match between G Osaka and Sendai ended in a scoreless draw. In that context, we talked again, especially about what happened after we regained possession of the ball. Although we couldn't quite break through, we were able to fight well in the second half.
It was good that we were able to score from a set piece during our time period.
This is the first time we have scored from a set piece in the league match. Next, there will be a one-week break, followed by three consecutive matches including the Levain Cup.
I would like to prepare thoroughly again.

(I think Kubo's goal showcased his high level of skill, but how did it appear from the coach's perspective?)
"He predicted the drop point of the ball and moved accordingly; it was a difficult volley shot. His shooting technique is among the best in the team. I thought his skill in that area was impressive."

《Iwata - Summary of the Press Conference with Coach Hiroshi NANAMI》
I believe we were able to execute our game plan until the moment we conceded a goal.
Just before the end of the first half, a vertical pass was made to Diego OLIVEIRA and Nagai, and from there, they almost created a central breakthrough several times with a flick or combination, but they managed to hold on well.
There were few instances of allowing the opponent to enter deep areas on the side, and even when they did, we took our time to defend, which allowed us to form our defensive organization in the box. I thought these two points were crucial, so I believe the players did well.
Against an opponent that we expected to tire in the second half, Taguchi and Uehara in the center, along with Yamada who came on later, aimed to increase the number of times we faced forward and to change the rhythm and tempo with one-touch passes or by switching sides to alter the distance of the ball. By effectively utilizing this, we wanted to increase the number of finishes either through breakthroughs or simple crosses.
There were some scenes that weren't bad in terms of shape, but we couldn't quite get to the point of taking a shot.
I think the reason Tokyo concedes few goals is that they are thorough in throwing their bodies near the box, which often leads to situations where they hit the opponent, making it difficult to finish.
It's good to have confidence because, compared to the complete defeat we had in the closed training match in February, this was a performance that we can be sufficiently confident about.